Overview

The 2011 Mazda Tribute is a compact crossover SUV with a distinctive boxy shape that's reminiscent of older truck-based SUVs. It shares a platform with the Ford Escape, and is available with front- or all-wheel drive (FWD or AWD). The 2011 Tribute is unchanged from the previous year.

The base trim level on the 2011 Mazda Tribute, i Sport, features 16-inch wheels, power accessories, cruise control, air conditioning, automatic headlights, and a sound system. The Tribute i Touring trim adds a roof rack, power driver's seat, and audio controls mounted on the steering wheel. The Tribute i Grand Touring trim features leather upholstery, sunroof, heated front seats, upgraded mirrors and sound system, and a rearview camera. The Tribute s Grand Touring trim offers the same features, but adds a V-6 engine. A towing package is optional on all trim levels, as are other enhancements. The Tribute provides 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats up, and 67 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, according to Mazda.

The 2011 Mazda Tribute's standard power plant is a 171-horsepower, 2.5-liter, inline 4-cylinder engine coupeed with a 5-speed manual transmission on the Sport trim and a 6-speed automatic on all other trims. (The automatic transmission is optional on the Sport trim as well.) The Tribute s Grand Touring trim features a 240-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. With FWD, the 4-cylinder engine delivers 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA; the V-6 delivers 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway with FWD.

In terms of safety equipment, the 2011 Mazda Tribute features anti-lock brakes (drum brakes in the rear and disc brakes in the front), stability control, traction control, front side air bags and side curtain air bags. In government crash tests, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Mazda Tribute 5 (out of 5) stars in front-impact tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Tribute highest-possible "Good" ratings in frontal-offset, side-impact, and rear-impact crash tests.

Depending on the trim, MSRPs for the 2011 Mazda Tribute ranged from $20,555 to just under $30,000.