Test Drive Mazda Tribute 2001 - 2007 SUV

And to the village, and to the city

People tend to dream. You can be crazy about Ferrari and, looking at the image of your dreams on the cover of the magazine, imagine yourself with dispersion of fixed air mass on the perfectly smooth country highway hot July day. You can also be a fan of Hammer and mentally painting the paintings on which you pull out the T-80 tank from the great mud of the military landfill, where they accidentally drove in the hope of hunting on wild elephants, whose birthmark is definitely Russia.

 

But dreams, as nor sadly, they contrast with reality in which a person spends most of his life. And life contributes to our dreams their pragmatic adjustments, and a vehicle is usually acquired as a vehicle, capable of carrying out his direct duties, which is quickly and comfortable to transport the owner where he is pleased. For any distances, in any weather and with any road conditions.
 
Mazda refers its Tribute to the class of sports SUVs. But this is also a typical car for every day, a wide profile specialist. Fully independent suspension is designed to provide good handling, and a constant four-wheel drive with the possibility of forced blocking of the mid-scene differential does not limit the car habitat only asphalt roads. The test machine with a three-liter V6 capacity of 198 hp and automatic transmission, and besides, in a very decent configuration, which includes a leather interior, cruise control, a hatch with an electric drive and other joys of life. Simple versions are equipped with a two-liter engine, which implies a manual box and a smaller cost.

  

The appearance of Tribute fully complies with modern standards. A high car with a tightly shot body, endowed with all the generic features inherent in Mazda brand machines.
 
Salon leaves a feeling of space and rationality. The lack of designer sings are compensated by ergonomics, which should be estimated extremely positively in its place. In addition to the radio, a huge plug in the central console calls for an immediate visit to the installers of audio equipment. But no music, you can listen to the engine sound.
 
From under the hood, the juicy baritone of the 24-valve six. The automatic selector is located in American on the steering column, which turned out to be quite convenient. Pressing the accelerator pedal and the SUV as if discharges the good half of its weight. Overclocking is very good! The reserve of traction is enough in most cases, allowing you to quickly push the urban and without any voltage to make overtaking on the track. Enjoy the omnipotence of the engine does not interfere with even some thought of the machine.

 

Despite all the pro-American, Tribute demonstrates running quality, more peculiar to European cars. An independent suspension does not allow to develop rolls in protracted turns, and the transmission operation scheme (70% of the torque is transmitted to the front axle, 30% on the back) makes the car's habits close to the front-wheel drive. The tribute control rate is like cars: the car is well holding a straight line, very stable in turns, and in the tense devias of the reaction of the machine, not absolutely predictable.
 
Asphalt is replaced by light off-road. Under these conditions, Tribute feels more than confidently: the car with enviable ease will deliver the company to the coast of the forest lake or the sandy beach: the risks of the primers and the bumpy rural roads it nipple.
 
However, you should not subject the car to extreme trials on the passability. On deep sand when moving in a latitude, in order not to face the shortage of torque, you should select 1 or 2 modes in advance of the automatic box, and obviously complex areas to overcome with the go, pre-blocking the inter-system differential.

 

The ideology of this car does not imply participation in trophy raids. The most important thing in Mazda Tribute is that it is able to cause a strongest psychological dependence. A powerful engine, an automatic box and four-wheel drive to all this is getting used to very quickly, as any other convenient and practical things. Ride for some time and you will inevitably visit the extremely sweet feeling of freedom and independence, which this car stands in full.
 

The car is provided by Eurosib-car.
At the time of the test, the car is insured by ASK Trust.
 
Text: Kirill Brevdo
Photo: Roman Stunnin
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

A source: Magazine "Wheels" [№59 / 2002]