Used 2011 Mazda Tribute SUV Review & Ratings

Mazda is known for designing sporty, easy to handle and fun to drive vehicles, and the Mazda Tribute SUV is no exception. A compact SUV that perfectly blends the space and size of a sport utility and the thrill of driving a smaller sports car, Mazda answers the needs of the family and the driver with one smart vehicle. Most reviews rightfully place the Mazda at the top of the list of fun family cars.

The Mazda Tribute SUV is one of the smaller sized sport utility vehicles in its class, and offers a range of powertrains, trim packages and options that will help it to appeal to a large and varied audience. In terms of mechanics and structure, it's quite similar to the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner, but it is far more appealing visually and its features are more impressive. The Tribute is sportier than its competitors and its price puts it right in line to be an excellent value in a large class of smaller SUVs.

The Mazda Tribute SUV features four doors and seating for five passengers with plenty of room for comfort. The engine options are a gas saving and responsive 4 cylinder that comes with either a 5 speed manual or 6 speed automatic transmission, or a powerful V6 with an automatic. The 2011 model is also available with a hybrid engine that couples an electric motor with a battery source and a 4 cylinder engine, delivering impressive miles per gallon, especially when driving in the city. The Tribute is available in either front wheel drive or 4 wheel drive, although the 4 wheel drive isn't designed for off road fun, but rather poor weather and snow driving.

One of the biggest appeals of the Mazda Tribute SUV is its notable fuel economy. The EPA rates the SUV high, which 22 mpg city / 28 mpg highway for the 4 cylinder and manual transmission engine. Even the more powerful V6 offers and impressive 18 mpg city / 23 mpg highway, which is quite reasonable for that engine size. The Tribute can also tow up to 3,500 pounds. The hybrid engine model is rated at 34 mpg city / 31 mpg highway, making it a smart choice for those who do most of their driving around town.

The 4 cylinder engine is 2.5 liters and offers a perfectly adequate 173 horsepower, featuring either the 5 speed manual or 6 speed automatic transmissions. The 4 wheel drive model is only available with a 4 cylinder, automatic transmission engine. The strong V6 model has a 3.0 liter engine that offers an impressive 240 horsepower, and only available as an automatic transmission. The Mazda Tribute SUV hybrid version features the 4 cylinder engine, with a combined electric and gas engine giving as much as 178 horsepower as needed.