What does it say when the company that produces the hybrid admits that the handling is a letdown? That they are aware that at least one part of its design is in need of an upgrading. It has a little more of the sports car feel to it and the extra 300 pounds of curb weight cause body roll on the turns. It's not as agile as it could be.



25 miles per hour is currently what the drive train is giving the Tribute when running on the electrical battery packs alone. This little advantage makes it clean and green, a trait many people are now looking for in their vehicles. The transmission is a continuous variable type, meaning it can switch between gas and electric or run both as it is needed. The gas engine is a 2.3 liter and the combined horsepower it 155. The acceleration rates with other 200hp V6 so that ensures that slow speed traffic or high speed traffic will not effect how this SUV runs.

Like other hybrids in this class, the Tribute runs on an Atkinson cycle that provides seamless transition when switching back and forth between the engines. Fuel economy is sitting at about 75% when it is in city driving mode and the CVT system makes the transitions easy to control.

Exceeding the threshold while running this hybrid SUV happens at speeds above 25mph. Mazda added some extra torque that supplements the gasoline engine and this helps to charge the built-in batteries with regenerative braking. The vehicle also gets a push from the generator-motor combination when it's pulling an especially heavy load. That helps and assured consumers that the vehicle can still at the speed limit or above. The SUV can also get maximum torque a low rpm's if need be with the complementing gasoline engine.

Gas And The Environment

The Tribute's electronic vehicle system-controller helps the consumer better manage the way the vehicle charges, starts, and drives. It will shut down the engine while coasting and idling, thereby saving fuel by switching over to electric power. It also helps the SUV shirt to the generator when braking and during processes that recharge the built-in batteries.

Paralleling its Mariner and Escape siblings, the Tribute's gas mileage is reversed just like every hybrid on the market. It gets 34 miles to the gallon in the city and 30 miles per gallon on the highway. That 25 mph on the electric power is a plus with the vehicle because it helps with lesser fuel capacity conservation. Braking and deceleration charge the battery and that takes away the need to plug the SUV in.

This SUV has the fuel-efficient classification of Ultra Low Emission Vehicle of Low Emission. This tells people that the Mazda Tribute is environmentally friendly and helping to protect the fragile environment we live in. So not only is getting Mazda jump started in the hybrid SUV field, it's also helped get the company into the environmental protection gig.

Another green feature the conservationists love is that while the Tribute is powerful, it also meets the Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle standards. It meets all the requirements that have been set by the industry and there is zero evaporative emissions coming from this SUV that it really is as green as gets. And with the Atkinson combustion cycle system in place, it really helps with the fuel efficiency and saving on gas, something most drivers appreciate with the gas crisis the way it is.

More Stuff

The body of the Tribute is an all-steel unibody that is not only rigid, but very strong. The crumple zones and Triple H constructions is impact absorbing and it has been designed to redirect energy from the cab of the vehicle. The airbags are all supplied with sensors and will trigger when necessary based on the impact and the weight of the passengers. There are also side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, seat belt pre-tensioners and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Yes, it's a hybrid and an SUV, but the price isn't going to kill you. As a matter of fact, it is priced lower than it's siblings without losing the quality and comfort you expect. Plus you simply cannot save gas with a standard vehicle like you can with the Mazda Tribute Hybrid. These SUVs start at around $25,000.00 and go to $30,000.00 depending on the amenities you have added inside.

You can get one of these in Mexico, Canada, and the United States with over 900dealers ready to ship one to you. The 2008 version, which is more advanced, is being released exclusively in California first and then it will be available to the rest of the nation.