Mazda Tribute 2004 review

The Tribute does have the soul of a sports car. With 108kW at 6000rpm and a not-too-shabby 201Nm of torque at 4500rpm, the four-cylinder DOHC is a great around-towner but has enough oomph to shake it off-road.

The Tribute tricked a few who thought from its sound and performance that it may have had a small-capacity six under the bonnet. The 2.3-litre engine replaces the overworked 2.0-litre four and is similar to those of Tribute's stablemates, the Mazda3 and 6. The engine is mated to a four-speed automatic with lock-up torque converter and overdrive switch.

The automatic is active, often changing down gears in traffic, perhaps when not necessary, but this means it is always in the right gear at the right time.

If baulked when climbing a hill it will struggle a bit to regain its puff but once back up in the rev range cruises happily.

The Tribute boasts great fuel economy averaging a touch over 10L/100km for a mix of city and highway driving.

The column-shift automatic makes the interior look a little dated but serves a practical purpose.

It does take a while to get used to – you mistakenly knock it when trying to turn on the wipers, and it gets in the way when trying to adjust the radio volume.

But the fiddliness is worth getting used to. You savour the space it frees up by not having a gearshift on the floor.

The Tribute's suspension is a good package, giving it road-car like handling. The Tribute is nimble in most situations and suffers limited body roll.

Lumped in with the compact 4WDs, the Tribute boasts more space than a lot of its competitors. And at $34,990 it is definitely worth a look, especially with the amount of equipment fitted.

The Tribute features power everything, air conditioning, remote central locking (with double-lock door deadlock function) and alloy wheels. In the safety department the Tribute is well equipped with four airbags and ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution.

The Tribute has a relatively high equipment level but the interior does not reflect this.

It is uncluttered to the point that for the first few drives it feels a little bare, but soon the nooks and crannies get filled and the lack of unnecessary clutter is welcomed.

In fact the Tribute has a number of hidey-holes around the cabin, a deep, closed centre console with four cup holders and a large, lockable glovebox.

The cupholders are too big for cans, which rattle along rough roads.

The seats are comfortable on long trips and feature adjustable head restraints along with lumbar and base adjustment.

The steering wheel is tilt adjustable to help find the best driving position.

The flip-up rear window provides easy access to throw something in the boot but it is easier to open the full rear door if trying to get something out.

The cargo area has a retractable cover, tie-down hooks and an auxiliary point.

On the outside the Tribute hints at its sports car origins with the inclusion of roof rails and the new headlights.

Despite not having colour-coded bumpers it is one of a select few that can pull off the look without appearing cheap. With a comprehensive equipment list, good safety features and lots of space the Tribute sure gives its competitors a run for their money.