| Mazda Motor Corporation will start selling the all-new Tribute, a new class
of SUV. It is more powerful-and more functional-than a compact sport utility,
and it is more maneuverable and more efficient than an intermediate SUV.
The Tribute SUV features eye-catching styling, a spacious interior and exceptional
handling that provides excellent onroad maneuverability, while negotiating bad
roads and unpaved terrain.
"Maneuverability in the city is a shortcoming of many SUVs," says Mazda President
Mark Fields, "but Tribute's exceptional steering and handling-coupled with its
'command driving position' and superior visibility-will give it an edge over many
competitors."
Reflecting Mazda's Dynamic DNA, the Tribute provides great driving pleasure
in an SUV with a sports car attitude, epitomizing Mazda's "stylish," "Insightful"
and "spirited" brand personality.
SUV with a sports car attitude
Tribute boasts high body rigidity, a newly developed and carefully tuned suspension
and a powerful 3.0-liter V-6 engine, resulting in an SUV with outstanding onroad
handling performance. Additionally, the Rotary Blade Coupling (RBC) four-wheel-drive
system with electromagnetic lock-up mechanism and a relatively high ground clearance
level allows the driver to steer the vehicle with ease on bad roads and unpaved
terrain.
Spacious interior and cargo space, comfortable seating, excellent visibility
and easy ingress/egress
The Tribute is not an outgrowth of an existing sedan or truck model. It is a unique
SUV that employs a newly developed SUV platform to optimize all the important
elements.
Eye-catching styling
The Tribute combines refined lines, typical to sedans, with the rugged look that
you expect in SUVs.
World-class safety
Tribute employs a highly-stable safety body structure, the "Mazda Advanced Impact-Energy
Distribution and Absorption System." Isofix-compatible child seat anchors and
top tether anchors are standard equipment.
Environmentally friendly
The 3.0-liter V-6 engine model has earned the government's "excellent" rating
and the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine model has earned its "good" rating in terms
of low exhaust emissions.
Excellent value
With all these features, the Tribute is priced
competitively. The manufacturer's suggested
retail price for the LX model equipped with
the 3.0-liter V-6 engine and four-wheel-drive
transmission is 2,248,000 yen; and the MSRP
for the 2.0-liter four-cylinder LX model
is 1,798,000 yen. The target monthly sales figure is 1,500 units in Japan.
Tribute 4WD 3.0-liter V-6 GL-X
| * |
In keeping with the definition of the word "tribute"-an item
offered to express thanks or a compliment-the Tribute name reflects Mazda's desire
to offer customers the fruits of the company's creativity and technical prowess
and to help them enjoy an active lifestyle. |
Tribute Product Overview
1. Driving Performance - "Oneness between car and driver"
Mazda defines "Dynamic DNA" as the driving pleasure to make the driver feel the
"oneness between car and driver," using it as a common theme for all Mazda passenger
vehicles. While retaining the maneuverability to negotiate bad or unpaved roads,
the Tribute attains a high onroad driving performance level with enhanced body
structure and suspension, defining a new benchmark for SUV performance. It is
the "SUV with a sports car attitude."
Body
| - |
The Tribute employs a highly-stable safety body structure, "Mazda Advanced
Impact-Energy Distribution and Absorption System." While striving for a light-weight
body, the engineers strengthened portions important to achieve a stable body structure. |
Chassis
| - |
The Tribute is equipped with McPherson strut suspension in front and multi-link
suspension in rear to provide excellent handling stability regardless of road
conditions. With diagonal roll axes, the suspension has been tuned to ensure precise
steering, stable handling and a smooth ride. |
| - |
Rack-and-pinion steering with a steering gear ratio of 16.4:1 delivers quick
and agile performance |
| - |
Large ventilated front disk brakes and high-capacity drum rear brakes attain
excellent braking performance. ABS with the "Electronically-controlled Braking
force Distribution" (EBD) system makes the braking performance even more responsive.
|
Powertrain
| - |
The 3.0-liter V-6 DOHC engine is powerful, responsive and flexible. It delivers
90% or more of its maximum torque even at a low of 2,000 rpm. The engine uses
regular gas for economy, runs quietly and produces low exhaust emissions. |
| - |
Like the 3.0-liter V-6 DOHC engine, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder DOHC engine
is also practical, economical and clean-burning. |
| Engine |
Engine 3.0-liter V-6 (Type AJ) |
2.0-liter four-cylinder (Type YF) |
| Displacement |
2,967 cc |
1,988 cc |
| Maximum output |
149 kW (203 ps)/6,000 rpm |
95 kW (129 ps)/5,400 rpm |
| Maximum torque |
265 Nm (27.0 kg-m)/4,700 rpm |
183 Nm (18.7 kg-m)/4,500 rpm |
| - |
The four-wheel-drive model features the Rotary Blade Coupling (RBC) system
with electromagnetic lock-up mechanism. Normally, the RBC allocates most driving
force to the front wheels. If the front wheels start slipping, the RBC system
will automatically allocate necessary driving force to the rear wheels. This unique
four-wheel-drive system facilitates driving stability on snowy or icy roads. Additionally,
by pressing the button on the instrument panel, the driver can manually activate
the electromagnetic lock-up mechanism all-time four-wheel-drive, even while the
vehicle is running. This all-time four-wheel-drive mode provides extra stability
on packed snow. |
2. Spacious interior and cargo space, comfortable seating, excellent visibility
and easy ingress/egress
| - |
The overall length of the Tribute is 4,395 mm, almost the same as the Familia
sedan. Despite the relatively short overall length, Tribute encompasses a roomy
interior with plenty of cargo space, thanks to its long wheelbase, horizontally
mounted engine, and short front overhang. |
| - |
The length of interior is 1,810 mm. Particularly, the rear compartment boasts
plenty of legroom. |
| - |
Both front and rear seats recline all the way to become a flat seat. The rear
seat splits 60/40, and the seat cushions can be flipped up and removed to provide
additional cargo space. |
| - |
A length of cargo area is 922 mm. Removing the rear seat cushions and folding
the seat backs forward make the cargo area even bigger, generating a maximum cargo
volume of 1,820 liters (SAE-V6). Additionally, the compact configuration of the
multi-link rear suspension helps reduce the volume of the rear wheelhouses, making
it easier to load and unload in the cargo area. The rear lift-gate is hinged at
the top and results in a large opening when raised. The rear includes a flip-up
glass window that makes loading and unloading small packages easy and convenient.
|
| - |
The newly designed platform realizes optimal seating, providing occupants
with an eye-position higher than sedan-based and lower than truck-based SUVs.
The floor is relatively low to the ground, making it easy to step in or out. The
seat cushions are mounted high enough to enable occupants to stretch their legs,
maintaining a relaxed posture during long trips. |
| - |
The Tribute boasts excellent visibility for front and rear passengers, the
spare tire is stowed under the floor, so it does not block the rear window, and
the rear window is lower than conventional SUVs. |
3. Design - Eye-catching exterior styling in cities and in countryside
| - |
The exterior design reflects the Mazda design theme of "contrast in harmony."
With its character lines on the hood and compelling flare front and rear fenders,
the Tribute stands out in cities and in the countryside. |
| - |
The interior is designed to provide sedan-like comfort, while offering excellent
functionality and convenience. |
4. Easy-to-handle, sedan-like comfort and advanced technology
| - |
Tribute has many storage bins and pockets, including the overhead console
and the passenger-side seat under-tray. |
| - |
An automatic climate control system is standard equipment for all models.
The climate control panel features three easy-to-operate rotary knobs. |
| - |
Mazda's original new-concept audio system is upgradeable. Starting with a
standard base unit that contains an electronic AM/FM tuner, the user can add components
or replace an old unit with a new module in the base unit. An optional CD player
or CD changer goes into the upper bay, and an MD player or audio cassette deck
goes into the lower bay. |
| - |
A CD-ROM car navigation system compatible with the Mazda Telematics Center
is available as an option on the GL-X model and the LX model with the G package.
By becoming a member of Mazda Telematics and installing a special adapter as a
dealer option, the user can enjoy a wide array of Mazda Telematics Center services
for no annual fee.* Additionally, the car navigation system is compatible with
NTT's i-mode service, which also offers a wide range of online services.** |
| * |
Optional adapter unit (including free-hand device) and a mobile
phone are required to connect to the Mazda Telematics Center using a compatible
car navigation system. Cdma-One and PHS mobile phones are not compatible. Customers
are responsible for the connection charges for the phone company and the Internet
provider. |
| ** |
"i-mode" is a registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Mazda
Telematics has no connection with NTT DoCoMo Inc. |
| - |
To use the "i-mode" services, contracts for "Packet-data transmission"
and "i-mode service" are required plus a mobile phone (800MHz) contract. |
| - |
To use "i-mode" service on Mazda Telematics car navigation,
an adapter unit (combined with a hands-free system) and a car navigation-compatible
"i-mode" mobile phone are required. |
5. World-class safety
| - |
The Tribute boasts superb passive-safety features, based on Mazda's new standards
which are even more stringent than government's standards throughout the world. |
| - |
Mazda's extensive collision tests for the Tribute include: fully-wrapped front
at 56 km/h, 40% offset front at 64 km/h, side at 55 km/h, oblique and pole at
50 km/h, rear at 55 km/h, etc. Especially, the rear half of the vehicle went through
more strict 80 km/h vehicle-to-vehicle collision tests including fully-wrapped
rear, 50% offset rear and rear-side. The safety of the Tribute has been achieved
though such a variety of tests. |
| - |
The Tribute employs the "Mazda Advanced Impact-Energy Distribution and Absorption
System" for a high degree of stability and superior safety. This is a post-concept
of vehicle body structure to control the energy of impact in the event of a collision. |
| - |
Pretensioners and load limiters are standard equipment for the front seatbelts
of all models. Winding up slack on the belt more quickly than ever, this pretensioner
mechanism is applied to the buckle compartment for the first time in Mazda. |
| - |
Front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags for a driver and a passenger
are standard equipment for all models. Mazda's unique SRS side airbags with head
protection are optional. |
| - |
The ISO-FIX child seat anchors of the rear seats make it easy for the user
to install a child seat. The top tether anchors to secure a child seat also can
be found in the header portions of the rear seats. |
6. Environmentally friendly-3.0-liter V-6
engine model earned an "excellent"
rating and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine
model earned a "good" rating in
terms of low exhaust emissions
| - |
New catalysts on the 3.0-liter V-6 engine model significantly reduce the exhaust
emissions of HC and NOx. Thanks to new catalysts, two installed beneath the exhaust
manifolds and one under the floor, the 3.0-liter V-6 model meets the government's
requirement for a 50% reduction in 2000, earning an "excellent" rating for low
exhaust emissions. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder model meets the government's requirement
for a 25% reduction in 2000, earning a "good" rating for the low exhaust emissions.
|
| -Manufacturer's suggested retail prices (Not including sales tax) |
(Unit: 1,000 yen) |
| Engine |
Drive System |
Model |
MSRP |
| 2.0-liter four-cylinder |
2WD |
LX |
1,798 |
| 4WD |
1,998 |
| 3.0-liter V-6 |
2,248 |
| GL-X |
2,548 |
|
Notes:
| - |
All models are equipped with cold-weather specifications. |
| - |
G package (LX's manufacturer's optional setting): add 163,000 yen. G package includes aluminum wheels, electrically controlled color door mirror, dark tinted glass, keyless entry, and SRS side airbag with head protection. |
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