2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid

Review

Thanks to the 2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid, the environmentally conscious and the frugal no longer have a reason to boycott SUVs. If you've always wanted the convenience and size of an SUV without the Sasquatch-sized carbon footprint and astronomical fuel expenses, the Tribute Hybrid is the solution to your dilemma. At last, you can drive an SUV without a guilty conscience and an empty wallet every time you visit the pump. The 2009 Tribute Hybrid offers stunning fuel economy along with the space and performance you'd expect from a traditional SUV.

The Facts

Mazda made several significant changes to the Tribute Hybrid for the 2009 model year. For one, the vehicle now has a bigger, more powerful engine. New safety features include electronic stability control, automatic headlights, and stabilizer bars in the front and rear of the vehicle. You can also expect a new economy mode for the A/C, rear drum brakes, and satellite radio for the 2009 model. A summary of the 2009 Mazda Tribute Hyrbid's vital stats follows.

• MSRP: $29,175 - $33,445
• Fuel economy: 34 mpg city/31 mpg highway
• Horsepower: 153 horsepower
• Safety: Five out five stars on all NHTSA crash tests
• Warranty: 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, 3-year/36,000-mile free roadside assistance

The Good

Drivers will be pleasantly surprised at the 2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid's zippy performance. Typically, hybrid SUV engines significantly reduce performance, but the effect on the Tribute is minimal. The engines are tied to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is a new technology that helps enhance fuel efficiency. Although the Tribute is classified as a compact SUV, it also offers a roomy interior with an attractive design. Like the Toyota Prius, the Mazda Tribute Hybrid is capable of running solely on electrical power, but drivers will find it challenging to prevent the gas engine from coming on. The Tribute lives up to its fuel efficiency, however, getting 30 mpg in real-world driving conditions.

The Bad

A fuel-efficient SUV is still somewhat of an oxymoron, and this principle underlies the few problems the 2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid has. Making an SUV fuel efficient is expensive, for one, and the result is a hefty price tag. Buyers pay an expensive premium for the hybrid technology. Test-drivers have also found the Tribute Hybrid's performance sluggish. Reviewers frequently criticize the SUV for its slow off-the-line performance and noisy objections to hard acceleration. Perplexingly, Mazda switched the Tribute Hybrid's rear brakes from disc to drum for 2009, which has led to a disappointing braking performance in some test drives.