In many families it often seems one sibling seems to have more success in life than the others. Some may attribute that to talent but fate plays as big a role as anything.
Such is certainly the case with the Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape siblings.
Sales of this generation Tribute peaked at 10,786 for 2008 and dropped to a mere 620 by 2012. Conversely, the Ford Escape sold over 156,000 copies in 2008 and climbed to almost 280,000 by 2012. There really was no comparison in the success of these two.
Catching two of the three siblings was a score. Sibling Mercury Mariner ought not be overlooked.
Found May 2019 in Columbia, Missouri
I had a friend years ago bought the Mazda version, because, he told me, it was much better built than the Ford, you know, because Japanese.
I said ok.
I’ve been told repeatedly that the 1998-2012 generation of the Ford Ranger was a good truck because it was built by Mazda, because Japanese.
So it looked like Ford picked up a few thousand doofus buyers every year with that meme.
This is a type of car I don’t think about much, but it seems to me that the Mazda here is a relatively uncommon base model (the lack of privacy glass is a giveaway). It appears that the base Tribute was called the Sport trim level, and it seems to me that they must have accounted for a tiny proportion of overall sales.
And also… parked next to this pair, is that the only Mitsubishi Galant in mid Missouri?
To paraphrase Tenacious D:
“This isn’t the greatest SUV in the world. This is just a Tribute.”
I think of this every time I see one of these.
There’s a metric ton of Escapes all across the country, I have a mixed opinion on them. Nicely sized utilitarian do-it-all rigs at a significant discount over a CRV/Rav4, but they age like milk in the sun. Their propensity to rust is particularly impressive. These newer ones got 6spd 6F35 transmissions which seem to be okay-ish but not perfect, the earlier 4spd automatics (CD4E) have quite a reputation for short lifespans, especially hooked up to the 3.0L Duratec.
Right before I sold off my ’02 V6 Tribute, I noticed the transmission was starting to slip, but I figured 187K miles was a pretty good run.
Yes a good run indeed. I have an O2 tribute that is almost 20 years old with 177k miles and have not had any trouble beyond regular maintenance. Recently I had to replace the serpentine belt (which I had never replaced) and a power steering hose. Those are to be expected with the mileage involved. The 3.0L DOHC engine has proven to go the distance. I would buy another one if they were still making them.
Jason, my 2009 with the 4cyl has aged very well and needed only routine maintenance; occasional winter washing seems to have kept away rust in the “usual spots” I see on others’ Escapes.
We also have a next-generation Escape (the Kuga-based one), which is a whole different thing; I guess Ford’s customers have gradually told them that they want less and less of a “Jeep-like” vehicle. I like the car a lot!
I saw a chart somewhere of the best selling car/truck in each of 50 states, and Escape was the winner in one of them—Michigan. Not at all surprising, from what I’ve seen on its roads.
The announced-but-not-yet-shipped 2020 Escape is more carlike still, to fill in the gap from the departure of Ford sedans and make room for the forthcoming “baby Bronco”.
I am always amazed at how two identical vehicles will sell in such wildly different volumes.
Volkswagen Routan, Isuzu Oasis and Hyundai Entourage were all minivans that sold in miniscule numbers compared with the far better selling vehicles under different names (like Chrysler Town & Country, Honda Odyssey and Kia Sedona).
I love the pairing.
Would you believe I saw a similar pairing Sunday night in which each were the prior generation? For where they were parked I thought it would be tacky to start taking pictures but it would have been a great addition to this.
I did see a Routan last night. It was in horrible condition for its age. Treatment due to being a step-child sort of vehicle?
Almost all Routans I see are beat to heck. You would think that given the fleet dumping, low new pricing, and absurdly low resale of the Caravan would mean it would be in hooptie status first, but most of that generation I see are still decent. But almost every Routan around here is garbage. Incorrect size tires, unrepaired body damage, burnt out bulbs, cracked windshields… Might have some of the shortest lifespans of any vehicle from that era, even including Cobalts and gen 1.5 Foci. Well, most of the Calibers and Sebrings have been thrown away, and the gen 2 Durangos are all rust.
I saw the opposite this week — a Routan in beautiful condition. It was parked in a driveway in a very expensive neighborhood that I was driving through. Must be the nicest Routan left in existence!
I’ve noticed that Tributes are most often found in larger metro areas where there are concentrations of Mazda dealers, whereas the Escape is seen everywhere. Mariners are seldom seen and then typically away from the coasts, presumably in areas where Lincoln-Mercury dealers had not completely faded from the scene by the late 2000s.
I was especially taken with an Escape hybrid rented at the Philadelphia airport in 2008. This was a working vacation, with a business trip to Baltimore preceding a week at the Jersey Shore. My original intent had been to return the Escape when done with business and then get something larger for family hauling for vacation. I ended up keeping the Escape and found it to be very practical for hauling four adults and their luggage across the Pine Barrens to the Shore. It was a very comfortable both for the highway drive to Baltimore and tooling around the Shore. Fuel consumption was excellent (mid 30s, IIRC) and the hybrid drivetrain (not available on the Tribute) was unobtrusive and ideally suited to the kind of suburban driving I did on that trip.
Unfortunately, the current generation of Escapes lack the boxy practicality of the first-gen models and Tribute, adopting swoopier “sporty” styling that compromises cargo space and viability.
In flyover country, first-gen Tributes like mine were uncommon but not rare, even in comparison to the ubiquitous Escape. Second-gens are quite rare.
For those that miss the boxiness of the first Escapes, especially as the new Escape gets even curvier, it seems that Ford is betting on the “baby Bronco” to take those buyers in.
Attractive and practical, these did sell in droves (at least the Ford anyway). Definitely a win for the maker. The new (current) Escape was certainly an extreme makeover, both in form as well as engines. And it looks like the next Escape will be a big change as well. Nice pairing! And as Eric noted that does appear to be a 90’s Galant in the background, another vehicle that seemed to sell a lot in certain locales and not at all in other places, also likely dealer-availability related as it was generally a decent car with attractive styling in this generation.
The next generation Escape looks like Ford is trying to bridge the gap between SUV and station wagon. A very interesting design. It won’t be another “me too” SUV design next year.
perhaps Ford senses a design shift for these little wagons.
Very unique double finds like this are always great. I would trust any co-effort with Toyota. The Pontiac Vibe and Matrix sharing the same excellent reputation for quality.
Mazda’s have been known as rusters for years. And the Escape and Tribute maintained this trend.
I just saw one of those Mazdas just yesterday. It caught my eye because they are so rare. But had I seen it from any angle but the front, it might have Escaped me totally.
The above are the last generation of Escapes with a V6.
The only other CUV currently available with a V6 that I know of is the Jeep Cherokee, but not excited about FCA quality.
Guess I’ll hold on to my ‘12 Escape V6 for a while longer .
People can be funny. Had a friend that wanted a Toyota matrix in the worst way. Couldn’t find one to fit their budget but found a mint Granny owned Pontiac vibe.
They wouldn’t even look at it. “Never drive a domestic! Toyota or nothing!”
Wouldn’t believe me that they were built on the same assembly line. Finally cranked the budget up by $5000 and they got their matrix.
To my eye it wasn’t as good shape as the vibe and definitely had more KMS but they were happy.
People 🙄… can’t understand them but gotta share the planet with them!
I had in my years pinto, lecar chevy’s ford, Isuzu trooper, and now the Mazda tribute 04 v6 this suv was sitting under a tree for 3 1/2 years. Just before the owner passed away the timing jumped, the wife gave me the suv. It has 120,250 on it, installed new timing other parts a good tune up and it’s back on the road again. The body inside out it’s nice with money can keep up with repairs. The only thing i don’t like is were the alternator was placed. I say all cars, trucks, suv are good it all depends on ones life style.
I drive a 2010 Escape. Passing through a parking lot I was literally stunned at the similarity between another parked Escape and an earlier Honda CR-V. I snapped this shot quickly and had to move along. I believe the Honda pre-dated the Escape, thus it kind of invented this look. Check out the compartment area windows, the flares around the wheel wells, the same box design. The hinged rear window. The panel running up beside the rear window where the taillights are on the Honda. It’s the same on the Escape. The placement of the side moulding and the lower body cladding. It’s like Ford got a CR-V and said, OK, we’ll make one just like this.
My dad had a 2001 Escape that had 330,000 on the original 3.0 V6 before he got rid of it. Although the transmission was replaced around 240,000.