Driving Impressions

In its previous form, the Tribute drew mixed reactions, but its sporty nature earned high marks. Tributes are quieter than they used to be, and energetic V-6 throttle response is satisfying. Automatic-transmission shifts are barely noticeable, and downshifts for passing and merging come swiftly.

Steering with a somewhat light touch, the Tribute handles adeptly. Occasionally, a floating sensation makes the driver feel less than fully connected to the highway.

Ride comfort is pleasing, but wavy pavement produces substantial up-and-down motion. The Tribute exhibits no raucous behavior and copes handily with bumps and holes.

    See also:

    Safety
    A solid list of safety features is the price of entry in the family sedan arena these days, and the Mazda6 has standard all-disc antilock brakes, side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curt ...

    Rocking the Vehicle
    WARNING: Do not spin the wheels at more than 56 km/h (35 mph), and do not allow anyone to stand behind a wheel when pushing the vehicle: When the vehicle is stuck, spinning the wheels at high sp ...

    Limitations to SRS Air Bag
    In severe collisions or roll-overs such as those described previously in “SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria”, the applicable SRS air bag equipment will deploy. However, in some accidents, the equi ...