2001 Victorian 4WD Show: We seem to have been waiting an age for the "soft" 4WD Mazda, long preceded by concept cars and [show cars] but here it is at last. Basically the Tribute 4x4 is a twin to the Ford Escape, step sibling to the Land Rover Freelander and outright rival to the likes of the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota RAV4.

Like all of the above the Mazda is in concept a front wheel drive, transverse engined car, jacked up a bit with a rear drive added.

• Mazda Tribute V6 4x4 2001
• station wagon, 5-seats, 4-doors, ABS, EBD, airbags
• loa: 4395mm, width: 1800mm, height: 1715mm
• wheelbase: 2620mm, track: 1550mm/1530mm (V6), grnd clearance: 214mm (V6)
• approach: 30°, departure: 32°, ramp break over: 159°
• turning radius: 5.6m
• weight: 1576kg - 1582kg (unladen), towing: 750kg (unbraked)
• V6
  • 2976cc, petrol (std unleaded), V6, mpfi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc
  • bore: 89.0mm, stroke: 79.5mm, c.r.: 10.0:1
  • power: 150kW at 6000rpm, torque: 266Nm at 4700rpm
• (4-cyl
  • 1989cc, petrol (std unleaded), 4-cyl, mpfi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc
  • bore: 84.8mm, stroke: 88.0mm, c.r.: 9.6:1
  • power: 97kW at 5400rpm, torque: 183Nm at 4500rpm )
• transmission: 5m (4-cyl) / 4a (V6), front wheel drive, with rear wheel drive automatically engaged
• suspension: McPherson strut/ multi-link, brakes: disc/drum
• tyres: 215/70R16 or 235/70R16, fuel-tank: 62L
• competition: Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa-Fe, Land Rover Freelander, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4
• prices: from $29,990 4-cyl, $33,990 V6 Ltd, $39,390 V6 classic ($au 2/2001)

Go to the Mazda pages