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Mazda Tribute
The Mazda Tribute is
a small crossover SUV based on the front-wheel
drive Mazda 626 platform. It is the basis
for the similar Ford Escape SUV. The Tribute
and Escape debuted in 2001, offering front
and all wheel drive and a choice of a 2.0
L Mazda 4-cylinder or Ford Duratec 3.0 L V6.
It was also sold as the Ford Maverick in Europe
with a Ford 2.0 L Zetec engine with manual
transmission, or 3.0 L Duratec coupled to
automatic transmission. As of March 31, 2005,
109,610 Tribute and Escape models had been
sold worldwide since introduction.
One main difference
between the Tribute and the Ford Escape/Maverick
is that the Tribute's suspension is tuned
for a firmer ride than the Escape/Maverick,
in order to correspond with Mazda's sporty
image. The American market Tribute and Escape
are built at Ford's Kansas City assembly plant
in Claycomo, Missouri. Mazda will not build
2007-model Tributes, waiting instead for a
2008-model replacement (possibly based on
the CX series, which includes the CX-7 and
CX-9), though Ford and Mercury will have a
9-month production run.
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