Hello All, I'm in the market for a AWD tribute. MY sister has a 03 where you can push the button to make the AWD permanent. An 05 does not have that, as you all know. I test drove an 05 up hill in the snow and ice and it climbed like it was a sunny day. I intend to drive it in sand at the beach, your thoughts? also the 05 on have the new 2.3 4cyl engine I was wondering how that is in AWD mode. thanks.

 

Hello...

Depending upon your usage, the availability of the LOCK button may be an issue. It was for me. I tow a large snowmobile trailer with my Tribute. More often than not, I find myself in unplowed parking lots pulling a trailer. I cannot wait for the front wheels to start digging in and spinning before the computer recognizes this, because by then, I will be stuck with a 2000 lb. trailer in tow. Not a good situation. By pushing the LOCK button, I turn the AWD Tribute into a regular 4WD. Both sets of wheels are working together.

In the sand, I don't know if this will be an issue or not. I am guessing NOT, because sand is loose, but not slippery. Therefore, the delay between the front wheels slipping and power going to the rear will not cause you to be stuck as it does in snow or in muddy conditions.

My Trib is a V6, and it has plenty of power for most situations. I have driven a 2.3 4-cylinder and found it to be adequate, but it could never tow my snowmobile trailer. Expect 2-3 mpg better as well. For light duty use and light towing, the 4 cylinder should be fine.

Another reason I bought the 2004 model was the fact that the spare tire is located inside these vehicles, under the cargo floor. In 2005, it was moved outside and mounted underneath the vehicle with a cable-drop setup. I live in an area with lots of snow and road salt, and those cable-drop systems become an inoperable corroded mess in just a few years of exposure. Depending upon where you live, that might be something to consider. Also, 2004 is the last year with the column-mounted shift lever. That leaves tons of storage space between the front seats that the 2005 and newer models don't have because Mazda went to a shifter mounted between the seats. 2004 is also the most reliable year of the Tribute, according to Consumer Reports. I have 58,000 miles and have had only minor problems, all fixed under warranty.

 

Thanks for the reply. I finally settled for an '06 with 30K miles, V6 AWD. good price I think ($11.6K) it only needed rear brakes and a headlight has some condensation. It's a return lease and it looks almost new. There is still some warranty on it, i'll try to use it for the headlight.