In March 2003, we bought a Mazda Tribute (we preferred it to a RAV, an X-Trail or anything else we test drove although the Hyundai Santa Fe came a close second). To our amazement, we never see any Tributes on UK roads (spotted 1 or 2 in 4 months).
My point is : how come this powerful, very designed and well-specced SUV, and at a bargain price of £14,500 4 months ago is so unknown ?
It's very badly rated in What Car ? (only been in the UK since 2001 -so how come do they give it such poor marks for reliability ? -Mazdas are reckoned to be very reliable)
but why ?
Also, this car has never been advertised by Mazda, hence the massive reductions (£2,500) of 5 months ago. they must have sold only a few hundreds of them in the UK in the last 2 yrs.
Nobody seems to have heard of it or know it, etc.
Has anyone out there any explanations as to why is this ?
It's a total mystery to me. Get me out of my mystery !
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Yes, I've only ever seen 2 or 3.
A lot of people (motoring journalists) feel the Tribute is a pretty average player in this crowded market. That may include Mazda UK themselves as they've made little effort to actively market it.
I think Mazda have taken their eye off this partcular ball with the Mazda6, and forthcoming RX8 on the way. They're talking about the soul of a sports car.
My guess is The Tribute (to what?) doesn't fit in. Brand focus will be at the forefront of Mazda's philosophy now after the events of the last few years.
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The UK market for Mazda is very small,but growing especially when compared to the numbers that they move in the US and S.E Asia.Mazda UK have never been a 'big' player and have only ever brought in a small number of cars and a very limited slice off the Mazda product range.
The dealer network in the UK is usually made up of smaller dealers and they and Mazda UK have always been quite content to sell smaller numbers of cars and keep a higher margin.
If you like your Tribute,thats great and you won't lose it in the carpark with all the other lookalikes.
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What's also odd is that Ford also do the Maverick, basically the same car, but not sold at all aggressively.
It's not stunning, but it does have Ford's dealer network but I guess they make more money out of a Freelander, with no effort needed to build brand goodwill.
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Amazing! At 3 on a Friday morning after a heavy week, it is very hard to distinguish between a Mazda Tribute, a Freelander or a Maverick. Are they all basically the same car?
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This thing seems to morph itself: CBU (completely built unit) by Ford Motor Co Philippines and exported to Thailand and SE Asia as the Ford Escape. Too late into the market tho' as the Honda CR-V has long since almost cornered it.
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Points taken, but why is it that after spending so much designing and making this car (presumably) they have not
bothered marketting it at all ?!!!
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