Mazda needs to make up some ground in the hybrid arena. The 2008 Tribute Hybrid is a decent start, though it’s not about to cause a stampede of shoppers to rush local dealerships for what is essentially a Ford Escape, one that hasn’t even been redesigned to any great degree. It’s still a five-passenger SUV, and even with the hybrid powertrain, we’ve experienced a realistic figure of about 25 mpg, which equals or comes up short in comparison to the new crop of more powerful four-cylinder crossovers. The result is a warmed-over Ford, when what would have been more appealing is a unique Mazda product, like a hybrid CX-7.

Photos courtesy of Mazda and Thom Blackett