The Detroit News's view

If you’re a pop-culture junkie, you’ve probably noticed the growing number of automotive tie-ins with hot TV shows. Pontiac gave the winner of Survivor a new Aztek. MTV’s The Real World prominently features a Toyota Tacoma pickup, driven by heart-throb Peter. Mazda has gotten in on the act, too, by linking the debut of its 2001 Tribute sport-utility vehicle with the mega-show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. This summer, visitors to the Mazda Web site answered Millionaire questions, competing for a chance to win a new Tribute. Twelve of them were awarded the new Mazda sport-ute. And now, Toyota is doing the same thing with Millionaire, giving away RAV4s. But the marketing gimmick seemed especially critical to Mazda – a late entry into the SUV segment.

“We’ve got to be the best guerilla-warfare marketers in the business because we don’t have Toyota and Honda muscle,” said Steve Odell, Mazda North American Operations vice-president of marketing and sales. He added: “Frankly, nobody was waiting for an SUV introduced by Mazda – which is why we had to have a clarity of position. We had to say this is different.”

And that’s the key question in any discussion of the Tribute, which is priced from $17,520 to $25,863 and is the sister vehicle of the 2001 Ford Escape. How is Tribute different from other SUVs – especially the Escape? Tribute and Escape were built to compete with Japanese-badged offerings like the RAV4, Honda CR-V and Suzuki Grand Vitara. After driving the Escape on our home turf and then taking a turn in the five-passenger Tribute in the Pacific Northwest, the differences in appearance and function between the two became apparent.

In short, Escape will likely appeal to buyers drawn to the hardier aspects of SUVs – especially those who enjoy truck-like handling and a fairly no-nonsense exterior very reminiscent of big-brother Explorer.

We found the Mazda to be a more genteel version of the Escape. Tribute is a vehicle that should appeal to couples or young families who need the practicality of an SUV, but prefer a stylish, sculpted appearance more akin to a luxury vehicle.

The Tribute has standard power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, designed to improve handling. But don’t raise your expectations too much. Tribute is a manageable SUV, but it’s no sedan. From our point of view, the CR-V, with virtually the same wheelbase at 103.2 inches, delivers more authentic car-like ride and handling.

Ford and Mazda have taken pains to ensure that the two vehicles are not clones. They have different instrument panels, different seats and different trim. Among the things they share are the roof and rear-door trim, as well as most major underbody components, including engines, transmissions, steering, brakes and suspension.

In Washington, we drove a top-of-the-line Tribute ES with a 200-horsepower 3.0-liter dual-overhead cam V-6 engine – sourced from Ford an d shared with the Escape – and a four-speed automatic transmission. Our loaded test vehicle also featured such standard amenities as leather seats and a six-way power driver’s seat. Be prepared to pay $495 extra for a safety package that includes antilock brakes and side air bags. Our vehicle’s premium audio system with a six-disc, in-dash CD player was another $505.

Tribute comes in three trim levels – DX, LX and ES. The base DX model has a 130-horsepower 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine. Tribute has standard front-wheel drive or an optional on-demand four-wheel-drive system. It gets slightly better gas mileage than bigger SUVs. In a 4×2 version of the Tribute with a V-6, you’ll get about 18 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway.

Our Tribute had a two-tone body with a striking matte-silver finish and darker gray cladding on the bottom. That color combination seemed especially well-suited to showing off the Tribute’s appealing li s. Chrome touches on the grille and rear license-plate surround give the Tribute a luxury look.

There were a few disappointments in an otherwise sensible cabin. We were surprised that such an upscale-looking vehicle would lack lighted vanity mirrors and that the rear seat did not have adjustable shoulder belts. However, we loved the functional rubber floor mats with deep grooves for catching mud – a nice practical touch. Those all-weather mats are a $70 option.

There is plenty of storage space in the Tribute’s instrument panel and doors, plus a cavernous center console. The rear compartment is roomy enough to stash four big suitcases and has a tonneau cover – or shade – that you can use to conceal packages. Another plus: The 60/40 rear seats that fold almost completely flat and are simple and intuitive to operate.

Ford undoubtedly will sell many more Escapes than Mazda will Tributes – a nod to the parent company’s dominant position in the SUV market in North America, where its Explorer and Expedition are best-sellers. When Ford first introduced the Explorer, it offered its Japanese partner a two-door version, which Mazda rebadged as the Navajo. Unfortunately, that particular clone failed to find many buyers, and the Navajo ceased production after only a few years on the market.

This time around, we’re happy to see that Mazda’s entry has a more distinctive personality – enough to separate it from its Ford-branded cousin.