Sports utility spin twins

ALASTAIR SLOANE looks at two new releases that, while not identical, are certainly closely related.

Mazda says its Tribute is a "sports utility vehicle with the soul of a sports car." Ford says its Escape is a "sports utility vehicle for big city driving and outdoor fun."

The hype is simply marketing-speak, because both five-door vehicles are essentially the same but have different skins. The only visual differences are the doors, bonnets, tailgates, lights, bumpers and wheels.

The Tribute and Escape are powered by the same 3-litre V6 engine. They use the same four-wheel-drive system, the same floorpan, the same suspension, the same roof panels.

The layout of the dash is largely identical, too, although trim colours, finishes and minor specification details differ.

Both companies have taken a different approach in terms of developing the well-equipped mid-range off-roaders for the New Zealand market.

Mazda gave the Tribute more of a sporty look to go with the image it has of itself, hence the more prominent front bumper, grille and headlights.

It firmed up the suspension and changed the steering ratios - fewer turns from lock to lock - for better response.

Ford aimed the Escape at the town-and-around market, emphasising its versatility and toughness. It has a more subdued, work-like front end, the image Ford wants in its off-road fleet.

Both vehicles are built at Mazda's Hofu plant in Japan, which means the Escape isn't tainted by the record number of recalls that plagued the American-built model last year. Ford owns Mazda and both carmakers will share more and more platforms and components.

Mazda is offering three Tribute models - two 4-speed automatic V6s and a 2-litre 4-cylinder 5-speed manual. Ford is sticking to the two automatic V6 Escapes and says it won't muscle in on Mazda's 2-litre territory.

The engine in the 4-cylinder SD-X Tribute - priced at $42,795 - produces 98kW and 186Nm of pulling power at 4500 rpm. The V6 engine develops 150kW and 276Nm at 4750 rpm.

The entry-level V6 Tribute is the DX and costs $46,200. The top-range SD-X V6 costs $49,795 and comes with all the extras.

Ford has priced the base XLS Escape at $45,500 and the top-line XLT at $47,950. The price difference between the two V6 rivals reflects their appearance - the Tribute looks more expensive than the Escape.

Both vehicles represent Ford's and Mazda's first foray into the soft-road lifestyle market. Both are bigger and - in the case of the V6s - more expensive and powerful than their main Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CR-V rivals.

The Tribute and Escape also offer a feature unique to the price range - on-demand four-wheel-drive.

The front-drive Honda CR-V uses a viscous coupling to provide drive to the rear wheels once the front begins to slip. This can be called part-time four-wheel-drive, although it is highly effective. The Toyota RAV-4 has permanent four-wheel-drive.

The Tribute and Escape also use a viscous coupling to apportion drive to the wheels, but they can switch between part-time and full-time four-wheel-drive - thanks to a button on the dashboard.

In normal driving, the viscous system automatically adjusts drive to each wheel to provide the best traction. But when the going gets tough - in snow or mud, for example - the driver can push the button to split drive 50:50 between the front and rear wheels.

The soft-road market has been calling out for this option for some time.