Mazda Tribute Hybrid
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That’s right.
Now every version of the Escape will be available with the old Toyota Hybrid system paired with the 2.3Liter Mazda engine.
Ford was complaining they couldn’t get enough of these engines to meet the demand. I guess it must have been fixed.
If they offer the same “hard to get” drivetrain in 3 models.
Unless they just want to have these cars on the catalogue, and they don’t care if people can actually get them or not…
And the Fusion Hybrid is coming up around the same time. I’m sure it will also use a very similar drivetrain.
But the Escape just gets about 28 to 30 MPG in real driving situation. Not that great.
If you compare that to the regular 2006 Civic. With EPA figures of 30 in the city and 40 highway. Even if real world mileage is 30, it is still amazing…
And what’s up with the squared off front end. Is that another “facelift”???
Are they going to just revise these cars every 2 years without ever coming up with an all new design???
Wow, how exciting, a Tribute with Escape headlights! So that’s why Ford is still sucking…..but why do they have to pass that kind of DNA onto Mazda?
“Are they going to just revise these cars every 2 years without ever coming up with an all new design???”
That’s been Ford’s universal strategy with everything else to date… Then they’ll get outdated and Ford will blame consumer tastes or health costs or some other excuse, and we’ll get a new conservatively styled “E” or “F” model for another 6-8 years…
Ford will ruin Mazda with crap like this. Badge engineering is awful and slapping a Mazda name and logo onto a Ford is a sham.
I agree with you, Vince. Ford is so scared to take any risks with its products (Explorer, Escape/Tribute, 500, Focus, etc.) that they trot out the same design they’ve had for 7 or 8 years with slight tweaks and call it a redesign. They are ruining Mazda with this laziness. Meanwhile, Hond and Toyota are REALLY redesigning their cars and SUVs every 6th year without fail and bringing improvements in safety, fuel efficiency and quality every time.
Actually your wrong. Ford licesned 3 patents from Toyota’s hybrid system out of 200 patents that are on Toyota’s system. Ford has 150 of their own patents on they own designed system. It was also in exchange for Toyoto licensing patents from Fords catalytic converter system.
Agree totally Ford waits way tooooooooooooo long to completely redesign vehicles. They are paying dearly for the bad judgement and bad busisess practice, see focus, freestar, ranger, all of lincoln etc etc etc……….
Christ, what a bunch of uninformed whners. Nmber one, any psdeudo-journalist worth hsi salt knows that Ford’s hybrid system was fully developed in house without any assistance from Toyota.
Ford merely chose to enter into a patent sharing agreement with Toyota rather than try and sue each other into bankruptcy over patent infringement.
Number two, the Mazda 3, selling like hotcakes, shares nothing with the US market Ford Focus.
The Mazda 6 does not use the CD3 platform the Zephyr, Fusion, and Milan use, but will upgrade the current platform for the new 6, including the Mazdaspeed 6, whcih contains neither a Haldex AWD system, nor a non Mazda motor.
The Miata has its own platform. The RX-8 as well. The Mazda 5 is based on the Mazda 3, and the MPV sits on its own platform.
The only two Mazdas that share sheetmetal with Ford are the B-Series and the Tribute, both which Mazda dealers and Mazda begged for to flesh out their lineups.
The upcaoming CX-7 will be new Mazda crossover that will share most with a Ford, and I doubt any of you will complain much when you see and drive it.
…correction to previous. the 6 DOES have Haldex. Early reports said otherwise. But, in fact, Haldex is in the MazdaSpeed 6. My apologies.
They’re right Vince. That hybrid system was developed by Ford all by itself. The thing is that some of the technologies came very close to designs that Toyota was working on so Ford smartly did a technology exchange with Toyota for a permanent license for just 3 patents. It was one of the most misreported stories in automotive news at the time it happened.
Make no mistake, Toyota is the hybrid leader but Ford is a close second.
Yeah but doesn’t ford get the major components for the hybird engine, specifically the battery, from toyota friendly japanese suppliers who if they could choose whether to ship their limited supply for ford escapes or toyota priuses, they’ll choose the latter? I thought thats how it is. Right now i get the impression that the prius is a mass market hybrid (consider the marketing push) while the ford escape hybrid seems like an image boosting token hybrid due to partly to the lack of supply.
There has been a lot of coverage about how the Ford system is really a Toyota system. In fact, here in Washington, DC, I’ve heard a Toyota lobbyist say very clearly that Ford was using a Toyota system. Now, lobbyists don’t always tell the truth, but as someone who follows hybrid news as much as anyone not in the industry, the idea that Ford independently developed their own system is a new one.
Thanks for all the posts.
I should actually have some kind of a forum where we can discuss stuff better…
I also thought (and read) that Ford was using the Toyota system.
I apologize if I’m wrong.
And I do beleive they will be close second. Especially with the Fusion hybrid.
But The new Camty Hybrid should be pretty amazing. And Toyota really wants to make this car cheaper than anyone expects.
Should be interesting to watch that battle, right in the middle of the biggest part of the market.
“Now, lobbyists don’t always tell the truth, but as someone who follows hybrid news as much as anyone not in the industry, the idea that Ford independently developed their own system is a new one.”
Its actually not an “idea” it is reality, and just because someone hasn’t heard of it, makes it only “new” to them.:)
Thats a display model for the Japanese Auto Show….
Mazda has already went through a facelift — 2005 Model Year.
Th next will be a redesign and defenitely not like the one you see on display!
again to save costs they added a Mazda Grill to ford escape hybrid!!
and for you vince…
before making comments THINK FIRST!
Stop comparing a suv fuel economy to a compact car Mileage… even though they are both hybrids.
I would say Honda is ahead of Ford, in terms of Hybrid technology. But if Ford was smart, they would quickly populate the entire lineup with them — regardless if you can get it or not. Just having the option to get a Focus Hybrid or a 500 Hybrid would do wonders for Ford’s image.
Also, if it wasn’t for Ford, Mazda would be behind Mitsubishi right now. Remember, Mazda was doing horrible 10 years ago.
actually, if it wasn’t for the MIATA Mazda would be behind Mitsubishi right now. Mazda may not have been doing well 10 years ago, but the Miata has outsold anything Mitsu has made by a long shot. I wouldn’t give Ford too much credit in regards to Mazda. Their help was more financial than influential.
I do think Mazdas are great. With or without Ford.
But I do compare the Escape Hybrid to a compact because more and more people do!
More are interested in gas mileage. So they’re, let’s say, looking at something that’s get them 30mpg.
SUVs Compacts, whatever…
I still think if you’re just looking for a roomy car that gets a super mileage, the Escape isn’t doing it. 28 average is only good compared to other SUVs.
And there’s no need to be so aggressive. remember these are just cars we’re talking about…
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This article sheds some light. https://www.detroitnews.com/“Ford also licensed Toyota hybrids patents after its engineers realized that the system Ford had developed had features similar to ones patented by Toyota. (Honda developed a different hybrid system.) The two automakers struck an accord last year that included an exchange of patents: Toyota gave Ford license to use some of its hybrid technology, and Ford gave the Japanese automaker diesel and direct-injection engine technology.”But then Ford bought its components from the Toyota minority-owned company Aisin, and so the article notes, “whether Ford uses Toyota technology remains a subject of simmering debate.”So it looks like Ford developed their own system — made out of Toyota parts!