I have:

2002 ES 4WD Glacier Metallic
Options: Everything except moonroof
Price Paid: After factory rebates I paid $22,271+tax and license (forget 0% interest for 24 months)

First drive -- the drive home. 87 miles at freeway speeds (70 - 80mph) -- all up a mountain side. The drive was very quiet, and very smooth. I have read reviews that the 2001 had a lot of minor flaws, including a noisy ride, but the drive home was comparable to that of the Honda Pilot both in comfort, quietness and power. Auto- works just fine, keeping us at 75mph whether on a flat surface or going up 12% grade. The engine never so much as whimpered at us.

Around town -- to work, shopping etc... Handling is crisp, clean and easy whether moving between cars in traffic or making tight turns in a mall parking lot to get a good spot. Acceleration is on par with most sedans -- the mapping that went into the Tribute pays off with slightly better acceleration than you would expect. Comfort is not an issue -- there is more than enough room for 4 full sized adults (read: 6' and average weight).

Outside -- beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but unless you have tastes outside the norm you will probably consider the Tribute to look rugged and sporty. Integration of the panels is near perfect -- much better than the toy-truck looking Escape. 16" alloy wheels and sharp lines are pleasing to the eye.

Inside -- very nice. While this is a sub-$25,000 ute, the leather seating looks very nice. The interior and console actually look better than the Highlander ($7,000 more) and is about on par with that of the Honda Pilot ($17,000 more due to dealer premium markups in this area). It is very roomy - surprisingly roomy given that is doesn't look like a midsized SUV from the outside (but do comparisons of SUV driver and passenger roominess and you will see the Tribute competes with mush larger utes here). Console is easy to each and use. Road noise is minimal - more than the Highlander, much less than the RAV4 and CR-V.

We have not taken it off-road yet, but we will be using the 4wd for snow and ice conditions here in the mountains.

Rattles and squeaks -- none. Absolutely not a one. While the vehicle is brand new, I have to say that construction seems very tight. Fit and finish is excellent. On top of that, part of the warranty by Mazda (which is better and more comprehensive the Fords) covers rattles and noises. Anything that happens in the first 12,000 miles is completely covered. So no worries here.

Oh, and one more thing. This is my second Mazda. This was purchased from a different dealer (I live in another state now). Both experiences were excellent. I have dealt with an entire range, with Honda dealers being the absolute worst (the tried to hide $9,000 in extraneous fees, such as an unasked for $2,000(!!!) wax coating on the vehicle that they wouldn't let me decline as an "option") and Chevy dealers (middle-road), Toyota dealers (very nice) -- but of all of them, the best service twice has been from Mazda.

Mazda dealers seem to realize that people like me, who only shop when they are serious, will walk away from a brow-beating, lying (Honda) dealer and buy from a competitor in a heartbeat -- and be perfectly happy with what they have.
Amount Paid (US$): 22,271
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: ES V6 200HP, tow package, 6-disk cd, lots more