Escape/Tribute front drive 2WD?

[2001ExpSport]

I was following a Mazda Tribute and noticed that there wasn't a drive train assembly in the rear. If anyone has seen one, there is a cradle that supports the diff and lower suspension arm. It was empty. Later that day I saw another one, but this one had all the gear.

Am I a day late and a dollar short? I never knew this about the Escape and Tribute. Anyone else catch this?

 

[coloradobound]

Yup, its based on a car (hence front wheel drive) like most of the small SUV's. Unlike the Explorer which is based on a pickup. The Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, and all other small ones besides suzuki are based on cars.

 

[2001ExpSport]

Interesting....

 

[SplashMan]

FYI

Matt, when my wife was looking at the Excape I found out that the frame is that of a Conture. I looked under the one she had for 2 weeks(4wd) and it was exactly like her old Conture except for 4wd. Looked real funky, but it was a nice little ditch hopper while we had it.

 

[Trckmagik]

My Girlfriend is thinking about getting one of these! I think it will be great for her! She is wanting to get a black and grey one to match my black and grey sport trac! I think we could have some fun in it! She wants the 4wd.

 

[gijoecam]

My sister has a Tribute (the Mazda sister-car). She loves it! They even installed a prototype DVD player with a 8 inch LCD display for FREE!!! Everyone LOVES it when she takes a road trip!

-Joe-

 

[ksaldibar]

for what i have heard and read from various sources, the escape/tribute is supposed to be one sweet deal. the most attractive aspect os the x's lil brother is that the price of a loaded escape is around 25k and the 200hp v6 borrowed from the taurus. in around a years time when my dad hands over the X to me, most likely he will get the escape because these features and the 18/24 mpg it gets.

-ken

 

[leenjen]

Originally posted by ksaldibar
the 200hp v6 borrowed from the taurus.... and the 18/24 mpg it gets...

why is the escape's 3.0L V-6 200hp??? my 4.0L only has about 160 i think. and it gets better gas mileage too!!
i noticed that a lot of cars with smaller engines generate more hp. are the 4.0L engines just really inefficient?

 

[Rhett]

To some extent,...yes! They are building more efficient engines these days. As you know in the 1950's and 1960's generally the rule was---

"The more cubes you had the more powerful the engine. "

Since that time, automakers have found ways to wring more power out of smaller and smaller blocks via things like fuel injection (and various methods of fuel injection), intake manifold designs, more efficient camshafts, different head and port designs, and so forth.

Now Indy500 cars have 3.0 liter engines that pump out about 900 hp!! Nissan 300ZX's have 3.0 liter engines too, and I have seen Stillen modified Z's with close to 500 hp on that engine.

The 4.0 engine is based on a really OLD Ford design (2.6 V6, which was bored and stroked to 2.8 liter(early Bronco II), then bored n stroked again to 2.9(later Bronco II), and the 4.0 block is essentially based on the same block). Also I don't know for sure, but I bet they cam up the 3.0 liter and I'd say it probably has bigger ports than the 4.0 OHV to boot. The 3.0 is just a newer engine using newer engine technology. The 4.0 is a 1970's technology engine at it's heart. The 4.0 is a reliable engine built as a small truck motor with a lot of torque (225 ft/lbs in a 91-94 Explorer).

 

[dagsnregi]

About the engine sizes, the 3.0 will have the horsepower at a higher RPM and necessarily less torque as well. You may only have 160 HP with the 4.0, but it probably comes in at a much lower RPM with much more torque. That's why you can tow about 5000lb while the Escape tows about 3500lb.

 

[BislamJoe]

I love the way the Escape/Tribute looks. I'd really like it if it was a "true" SUV with a truck frame, either an 8.8 or 7.5 rear axle and maybe a TTB or D35 straight front axle and a gear-driven transfer case with low range. That would be cool. I like the idea of smaller utes for off-roading, but they're usually car-based and don't have a low-range. Something that small, if you built it right, would be great for rock-hopping.

 

[C5 Pewter Coupe]

I'm trading my 98 Corvette in for a 2001 Explorer LXT. The reason I'm doing this is with 1 8 yr old and another on the way, I need more room.. I also moved from Hawaii to Washington and need something more practical here in the Pacific Northwest(I'm born and raised in Oregon, so not unused to the weather here)

My other vehicle(my daily 50 mile 1 way) driver is a 95 2wd Geo Tracker... it's the only miniSUV to have a full frame, and it's rather good for off roading in the rocks.. just be careful of mud or sand..

 

[leenjen]

welcome to the site. it's a shame you have to get rid of such a nice car. but at least you're getting a nice SUV. someday i hope to have another 2 seater sports car. but that's a few years away since my wife and i are expecting another baby too.

 

[SplashMan]

New Escape

I like the Escape, and think it would be a nice little "City SUV", but why did Ford put racks on that look so much like the Xterra racks. I think Ford could have been a little more creative... here is a link to pictures of the new Sport Escape.
Escape Board