The Ford Escape has been thoroughly revamped for 2008, so no surprise that its platform sibling, the Mazda Tribute, gets basically the same treatment.

This is a freshening of the existing architecture, not an all-new design. Hence, the dimensions and the basic package are pretty much as before: a compact, unibody crossover SUV with no pretensions to being more than a five-seater.

What's most new is what you see -- the styling, inside and out. To stay competitive, Mazda also upped the safety ante: six airbags, stability control, roll stability control and ABS are now standard on all models. The power steering is now electrically assisted.

The powertrains are carryover, and hence somewhat under-achieving by today's standards. A 153-hp, 2.3-litre "four," with a choice of 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions, powers the base GX model. A 200-hp, 3.0-litre V6, which comes only with a 4-speed automatic, is optional on GX and standard on the other two trim levels, GS and GT.

For the first time, there is also a hybrid version of the Tribute (see separate profile).

All-wheel drive is optional on Tributes with the automatic transmission. The Active Torque-Split AWD system automatically varies the front/rear torque split between 100/0 percent and 50/50 percent, as determined by the conditions.

Advanced AWD system

Powertrains not as new as the sheet metal