You can't go wrong with the 2008 Mazda Tribute. For the price, it offers all you can expect from a small SUV, with excellent engineering and mechanical execution. Both the four-cylinder and V6 engines are proven, and gas mileage is good. The four-speed automatic transmission is smooth. The suspension offers a tight and comfortable ride, and the handling is nimble and steady. The interior has been carefully redesigned to be comfortable, with good headroom and legroom in the rear, and the instrumentation is intelligent and easy to understand and operate. Maybe best of all, the price is lower than in 2006, while offering all the latest standard safety features.

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Sam Moses test drove the 2008 Mazda Tribute around Oregon's Columbia River gorge.