The Tribute, Mariner and Escape have always been essentially identical and shared nearly identical interior dimensions and cargo capacities. There's no significant differences between them, aside from cosmetic aspects and suspension tuning.

 

The specs for the Tribute show a 49" cargo area width (between quarter trims) while the FEH has 44.2 and 40.8 (depending on where you measure). I just realiazed it was a mute point as the tailgate is only 43" wide!

Cheers,

rcomeau

 

I think you may also be comparing non-hybrid specs to hybrid specs. The cargo area in all three vehicles is the same size, and the hybrid versions of each are slightly narrower than their non-hybrid counterparts.

 

Back when I bought my '05 FEH, my friends at Ford explained that it's really the other way around. The Tribute (the normal one -- not the hybrid) is the original car -- engineered by Mazda. The Escape & Mariners are actually re-styled & re-badged Tributes.

But the 'Hybrid' version was engineered by Ford in Dearborn (not by Mazda).

 

However, I don't think of them as simply "rebadged" versions of each other. Try to put an '05 Tribute tailgate onto an '05 Escape, or put '08 Mariner tail lights onto an '08 Escape. They don't fit.

At least to me, "rebadged" means, except for the badges themselves, the vehicle body/interior parts are all interchangeable.

 

Let's go with "reskinned" then.

 

Same engineering, same undercarriage, same drivetrain, same dimensions.

Frankly I'd call the Mariner a "rebadged" Escape, because it LOOKS like most of the sheetmetal is the same and the plastic moldings and stuff is the difference (at least on the '05-07 models, haven't seen enough of the '08s). Now from what I've seen of '06 Tributes I'd have to agree, there appear to be significant sheetmetal differences including the tail gate openings and rear windows etc.... "reskinned" sounds good to a "third party" listening in to your conversation

 

These terms have a relatively accepted usage already, so we don't need to establish our own.

"Rebadged" isn't literal. It means the vehicles vary cosmetically but are essentially identical, that they share a platform and use mostly identical parts underneath. This can get confusing, especially considering that the Tribute is now a near copy of the Escape, but was previously unique enough in certain ways for some consumers to begin believing it was a unique vehicle.

As for details: Tailgate is uniquely contoured for '08 Mariner but is interchangeable with the others. Rear gate/glass, hood etc on the 02-06 Tribute was unique, now the same as Escape. Previously unique 02-06 Mazda stampings and dash are also now the same. '08 Tribute shares the Escape hood, but Mariner's hood continues to be unique. '08 taillights are interchangeable in body and tailgate, but won't necesarily line up with rear fascias. The point is that the "body in white" is identical and they share near-identical critical measurements. They are, for most practical intents and purposes, the same vehicle.

"Reskinned" is generally used to mean the chassis and mechanical "hard points" are the same, but sheet metal varies. Critical measurements can vary enough to matter, as can drivetrains. Examples include the Impala/LaCrosse/Grand Prix and the Toyota Highlander/Lexus RX, etc

As for who made what first, Madza developed the architecture for Ford from the Mazda 626/Capella platform. The 2008 version continues to use this same (rather old now) architecture.

Some people wonder why "badge engineering" is still popular, and becoming even more so. The fact that even some of us have been convinced that the Tribute is somehow a "unique" vehicle is all the reason the makers need to continue the practice. They do it because it works, consumers appreciate the choices, and it saves them tremendous amounts of money.

 

I thought the '08 Mariner tail lights were larger than the '08 Escape, and therefore would not even fit onto an Escape. Well, unless you change out the rear bumper cover too.

I am old enough to actually remember when "rebadged" actually meant rebadged. The only differences were the badging and, sometimes, the front grill. But then again, the grill is part of the badging.

One of my close friends ordered a Voyager and it came thru with the Caravan grill.

 

I just contacted a Mazda dealer. They are suppposedly NOT in production yet, and will only be in limited production in California in the future.