Hey all,

I have a '05 FEH and love it. I want to replace my wife's car with an FEH at some point....but want to get a few more years/miles out of it (2003 Pontiac Vibe). However, my fear is that the tax credits for the FEh will run out before I am seriously in the mkt for one (i.e. Ford will sell 60k FEHs before late 2010-2011).

Just curious, has anyone heard anything about the Mazda tribute Hybrid (MTH)? The MTH I heard is just a rebadged FEh and should be about the same. Also, the "clock" starts at zero...so maybe there will still be a tax credit in 2010.

IRS put out a memo certifying it for the same amt as the FEH...but can't find info on it anywhere. Mazda USA has nothing on their website. I called 3 local Mazda dealers and none of them knew anything.

What's up? You'd think Mazda(aka Ford) would at least tell us something. Is it on sale yet? Limited to certain state? ????

(PS.--My rationale is that Mazda is a different manufacturer from Ford, therefore entitled to it's own 60,000 hybrids--Unlike Mercury which has to share with the FEH.)

Nate

 

From what I have read, it is not a re-badged FEH. Its a Tribute body and interior, with the hybrid drivetrain.

Now, just my own speculatoin, the MTH might be dragging its feet a bit, since Ford can't keep up with its existing FEH and MMH orders. Why add the MTH into the mix, if it will only result in more unhappy potential customers who can't get their hands on one?

BTW, I believe you are correct that the IRS deems Mazda to be separate from FMC, and therefore, gets its own 60,000 count.

 

According to this article on cars.com, the MTH is supposed to be hitting the dealerships any day now:

http://www.cars.com/go/features/auto...Tribute+Hybrid

No "real" word on it so far though, as far as Google can find.

Very Curious, no...................?????????????

 

The MTH, like the MMH, is a rebadged FEH. With the exception of suspension tuning, the differences between them are almost entirely cosmetic. All three are built on the same line by the same people from the same parts. AFAIK, the MTH is currently only for sale in California and that's why it's difficult to get information about it. Not sure but I think that, like the Altima Hybrid, if you don't live in a state where's it's available your local dealer can't help you.

Regardless, this raises an interesting (to me anyway) question as far as the 60,000 unit IRS tax credit limit. Do all mechanically identical units get pooled? If not, couldn't Toyota get around the limit by re-badging the Prius and selling it as a Scion? Is there a Scion Prismo in our future?

In Canada, the Honda Civic is also badged and sold as the Acura CSX. What if I could go down to my Acura dealer and buy an Acura CSX Hybrid? Would that count toward the 60,000 unit limit on Civic Hybrids sold by Honda? I think the IRS combines mechanically-identical vehicles into one number. As such, I believe FEH and MMH numbers are pooled, and that means any MTHs sold will also count toward the 60,000 units.

 

I believe the difference, Ford does not own Mazda. Mazda is an independent company, with its own CEO, that Ford just happens to have 49% of its stock. Ford does own Mercury, though. There is no Mercury CEO.

 

I believe this to be correct. If you read the IRS releases, they pool the FEH/MMH together. (The latest sales numbers has the credit amount for both the FEH and MMH and also verbage "Ford Motor Co has sold...XXX hybrid units...).

Nate

 

Toyota couldn't rebadge the Prius as a Scion....it wouldn't help as Toyota, Lexus and Scion are all the same manufacturer. If you look, the Lexus credits are phasing out along with the Toyota ones.

 

Like I said before, this does raise interesting questions.

Does Mazda have its own 60,000 unit threshold, since it's only part-owned? Would the MTH qualify, or would it be lumped in with the FEH like the Mariner?

As many of us know, Mazda's media site is shared with Ford. And of course Mazda-branded products made in the U.S. and Canada are made in plants that also produce Ford-branded products. I wonder what, specifically is the IRS test for what makes a "manufacturer"? Ownership?

Ford (for now anyway) owns Volvo. Would Volvo hybrids count toward Ford's total, or does Volvo and Jaguar get its own allocation? Hmmm. Ditto with SAAB and GM, and so many others.

 

Sux!

 

Not hybrid related, and more off topic, but I would have leaned towards the Tribute of only because you could lie 48"xXX sheet goods (e.g. plywood etc...) flat as the interior was a bit wider (as I recall) . How Ford missed that I don't understand. Anyone try that in a 2008 FEH?

Cheers,

rcomeau