2003 Mazda Tribute SUV

Great little suv - even

by wbzcourt on Oct 20, 2011
Vehicle: 2003 Mazda Tribute LX-V6 Fwd 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)

I am sad to say that I recently totaled my tribute and am now shopping for a new one. I bought my 03 used with 25k miles on it. I was super impressed with its reliability in the 6 years I owned it. Bought new tires once. Major tuneup before a trip at 100k. Other than that - just oil changes. Ran perfectly. It did have some wind noise which was slightly annoying, but certainly tolerable. Other than that, no complaints. It was the perfect size for our family of four..not too big, not too small. Pretty good mpg. And super fun to drive..very peppy lil guy! I'll miss my trib!

The best vehicle i've ever

by tributetomazda on Jan 10, 2011
Vehicle: 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6 4WD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)

I bought it in Nov. '02. I just cleared 170,000 Miles. Sure! There have been some quirky issues. The most annoying: the illuminating light which shows you what gear you are in went out recently and there is a short in a harness that indicates the status of the airbag. I had my power moon roof switch replaced. Most expensive repair 150,000 mile tune up required the replacement of the "Coil Packs" on all 6 cylinders @ $118 each! With the other routine maintenance I had performed = $1000. Replaced the Battery @ 170,000. Replaced steering linkage arms "clunking" at 125,000. First tires went 70,000. Second set 70,000. Now in only the third set. Brakes, somewhere way back when. Oil! Thats it!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Solid and fun to drive

by Cristanka on Jun 8, 2010
Vehicle: 2003 Mazda Tribute LX-V6 4WD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)

I bought my 03 Tribute LX 4WD at 95,000 miles and I've been happy with it every single day. It's amazing in the winter and even better in the summer! Everything still works at 106,000 miles a year later. The wheel bearing on the front right passenger side was broken when I bought it, unfortunately, and it wasn't until much later that I found that problem and the dealership paid for it. The crash test ratings are spectacular on this SUV! I was just hit a week ago by a drunk driver going 70 mph and I walked away without a scratch. My Tribute is in great condition save for a few cosmetic repairs. If I had been in a lighter SUV I would have rolled over. Definitely worth every penny.