2005 Mazda Tribute Review
Fuel Economy
17 - 24 mpg
Summary
What Edmunds.com says
Roomy on the inside, stylish on the outside and fun to drive wherever it goes, the Tribute is one of our favorite small SUVs.
Pros
Roomy and comfortable interior, peppy V6 engine, drives more like a car than a truck, long list of standard features.
Cons
Mediocre fuel economy and driving range on V6 models.
What's New for 2005
Extensive changes for the Tribute this year include a new base engine, restyled exterior and a new electronic four-wheel-drive system. A floor-mounted shifter replaces the awkward column shifter, and ABS is now standard on all models.
Consumer Ratings & Reviews
So far so good!
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 7 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 7 |
| Fuel Economy: | 5 | Exterior Design: | 7 | ||
Vehicle
2005 Mazda Tribute i AWD 4dr SUV (2.3L 4cyl 5M)
Review
I bought my gently used '05 fully loaded Tribute (3.0, 4WD w/ towing package) couple months ago and so far so good. Had some trouble with the engine light but that was fixed by replacing the gas cap. I tow my 16ft fishing boat with ease and felt confident when the 4x4 kicked in to pull the loaded trailer out of the lake. Left the moon roof open one night through a rainstorm and had my interior and dash completely soaked! Surprised to say absolutely no electrical problems and leather still looks brand new. Only thing I wish it had was ability to play MP3's!
Favorite Features
Reliable and strong. Pretty tough for a lil SUV. Handles well. Looks great with the step bars. Love the power difference when overdrive is disengaged. Very roomy. Great sound system (except for missing mp3 player!).
Suggested Improvements
Needs bigger gas tank. Gas consumption is pretty normal for SUV though. And E-brake has adjustment problems. So far that's pretty much it!
Outstanding Tribute!
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2005 Mazda Tribute s Fwd 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
Review
I have had no problems with this vehicle. It has been a pleasure to own.
Favorite Features
After owning 2 Explorers, I have found the Tribute to be much easier to maneuver. I get 23-25 MPG on the highway when my speed is 70-75.
Suggested Improvements
You have to remove 3 headrests to fold the backseat down--maybe that has been fixed by 2009. I also wish I had audio controls on the steering wheel. The 2009 model has ESC and many more airbags...a good reason to trade up.
Nice but too many issues
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 7 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 6 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 3 |
| Fuel Economy: | 6 | Exterior Design: | 7 | ||
Vehicle
2005 Mazda Tribute s Fwd 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
Review
Bought it new off the lot in 2005. Got a great deal so I can't complain all that much. However, I have never been able to keep rotors on it. Have had them replaced three times!! When stopping, the vibrations are ridiculous! Props to the dealership though who has replaced the rotors every time under warranty. Just a hassle. Gas mileage is not great but it's pretty good in the New England snow for a FWD vehicle. I still like it a lot better than the Ford Escape (someone else in my family has one of those). Fun to drive and the 6 cylinder has some good pickup.
Favorite Features
6 cylinder engine Styling Interior Space
Suggested Improvements
Brakes are an issue Console design isn't the smoothest
2005 Mazda S AWD 3.0 V6
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 5 | Fun-to-Drive: | 5 | Build Quality: | 6 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 5 | Reliability: | 8 |
| Fuel Economy: | 5 | Exterior Design: | 7 | ||
Vehicle
2005 Mazda Tribute s AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
Review
Didn't like it at first, but it steadily grew on me. Noisy at highway speeds, some interior and dashboard controls are poorly designed and impossible to see at night. Heated seat button is in a truly odd place. Body creaks and groans, wallows over some highway undulations. All this and I still like it....can't put my finger on it...maybe it's just that it is reliable, decent on gas (ECU went bad at 80,000 and I put a rebuilt one in that improved mileage to 24 - 25 hwy), tires wear forever and it does go in the snow better than any car i have driven.
Favorite Features
Exterior styling, comfortable seats, driving position, cargo capacity, driver visibility, airbags, smooth tranny, reliability, AWD is superb
Suggested Improvements
Better ergonomics needed in general in the interior, radio controls a little too far away, heated seat button in a ridiculous spot, wipers operate opposite from most other cars, wind and tire noise is significant, engine smooth but not powerful, carpet in cargo area is cheap and poorly installed.
Awesome Vehicle
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 10 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 7 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2005 Mazda Tribute s Fwd 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
Review
I lovemy Mazda, so far I have not had a bit of trouble with it. I got a great deal on the 6 cyl. and it has excellent pickup. The only 2 mistakes I made is to buy a black vehicle and to get cloth seats (I have a child) but the car is great I have no complaints at all. If I had to list something it would be to get better gas mileage, currently I get 21 MPG in the city.
Favorite Features
Height of the vehicle is great, I love sitting up high, plus there is plenty of room for cargo and it will seat 5 adults.
Suggested Improvements
Better gas mileage and cloth seats that are easier to clean. My seats are tan with a black criss cross pattern that is wearing each time I scrub the seats.
View Pricing for Other Years
- 2010 Mazda Tribute
- 2009 Mazda Tribute
- 2008 Mazda Tribute
- 2006 Mazda Tribute
- 2005 Mazda Tribute
- 2004 Mazda Tribute
Research the 2005 Mazda Tribute
Buying & Selling
Vehicle Details
Multimedia
Ratings & Reviews
- Model Review
- Road Test Ratings
- Road Test Reviews
- Consumer Reviews
- Awards History
- Reliability
- Consumer Discussions
Payment Calculators
Helpful Tools
