2009 Mazda Tribute Consumer Reviews

Tribute vs Escape

Written by: p clarke on 08/18/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mazda Tribute i Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

Bought the Tribute rather than the Escape because of interior and exterior styling differences.Ford needs to upgrade both, as well as paint colors. So far so good with the 4 banger.

Favorite Features

Styling

Suggested Improvements

Outside Temp gauge

1 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Competent Performer

Written by: Fun to Drive on 08/12/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

This vehicle is fun to drive. A lot of vehicle for the money. A lot of extras are standard like fog lamps, tire pressure monitor, rear window wiper,washer, defroster. Great AC!

Favorite Features

Large sideview mirrors. Three interior colors - white, camel and brown give the interior a light, airy look. Brawny, bold front end. Electronic power steering is precise and gives good sense of control. Feels very stable pulling a small boat. Rear seats easily fold for more cargo room.

Suggested Improvements

In some lighting conditions dash instruments are hard to read and top of dash is reflected in windshield. Cargo area is too small when rear seats are in use. Optional cargo net and cover offer inadequate protection to occupants. Gas mileage with a 4 cylinder and 6 speed auto should be better.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Satisfied

Written by: Tim Beaver on 08/05/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

I've had the Tribute for about a week now. So far I've noticed a few things that weren't right upon delivery. The driver's seat has a hole in the cloth, the grab bar on the passenger side has screw plugs that don't quite fit, and the paint job isn't perfect with globs and runs and bad orange peel on the rear hatch. None of this is a deal breaker though as this was purchased as a winter beater/cargo hauler to save my G35 Coupe and C300 from unnecessary wear and tear. Looked at Ford Escape, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia offerings. This vehicle was the best combination of features/value/fuel efficiency I could find. I look forward to many winters of pleasant AWD commutes with this vehicle.

Favorite Features

Fun to drive, easy to speed with this 4 cyl motor! AWD is seamless and undetectable. The whole family likes the upscale interior bits like the 6 disk player and piano black trim that Ford makes you pay extra for. Easy to park and maneuver in parking lots/alleys. Ride if firm but not unpleasant.

Suggested Improvements

Piano Black trim picks up/shows dust and finger prints daily. Carbon fiber might be a better substitute going forward. The rear end "hoots" at 5 mph. There is a TSB out about this that should have been dealt with before vehilce delivery. Better paint. Absent tie down hooks in cargo area.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Mazda Tribute Works For Me!

Written by: Steve Reynolds on 07/31/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mazda Tribute i Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

My wife and I were drawn to the Tribute because it is the perfect size for our needs. Also, it does not look like all the other boring, round tubby things that pass for small SUVs. Most SUVs look alike and are hard to tell apart, but not the Tribute. The seats are comfy on my large rear end, the 7 speaker radio blasts Sirius satellite radio loud and clear, and the truck (not car-derivative) goes where I point it. The only negative is that the attractive front end is made of plastic. A bug strike can mar the finish of the chrome-plated plastic grill. Unfortunately, Mazda is changing the Tribute for 2010 so it'll look more Japanese. Bummer. There 'ya go.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

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1stSUVOwner

Written by: Tribute2009 on 07/05/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Review

When I was considering purchasing a new SUV, I considered the Escape, CRV, Santa Fe and the RAV4. After test driving these vehicles, I was not overly impressed. Although, I did enjoy the looks of the Escape. I looked into the XLS model, which was a base model with auto. The price was around 21k. Then, a friend suggested to consider a Mazda. We went to the Mazda dealership and test drove the Tribute. The interior as well as the exterior was almost identical to the Escape, but for much less. I was impressed the the I-Sport Auto Model, which is the base model w/auto, that I purchased it for 16,888 + tax.

Favorite Features

As opposed to the Escape, the Tribute has more features with the base model yet it was the same interior feel. I enjoy that it has fog lamps and that across the board, all Tribute models have the same exterior look regardless of the model type.

Suggested Improvements

Place the MP3 player connection inside the center console.

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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First SUV

Written by: Zoner on 05/15/2009

Vehicle

2009 Mazda Tribute s Touring 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6A)

Review

Test drove 5 other brands and liked the Tribute right away.The contrasting interior color was a plus and the "classy" touch is nice.It handles great and feels positive.I drove a 04' Duramax for 5 yrs. so this feels much better but similar.If you want a softer ride then buy something else.SUV says it all. The performance is outstanding with the new v6 and the fuel mileage is great.I tow a pop-up camper and a small 14' aluminum boat with it and with the 3500 lb rating it's perfect and tows great. I read the early year reviews but this engine and tranny should upgrade them considerably.Overall I'm very happy with it.

Favorite Features

Style and function make it just right. The A/C puts out big time and that is a major "must have" in Phoenix.Fit and finish are high and so far every thing is solid and tight.

Suggested Improvements

The console storage access could be forward some more for easier use. Storage areas are o.k. but I'm used to a full size truck. Having some color matching screw cover caps in the interior area would change the interior looks. I think they missed this and it's stupid.

27 out 28 people found this review helpful

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