Used 2009 Mazda Tribute SUV Consumer Reviews
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Function and style
Lots of Utility, 10/22/2009
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
20 of 20 people found this review helpful
Bought the Tribute for me and my wife, it has been great, lots of cargo space, fuel economy is exceptional from the 4 cylinder; and it has lots of power considering the other models we looked at with comparable engines. We typically see 29-30 mpg on road trips in West Texas it is primarily flat so cannot speak much of hills but out here it is a great combination of function, fuel economy and style
Overall good/bad ignition problem
Wallace, 04/15/2018
updated 11/06/2018
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
We have been very impressed with the reliability of the Tribute, but an extremely annoying ignition problem that does not allow the car to crank was aggravating. After countless hours of online research and several attempts at repairs, it appears we have conquered the problem. All stemming from an inferior designed ignition module that wears out. Happens with Ford Escape and Ford Focus also. Should have been recalled. UPDATE, the ignition module did not solve the problem, so I changed the starter. Even though the car would start fine for days, it would still not crank at times. After weeks it seems the new starter did the trick. It must has been something faulty in the starter that made it work intermittently.
- Performance
2009 Mazda Tribute for sale near you
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- i Sport 4dr SUVMSRP: $6,963328 mi away
- i Sport 4dr SUVMSRP: $3,775674 mi away
- i Sport 4dr SUVMSRP: $3,5001,244 mi away
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fun while it lasted.
black_widow, 03/22/2012
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
13 of 16 people found this review helpful
I bought my Tribute with 7300 miles on it and I loved it. I traded it in with 35500 miles on it because the transmission had gotten really sluggish over the last 15000 and I was having problems with the breakes. It had been in the shop 5 times within the last 6 months and they still squeaked loudly. As far as the transmission I've read numorous reviews on the tribute/escape/mariner regarding the transmission issue and consumers needing new ones so i traded mine before it could give me problems. I loved the layout and the look of the vehicle. the 12v outlet in the back came out of its compartment and the one up front was loose. I got about 22-25 mpg city and 26-28 hwy.
Brake Failure for No Reason at 28K Miles
electricstar, 12/17/2012
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
16 of 28 people found this review helpful
We own a 2009 Tribute, and thought it was a really good car, until yesterday, 3.5 years after we bought it. I was out with my kids, the car went "ping--." A red light indicates "brake." I thought my parking brake was on, but it wasn't. The display says "check brake system." I tried to brake, there was no traction. The car kept going. I stepped on the brake all the way, still no traction. I managed to roll the car back to our house. I called Madzda and Mazda refuses to take responsilities and wants me to pay for checkup just because the car is "out of warranty." If we got killed yesterday, who'd pay for the checkup? Mazda refused to allow us to speak with management.
Good overall
Dave Malone, 02/04/2010
2009 Mazda Tribute s Grand Touring 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6A)
6 of 10 people found this review helpful
I had a 2001 Tribute with a V6 that was a gem. The new 2009 has all the goodies and is a fun ride. It performed very well on a 200 mile trip getting 25 mpg.The only fault I have,so far,is the use on black plastic trim used ont the center console and the placement of the center storage compartment. Compartment is very difficult to reach into because it is too far back from the driver. I only have 1,950 miles on the vehicle.
1stSUVOwner
Tribute2009, 07/05/2009
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
Mazda Tribute Works For Me!
Steve Reynolds, 08/01/2009
2009 Mazda Tribute i Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
First SUV
Zoner, 05/15/2009
2009 Mazda Tribute s Touring 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6A)
1 of 5 people found this review helpful
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.
Satisfied
Tim Beaver, 08/05/2009
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
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.
Competent Performer
Fun to Drive, 08/12/2009
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
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!
Tribute on tough road
nehemiah1, 03/06/2012
2009 Mazda Tribute i Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my Tribute in June 2009 at Puerto Rico where drive conditions are rude and rush. So far my Tribute have 47000 miles and I just had to change the CV shaft, both of them. I drive an average of 50 miles daily and fuel usage is good, a fuel tank last almost 6 days. Music system is great and interiors are really cool. Safety systems on the Tribute are reliable.
Tribute vs Escape
p clarke, 08/18/2009
2009 Mazda Tribute i Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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.
Does the job
Hugo Chalifour, 07/13/2010
2009 Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have this SUV for more than a year now and i am very happy with it. Very reliable in any conditions. Roomy enough to go around and do some winter and summer activities out in the woods. Original tires are Michelin and they are great.I choose this one over ford's only due to looks. Did not want the fake Bling bling shiny look. Front end is sportier looking.