2008 Mazda Tribute Review

Float down the Mississippi River and you’re sure to notice that its branches vary little from the main channel. Same trees on the banks, same good fishing, muddy water and soggy bottom all around. Nearly indistinguishable, in fact, so much so that it reminds us of the Mazda Tribute: like so many Mississippi River byways, the Tribute is just as soggy and muddy as its brother, the Ford Escape. We just wish the fishing was still as good as it once was. Just like time and the river, the competition has passed the Tribute by.

By Bob Beamesderfer Photo Credit: Oliver Bentley

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Our test vehicle was a Tribute s Touring two-wheel drive, which included the $560 six-disc audio system and cargo cover package. Among the standard features included in the $22,965 price are fog lights, roof rack, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, six airbags and stability and traction control. All told, the MSRP came to $23,525, including the $635 destination fee.

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The 200-horsepower, 3.0-liter, V-6 provides adequate power for daily driving, and with a 193 lb.-ft. of torque, the Tribute leaves the line with some authority. Freeway speeds are reached without strain and there weren’t any issues on long uphill sections of road. All in all, its performance was OK, if not a bit dull. The four-speed automatic was smooth and resistant to hunting gears, although a five-speed automatic would make for better economy. As it was, gas mileage was an unimpressive 18.6 mpg, although the EPA rates this version at 18 city and 24 on the highway.

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Nothing much about the Tribute’s handling sets it apart from other small suvs. It doesn’t exhibit any bad habits at low speeds and tooling around town it rides comfortably and maneuvers parking lots easily. Out on the highway, the body roll and wallow don’t inspire confidence at freeway speeds. The brakes are good, with a solid feel in the pedal and are easy to control. Aggressive stops were drama-free thanks to antilock and brake-force distribution. The electrically assisted power steering was numb regardless of vehicle speed and despite its variable ratio.

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Like its Ford sibling, the Mazda Tribute has good visibility to the sides and rear, thanks in part to large side mirrors. The view straight ahead is a bit limited by the tall front nose. While backing up, a sonar system beeps when you get close to an object. The closer you get, the faster it beeps. A back-up camera would let you see what you’re getting close to, but the sonar was a welcome addition. Door window sills are tall, but you can still see the ground to check parking stripes without opening the door.

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It’s an OK driving cute ute, but it doesn’t possess any Zoom, just run-of-the mill Ford. For what is essentially a station wagon with a boxier body, it’s got plenty of utility to get groceries or go to the mall. The lack of tie-down hooks in the cargo area makes it less suited to outdoor activities regardless of whether it’s all-wheel drive or not. But the least fun aspect of it was that after about 25 miles of driving in fog and mist, water seeped between the weather stripping and the door and dripped onto the driver’s arm. That’s probably a feature peculiar to our test vehicle.  

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The cloth-covered front seats were supportive and comfortable. The driver’s seat is a six-way power model with manual lumbar while the passenger seat is a four-way manual.  The vinyl covered tilt wheel isn’t as nice as one covered in leather, but it’s densely padded and serves its purpose well. Arm rests are padded. Door tops have no padding, but the sill is wide enough for resting your arm. While there are no assist handles, the Tribute doesn’t sit high enough to be a challenge when getting in or out.

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The 60/40 rear bench seat is comfortable, though adults won’t find as much leg support as there is up front. However, head and leg room are good, and there’s plenty of space for your feat under the front seat. Even the center position is good, with a headrest that goes up high enough for an average adult. There are only arm rests on the doors; a pull-down center armrest would be an improvement. Just as with the front seats, there are no assist handles in the back, but again this doesn’t pose a problem.

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The Tribute is a little quieter than it’s Ford cousin, but there’s still quite a bit of wind and road noise, most of which is off the front end and side mirrors. Road noise comes mostly from the rear tires. Drive train noise is noticeably quieter. Considering the Ford version of this vehicle was one of the noisier that we’ve tested recently, any improvement is welcome. Other than the external sounds, there weren’t any noticeable squeaks or rattles inside the Tribute.

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The rear cargo floor is low enough to make loading easy. The rear seats can be folded flat after removing the headrests, and the entire operation is easy but can’t be done from just the rear hatch. What’s missing are two items that are pretty standard these days: tie-down hooks and a 12-volt outlet.

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Gaps on the exterior were tight but uneven.  Exterior trim was tightly affixed, and the silver metallic paint job looked good. Inside, there were some very obvious gaps: particularly bad was the fit between the upper and lower trim on the B-pillar. Interior door panels as snug to the dashboard as they could have been. Trim along the floor and door sills was loose and felt like it could be pulled off by hand.