Overview & Reviews

The 2008 Mazda Tribute has been heavily revised with significant changes made to the exterior styling and a more stylish, functional and better constructed interior. Like the closely related Ford Escape, the Tribute's engines and chassis carry over virtually untouched. A hybrid-powered Tribute is also expected for this year.

• Comfortable interior, impressive list of standard safety features.

• Mediocre braking, disappointing fuel-efficiency, folding down second seat a multistep process.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 58.00

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  I LOVE my Tribute!! - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By Mary McCarthy - May 21 - 2:35 pm

  I've had my 2008 Tribute for 12 yrs and cannot say enough good things about it. If they still made them I'd buy another. I don't like the body style of the SUV's that are built today, and don't believe the storage capacity could stand up against the Tribute. My Tribute has 155,000 miles and still going strong. Its the 4cyl I model. People that see it cannot believe its 14 yrs old. Inside and out, it has stood the test of time... even in the Florida sun and humidity.

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  08 Tribute i Touring - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By David - November 27 - 11:10 pm

  The wife and I have been doing research on small SUVs and we purchased a great one! The Tribute has a ton of standard features and Mazda did a great job with instilling the "sport" into driving, even in this SUV. We werent expecting it to go fast since we opted for the 4 cyl but so far we are impressed. It doesnt have a problem passing, merging, etc. Also the interior quality is 10+. It feels like the knobs to turn the vents are wrapped in leather. And the glossy black dash isnt cheap, its sturdy polished ABS. Love the car! If you are comparing it to other manufacturers this one has a ton of standard features for less cost than the others.

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  Great at first, now problems - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By Disappointed - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Buyer beware. There is a problem with this vehicle and gas pedal getting stuck. If you go to the NHTSA website, you will find 9 complaints on gas pedal getting stuck. I submitted mine today, making it 10. It gets stuck in deceleration position, but going 60+mph, this is very dangerous. Once gas pedal gives, the SUV jerks forward. I drive this car a lot for business. I bought it in Nov. 2007. I have driven 68,000 miles on it. Radio stopped working, a short circuit. Had to buy aftermarket since Mazda charges $800 plus installation for stock. Battery had changed at 65,000 miles. I find it very comfortable for my 6/7 hour trips, but the gas pedal getting stuck has scared me.

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  Swap the Continentals !!! - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By pennypincher - August 24 - 1:22 pm

  Do yourself a favor and swap the crappy Continentals for Michelin Latitude (as Ford did for model year 2009 and on) or, for less $$, Khumo AST, or anything else that is more of a highway tire (less agressive treads) The noise reduction will be AMAZING !!! My wife thought we had a new ride. Always rotate the tires (front/rear, no X pattern) at EACH OIL CHANGE. The Tribute (Escape) rear suspension is soft (to avoid the jerkiness in turns) so the tires tend to chip off on the edges. So, diligent rotation will save the day. All in all the greatest value of my driving experience !!!

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  2008 Mazda Tribute - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By Kiwi - August 22 - 5:10 pm

  The CD player has broken and the window seems that it does not fit into the window frame. In addition, I dont understand why Mazda does not provide manual for audio system. It is not easy to grasp gear handle as console box obstructs my right elbow.

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  Tribute 5-speed 4-cyl Initial report - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By 5speed - April 3 - 7:36 am

  Purchased the Tribute i sport with 5-speed manual transmission,fwd, and 4-cyl engine because I wanted a vehicle with cargo capacity and respectable fuel economy. The dealer where I made the purchase had to locate the vehicle with this combination, because they had never had a Tribute on their lot with a manual transmission. There is not a photo available of the manual shift lever and console combination available in the Mazda brochure. But Mazda did a good job with the 5-speed package, the shift lever is well finished and attractive with a good relationship to the steering wheel. The clutch pressure is very light and makes shifting gears easy. Now have 1709 miles and my average MPG is 30.97

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  Cool SUV - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By NFNA - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Had a terrible accident in a sedan that opened my eyes to the fact that you can just kill yourself down on the ground. Switched to Tribute after my car was totaled and have had very good experience with it. They could have used better quality material but I guess then it would have been more expensive. Overall I find it a great deal for the money. There is little noise in the cabin while driving. I get very good gas economy. My advise is to use the plus fuel (mid grade) it gives you far more mileage for the price. I avoid the premium fuel since the car is not designed for it and may damage the engine in the long run.

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  I like it so far - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By spk151 - November 25 - 3:03 am

  Ive put almost 1,000 miles on my 2008 Mazda Tribute. The Good: I love the looks white with black trim and tinted rear windows. It has performed adequately so far with no problems. It has decent acceleration at 200HP, while handling like a car and gets almost as good fuel economy as my 1999 Chevy Malibu (V6). The interior is roomy in both front and back seats. The complaints: Mazda claims to have a college graduate incentive program, but they do not in the USA. Im not thrilled with the speedometer as it only displays in multiples of 20MPH, I guess writing in multiples of 10 would be too hard??? I do get a lot of reflection from the white hood. All-in-all I would buy it again.

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  NEVER AGAIN - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By PAINT IT AINT - July 25 - 5:06 am

  I am very disappointed with this purchase, paint has been chipping and continues to bubble on pieces that had been repainted noise in front sounds like needing new breaks this was all in 3 months of purchasing. Headlights had to be completely replaced, washer fluid leaks on hood, tie down in back fell off and again paint bubbling all with in 6 months of owning vehicle. If own the lt sage, please go over it and check for bubbles of pin head paint. It squeaks like an old truck on very hot days and long rides in stop and go traffic, does not have pickup, the dash color reflects on the windshield which is somewhat distracting. Never will I purchase a Mazda.

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  Great 2nd Car - 2008 Mazda Tribute
  By Leon DeHart - June 20 - 1:20 am

  I was coming from a long period of driving full-size pick-ups and looking to downsize! This was a good choice to go smaller with good fuel results, and yet not feel much had changed in the process. I still sit up higher. Interior can carry cargo too.