2008 Mazda Tribute Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004
Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
17 -29 City / 22 -27 HWY
Source FuelEconomy.gov
Horsepower
133 -200
Seats
5
Front angle medium view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Marsha H
My SUV is the best. My husband and I always use my Tribute on outings.
White Mazda Tribute. I love my SUV, I've had it for 3 years now and it's so dependable. My Tribute is the main vehicle in our household. The roominess and comfort of this vehicle makes it our favorite when traveling. I have had to have the transmission replaced due to age, but it runs so good. I could never part with my Tribute.
accountCircle Bronwyn S
Very reliable and runs well even with 165000 miles.
My 2008 Mazda Tribute is extremely reliable. It now 169000 miles and runs like new. Only small problems with rear hatch window not staying up after it is opened and air conditioner works on only two speeds. We own two Tributes and we love both of them.
accountCircle cindy s
It feels that it fits and suits me... Not too big and not too small. I like the feel of driving my tribute and wish that they still made them.
I love that I sit higher off the ground and therefore have a better view. I have no desire to go back to a regular low car. Will continue to purchase an SUV in the future. I was willing to purchase another Tribute but they are now longer being manufactured, bummer.
accountCircle Cameron W
Old faithful that still gets me where I'm going.
Threw a rod in my engine after 4 years of owning it. No problems since. Very sturdy and dependable otherwise. I am comfortable in it, and often have no trouble hauling cargo. However, the car has little no to pickup. Very slow to get going on the highway.
accountCircle Phyllys B
My car has been the best thing ever to my family and I we have had it for 4 years and we have not had one problem with it
My car is a get up and go, I have not had any problems at all with my car.
accountCircle scarlet c
2008 Mazda Tribute. Comfortable with plenty of legroom
It is easy to drive, easy to get in and out of parking spaces. It gets good gas mileage. One drawback is its turning radius.
accountCircle Emily B
Qualities of 2008 Mazda tribute.
I love my car. It has leather seats, front heat seaters, a sunroof, a large truck, and is comfortable for passengers. It gets good gas mileage and runs beautifully for a car that is ten years old. It has automatic locks and a decent stereo system. Drives like a small car and is easy to maneuver.
accountCircle Debra M
Great vehicle for its age.
It was used when I bought it. Loved the heated sets the time it took to get up to speed. Lots of foot room. It doesn't have radio control on steering wheel or Bluetooth. It is a 2008 and now the cruise control do not work. Air conditioner had just went had if fixed still love it.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Josh S
She may be old and run down but, she's lasted this long. Pretty reliable.
I like that it is pretty reliable. I dislike the smaller size for an SUV, and it is not really my style.
accountCircle Shawn M
Workhorse unreliable in bad weather
My car has a lot of electrical problems. The over comfort level of the interior is comfortable. I bought it used with 140,000 miles on it. I drove it from NY to Texas. It tends to have electrical problems in heavy rain. It is a workhorse but not the most reliable vehicle if you get stuck in some bad weather. The back seats fold down flat. It is great for moving things. The handling is not the best. For what I paid for it I am pleased.
accountCircle Kelly S
The car has some kinks but all used cars do
My car is an average car. These car is used to just get me through college. It was my first car and was bought used. The car runs fine except the brakes are a little shaky. The best part about the car is that it's an SUV and has a lot of room. The car does well around town but I'm afraid long road trips are over due to ware and tare over the years
accountCircle Frances F
All weather all occasions
Acceleration is not great. Lateral vision is somewhat impaired by the frame. I hate the position of the emergency break- I often accidentally activate it by entering or exiting. Love the 4w drive in adverse weather and on steep roads. Very spacious interior.
accountCircle Ashley R
The engine isn't strong enough for the size of the vehicle.
It is large enough to fit my family of fit and has good storage capacity. It is a weak vehicle for Its size and we had to make several large repairs to it. The transmission has been replaced twice. I will not purchase Mazda again in the future.
accountCircle Rebeca J
It's a nice comfortable car
It takes me to places and has never broke down on me. It's a smooth car and never gives me any problems.
accountCircle Kelly M
Don't buy a Mazda if you want your car to last more than 8 years! Madas are not built to last!
AT ten years kold my vehicle has problem after problem. The alternator went bad, then the calipers in the wheels, now the PCM (the cars computer) has gone bad! It's has been a horrible experience! Mazdas are not made to last!
accountCircle Brandy G
2008 tribute has had more issues than any other year model.
I like the look of my vehicle but i?Ve had a ton of recalls and issues including one specific problem that i?Ve been unable to get fixed. The year model is apparently a bad year for issues.

Mazda Tribute Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Sport
200 HP 20-20 MPG 5 Seats
car
Touring
133 HP 28-28 MPG 5 Seats
car
Grand Touring
133 HP 28-28 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2008 Mazda Tribute Owner Reviews

4.08
39 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 41%
4 stars 28%
3 stars 28%
2 stars 3%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Brandy G on June 23, 2021
2008 tribute has had more issues than any other year model.
I like the look of my vehicle but i?Ve had a ton of recalls and issues including one specific problem that i?Ve been unable to get fixed. The year model is apparently a bad year for issues.
accountCircle Kelly S on March 8, 2021
The car has some kinks but all used cars do
My car is an average car. These car is used to just get me through college. It was my first car and was bought used. The car runs fine except the brakes are a little shaky. The best part about the car is that it's an SUV and has a lot of room. The car does well around town but I'm afraid long road trips are over due to ware and tare over the years
View All Reviews (39) chevronRightAlternative

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Mary S.

I love the size of the vehicle, lots of space for loading as well as carrying people. I also love the pep, 6 cylinder engine, the horse power. Love the towing package and the crossbars on the roof which helps me carry my kayaks.

likeFilled Betsy B.

It is a family vehicle that is saves on gas. It has all the basic features that a vehicle needs. It comes with a CD player front and back USB ports for your electronics. The steering wheel has buttons to change functions for the radio.

likeFilled Hanna B.

It has 4 wheel drive, it has a lot of room in the car, very easy to drive, easy to fold down the chairs and move stuff around, it is a very sturdy car to drive on non typical roads, does not require much upkeep, and very easy to get fixed when needed.

likeFilled Rebecca S.

The automatic 4-wheel drive on this vehicle is excellent. I have never been caught on a snow covered road that my vehicle cannot handle so far. The size suits my needs as there is rarely more than 2 people & a dog in my vehicle at any time. It has been a reliable vehicle that got me safely across the us.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Mary S.

As my car has aged, I find that I have had to replace the brake pads about every 2 years, but I understand that could also be how I drive and not the actual car. Overall I have not had many issues with it.

dislikeFilled Betsy B.

There are no cons because I like it just the way it is. But some people might not like just the basics. Maybe they need controllers in the back for the air conditioner or a DVD player in the back. It depends on what you like.

dislikeFilled Hanna B.

It is a big car so it does go through gas faster than other cars, it does have a blind spot towards the back end of the passenger side of the car so you have to pay more attention when changing lanes to the left, the paint on my car has also started to chip off above the wheel on the body of the car.

dislikeFilled Rebecca S.

The gas mileage on this vehicle is pretty low (on average about 17 miles per gallon). I have had to replace the transmission which occurred somewhere around/possibly before 100,000 miles. However, the mechanic that performed the transmission replacement said that particular transmission was bad as the rest of the vehicle was well-maintained.

Ranks #15 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2008 Mazda Tribute has an average owner rating of 4.11 out of 5 which ranks it #15 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
2008 Subaru Forester
5
2
car
2008 Honda Element
4.54
15
car
2008 Mazda Tribute
4.08

Ranks #10 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2008 Mazda Tribute has a combined MPG of 25 which ranks it #10 of 23 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
2008 Toyota Matrix
31 MPG
2
car
2008 Chevrolet HHR
30 MPG
10
Tie
car
2008 Mazda Tribute
29 MPG

Is The 2008 Mazda Tribute A Good Car?

Yes. Good family vehicle. Has a SUV feel about it. Could be a bit more roomy but overall a good vehicle.
Kathy W.
I would describe it as ok not good. There are transmission issues that started at less than 100K miles and Mazda refuses to do a recall on. At 140K miles there are a lot of interior issues such as... Read More
Jessica M.

How Reliable Is The 2008 Mazda Tribute?

It hasn't had major repair but we have had to repair tie rods and sensors. It can ride rough with noticeable road noise.
Kathy W.

Is The 2008 Mazda Tribute A Good Value?

We got ours used from a dealer. It was reasonable pricing around 6000. The dealer wanted to get it off the lot so he gave us a good deal.
Kathy W.
I bought the Mazda used in 2010 with 26,000 miles on it and paid $18K. I guess it was an ok value and I would consider it to be a really good value if it was not for the transmission problem that... Read More
jo H.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2008 Mazda Tribute transmission fluid type?

Answer: The 2008 Mazda Tribute can use Valvoline's synthetic transmission fluid. It is always a good idea to use the best possible transmission fluid for Your car, as this is a crucial part of the operation of Your...

What's the 2008 Mazda Tribute power steering reservoir location?

Answer: The 2008 Mazda Tribute power steering reservoir location is to the right of the engine. You will come into many problems with an engine. There could be excessive oil use, requiring the oil to be replaced sooner...
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Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety