2006 Mazda Tribute Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004
Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
19 -21 City / 23 -24 HWY
Source FuelEconomy.gov
Horsepower
153 -200
Seats
5
Front angle medium view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Zachary B
'06 Mazda Tribute-I 4dr 4 cylinder SUV.
It's reliable, has good handling and gas mileage. My model happens to have leather seats, which I find to be comfortable and very durable, and very easy to clean. The only problem of note is the engine light being on, but when checked gives no error code.
accountCircle Sara L
My vehicle is a small but loaded vehicle. Good for road trips or small travel
I love that my vehicle has a sunroof that I can decide how open or closed I want it. I also like that I have the ability to put the seats down making for a little more room, however I don't like the fact that they don't go completely down which sometimes makes it hard on moving things. I like that there are 2 ways to open the trunk end of the vehicle. I can either completely open the door or use the hatch part and just open it half way
accountCircle A M
Great car for first car, or a nice family car
My car is great! The cruise is super easy to set and it does amazing on the highway. It does well in town too. The gas mileage isn't all that but it's not terrible either. I have no problems really. Right after I bought the car used at 147 k miles I had to replace the brake hose. And I've been informed that I have a leaky exhaust. I'm not sure if those are just problems from when I bought the car or a common problem.
accountCircle Jeff M
Mazda Tribute best in snow
It's old now, the stuff put on the ground for snow has started to rot the underneath. Emergency brake doesn't work. It's absolutely amazing in bad weather, any kind of snow, it drives like a beast! We live on a very steep driveway on a dirt road and have never been stuck, not once.
accountCircle Sarah T
My Most Dependable Vehicle
Even though this car is getting up in years it is still dependable and efficient. We've had entirely original parts, with the exception of tires and brakes pads, until late last year. There is very little accessibility to the engine and the parts underneath it but otherwise very easy to maintain.
accountCircle kristy c
Easy to park in small places and drives wonderfully smooth
My car has been a very great car very good gas mileage. Never had any problems my only complaint is the placement of cup holders in front of car
accountCircle Linda M
This has been my first new car. I've been extremely happy with it. My light tree went out and my dash got messed up during the repair
I like the shape of it but I should have gotten a v6 motor instead of a 4 cylinder; it has little power
accountCircle Margaret F
The car is roomie. For a 4 cylinder mini SUV it holds speed in the freeway.
Love my car because it is super reliable. The only thing is to keep the maintenance, because the struts do wear out fast. Also the sensors for the doors did fail after 4 years of use. Even though the doors are lock the sensor shows as if they are open. But otherwise it is super reliable.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Sam F
The cars passenger back seats do not fold all the way down. It's really weird
Vehicle has so many issues. The windows are barely working, under the car is completely rusted and the car always gets way too hot. The paint on this car is scratches and chips way too easily. My biggest pet peeve is that the passenger seats don't fold down all the way so it's an awkward tilt.
accountCircle Victoria D
Never been in an accident and works as expected.
Gray 2006 Mazda tribute with 4 cylinders. Computer has been replaced once in the past 1 year, needs an oil change. Currently drives fine. Has some rust on each side when first bought in "perfect condition". The knobs on the radio fall off but are easily usable. The back trunks window will fall off if opened but the trunk itself is fine (there are 2 latches).
accountCircle raven B
Great overall vehicle. Gets the job done.
I love that it is not as short as a car but it is also not as high as a truck step. The abs sensors have gone quite a few times in this vehicle. It's great for a long trip we have used it to go out to Ohio multiple times. The leather seats makes messes easy to clean up. I love it.
accountCircle Casey W
It has a better chance of rolling over if you take a curve too fast.
I like that it sits up off the ground, and it runs fairly well. It does not get great gas mileage. It has a decent amount of room for a small SUV.
accountCircle Bryan B
Great gas mileage. Seats are very uncomfortable. And it sits very low.
Don't like the comfort of the seats or the interior. I like the gas usage. And I don't like how low it sits.
accountCircle Alexandra B
It is great, idk what something important is that I didn't just say with.
Doesn't require much maintenance, good mileage, rides smoothly, roomy, very few problems. Any problems are natural wear and tear due to age.
accountCircle Jay G
Old but reliable for a young person.
The car is a little old now, but it is holding up for now. The doors locking is the only problem right now with the car. Everything else is perfect. Filling the tank is somewhat ok. The car is meant for long trips but gas runs out quick. There is a lot of room for other people and storage.

Mazda Tribute Models

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

car
i
153 HP 23-23 MPG 5 Seats
car
s
200 HP 21-21 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2006 Mazda Tribute Owner Reviews

4.31
51 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 49%
4 stars 37%
3 stars 10%
2 stars 4%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Patricia B on February 10, 2021
It's the perfect height. No bending down, no step up on the doors.
I love the heights of the car, it's easy to get in & out of. It's a basic model, I would have loved some upgrades but it was the only one left on the lot. It's been a very reliable vehicle & is very comfortable to drive or ride in. I prefer driving an SUV. I like the higher sight lines.
accountCircle raven B on January 14, 2021
Great overall vehicle. Gets the job done.
I love that it is not as short as a car but it is also not as high as a truck step. The abs sensors have gone quite a few times in this vehicle. It's great for a long trip we have used it to go out to Ohio multiple times. The leather seats makes messes easy to clean up. I love it.
View All Reviews (51) chevronRightAlternative

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Caitlyn W.

I love this vehicle because it is the right size for me. It is perfect when driving because I do not like small cars but I also do not like big cars so it is perfect. The mileage is also not bad and it takes me where I need to go.

likeFilled Lexi M.

Very good clearance. Gets through a lot of snow. Accelerates quickly. Visibility is wonderful. Heats up quickly when idling. Speakers are good for being stock. Cargo space is amazing. The back cargo door has the option for just the window or the entire door. Back seat is surprisingly spacious.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Caitlyn W.

Sometimes the mileage gets to me because if I go long distances, I will have to fill up more often. I like how it is cheaper to fill up my car than most cars but it is also quicker when I run out of gas when I travel farther.

dislikeFilled Lexi M.

When accelerating it is noisy. There is a lot of road noise, especially on gravel. The seat belt warning is very annoying and goes off every 10 seconds for over 10 minutes. The seats are a bit hard. The console between the front seats comes over the top of the cup holders and makes it hard to get your coffee cup out.

Ranks #8 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2006 Mazda Tribute has an average owner rating of 4.32 out of 5 which ranks it #8 of 19 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
2006 Honda CR-V
4.54
2
car
2006 Scion xA
4.52
8
car
2006 Mazda Tribute
4.31

Ranks #10 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2006 Mazda Tribute has a combined MPG of 26 which ranks it #10 of 19 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
2006 Scion xA
38 MPG
2
car
2006 Scion xB
34 MPG
10
Tie
car
2006 Mazda Tribute
24 MPG

Is The 2006 Mazda Tribute A Good Car?

Yes! Has over 170,000 miles. Very reliable and good for picking up larger items. The only thing it doesn't have very good pick up speed
Kayla B.
Very much so would recommend it. I have not had to do any major repairs and I purchased it in 2008, I will probably purchase another Mazda product
Tyler R.
Yes, I use it as a daily driver. I use it for not only daily use for work and school, but also for family events and road trips.
Michelle S.
Yes, the 2006 Mazda Tribute-I (2 wheel drive 4 cylinder engine model), which is the specific model, is a very good vehicle.
Tammy D.

How Reliable Is The 2006 Mazda Tribute?

Have had some stuff come up but it is mostly stuff to do with the age of the car. The struts that were just replaced were as old as the car is.
Kay L.
Extremely reliable no more than normal maintenance is needed The performance is great the ride is comfortable the body and style suits me
Jennifer C.
Yes, it so far has been very reliable. It does have a few problems, but nothing that so far hasn't been an easy fix.
Jennifer G.
Yes, the 2006 Mazda Tribute-I (Two wheel drive with a four cylinder engine), which is the specific model I own, is reliable. No, it doesn't have any problems.
Brian N.

Is The 2006 Mazda Tribute A Good Value?

I did not purchase this car. I think the value has gone down a lot because of the high miles on the vehicle.
Ashley K.
I purchased it in August 2008 and at that time of the purchase price was $12,500 For me that was a pretty good price
Allison S.
It cost me 1500 as a used vehicle and to me it was a decent price for the quality of the vehicle. I can't complain.
L P.
I wouldn't know how much the 2006 Mazda Tribute-I (two wheel drive with a four cylinder engine), which is the specific model I own, cost as it was a gift. I can attest it is a good value.
Marie C.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2006 Mazda Tribute starter location?

Answer: The starter in a 2006 Mazda Tribute is located at the base of the engine on the passenger side of the engine compartment. This is going to be near where the transmission housing meets up with the motor. The...
openInNew See all Frequently Asked Questions

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Not Rated

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety