Mazda Tribute feedback

[Hudahelru]

Longtime lurker here, this is my first post.

I've been reading a lot of feedback and buyer info for locally-available compact suv's including the cr-v (dependable but boring), x-trail (minor build problems), fortuner (dealer horror stories), rav-4 (overpriced), escape (powerful but plasticky interior), Sorento/Tucson/Grand Vitara (low resale value), etc. but haven't found much information about the Mazda Tribute. I'm planning on getting one after researching about it on the Internet and visiting the different showrooms.

I would very much appreciate feedback from current owners before taking the zoom, zoom, zoom plunge.

Thanks in advance!

[KoKoNAT]

The Ford Escape is just a re-badged Mazda Tribute, so there's not much difference between the two. Here's some reviews:

Ford Escape:
link 1
link 2
link 3

Mazda Tribute:
link 1
link 2

More 4WD reviews and road tests here.

HTH

[Hudahelru]

Thanks for the links, Kokonat.

After doing a comprehensive 2-week comparison of csuv's, I've finally decided to get the 2.3L, automatic Tribute. Made the downpayment na. To make it stand out a little from the other Tribbys, I upgraded it w/ factory-installed leather seats and ordered 18" Concept One wheels on Nitto tires. The Mazda dealer says it will be delivered in about two weeks time. Excited na ako!

[niky]

Nice choice... don't particularly like the size of your wheels (anlakas nun sa gas! ) but they do sound ***y.

[mazdamazda]

Congrats! I was about to add my 2 cents about the Tribute but I read your post about you making a downpayment already.

Leather upholstery will do wonders for the interior of the Tribute - though you can have it installed by a local upholsterdy shop (like Kelseat or Boy C) instead (since Mazda would probably subcontract that to a local shop anyway). You can also opt to buy Concept One rims & Nitto wheels straight from Wheel Gallery (in San Juan).

[Hudahelru]

*mazdamazda: go ahead w/ your 2 cents. Kapag bad review, I'll just have to live with it.

*niky: 18" rims pala may effect din sa fuel consumption. Ganun kaya ka-substantial? Sana hindi naman.

[mazdamazda]

Well.. actually my 2 cents is all praises for the Tribute.

Compared to its fraternal twin, the Ford Escape, it has much more kit & features. If I remember correctly, it was C&D who commented that the Tribute handled & accelerated slightly better than the Escape (which baffled them since they are mechanically the same).

Aesthetics wise... it is also a notch above the Escape... though it looks a bit boring and conventional (looking more like a wagon than an SUV) compared to the X-Trail, Rav4 & Outlander.

[sherwintommy]

congratulations on your new tribby....welcome to the club...been driving my tribby for almost 6 months now..and it never gave me any problems at all...including the aftersales service...highly recommended ang Mazda Greenhills,,since that's where i bought my tribby....PMS?..no worries....mechanics are very trustworthy..IMOP...tribby may not look good on the outside...but it's the ride..engine performance that matters....

[slyfox]

hey how's the gas consumption on the tribute? been choosing between that and a suzuki grand vitara kasi. heard the GV is a guzzler at arond 6-7kms/l but looks a lot flashier hehehe. how do your tributes fare? thanks for your replies!

[sherwintommy]

hey how's the gas consumption on the tribute? been choosing between that and a suzuki grand vitara kasi. heard the GV is a guzzler at arond 6-7kms/l but looks a lot flashier hehehe. how do your tributes fare? thanks for your replies!

first 3 months driving my tribute was a real guzzler...around the same with vitarra-6-7km,,,but after my 5km,,,mileage improved to 9-10km/....maybe it's just on my driving...been going as far bicol....and baguio and tagaytay....i just noticed that the more i drive the tribute...the better mileage as per gas consumption i get...i believe my observance doesn't apply with others....but that's my tribute...hehehehe...GV is really a head turner...you go and test drive the two...then it will be your choice that matter...good luck

[niky]

As for the 18"s, the increase in consumption depends upon the design and weight of the wheels. If the wheels aren't chrome or too solid, it's a minimal thing.

[Hudahelru]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Speaking of clubs, is there a local Tribby club? Judging from the local auto forums, we are a minority and we sure need all the support we can get from a community––online or otherwise. Ano sa tingin mo sir sherwintommy?

*niky: won't get the bling rims for my Tribby, aluminum alloy lang, so this shouldn't be a major problem for fuel consumption, I suppose.

Attached: this is the Tribby I fell in love with at Mazda Greenhills. I'm thinking of getting the same wheel design (also considering another one). What do you guys think? This is a new design, so wala masyadong kapareho.

[nestordreamin']

Ganda!

[sherwintommy]

[QUOTE=Hudahelru]Thanks for the feedback, guys. Speaking of clubs, is there a local Tribby club? Judging from the local auto forums, we are a minority and we sure need all the support we can get from a community––online or otherwise. Ano sa tingin mo sir sherwintommy?

it's a good thing you brought up that topic,,,i have been waiting for someone to start up a Tribby club....i wonder if the Tribute is included in the Protege' club?...any idea/ suggestions from other Tribby owners?.....ganda ng rims ha...minority nga tayo...but i believe with the positive feedbacks from other owners....it won't take long Tribute owners will grow...calling all Tribute owners out there....

[3ple4]

We've had our 2.3L Tribute for a year now. All I can say is, it's a freaking GAS GUZZLER!!! The reason is mahina yung hatak niya, so we tend to step on the gas pedal more. City driving with traffic plus yung mabigat na paa ng driver namin, I say its around 4.5-5 km/liter. When I drove it Tagaytay, it was around 7.5 km/liter and to Baguio, around 9.8 km/liter.

Do you think there's something wrong with our unit? I swear, ang hina ng hatak.

Plus, when I drove to Baguio (took the Marcos highway route para hindi steep), hirap din umakyat. There were only a few bags at the back and 3 passengers. Naunahan pa kami ng ibang koste. Siguro ang mga na-overtake ko lang ay yung mga 10-wheeler trucks

[niky]

How heavy is your driver's foot? What cars have you driven before this? CUVs don't have the immediate response of a sedan. If you try to drive them like a car, you'll get horrible fuel economy... if you drive conservatively, you can get 7+ km/l city and 11+ highway. My uncle hates his CRV's consumption, but he drives it like a V8. My cousin gets much better economy thru 'sane' driving.

[oldblue]

We've had our 2.3L Tribute for a year now. All I can say is, it's a freaking GAS GUZZLER!!! The reason is mahina yung hatak niya, so we tend to step on the gas pedal more. City driving with traffic plus yung mabigat na paa ng driver namin, I say its around 4.5-5 km/liter. When I drove it Tagaytay, it was around 7.5 km/liter and to Baguio, around 9.8 km/liter.

Do you think there's something wrong with our unit? I swear, ang hina ng hatak.

Plus, when I drove to Baguio (took the Marcos highway route para hindi steep), hirap din umakyat. There were only a few bags at the back and 3 passengers. Naunahan pa kami ng ibang koste. Siguro ang mga na-overtake ko lang ay yung mga 10-wheeler trucks

really? tsk tsk ganyan ba ang Tribute? 4x2 or 4x4 i'm not really familiar with Tribute but I am very much interested with it. regarding sa Baguio, our 2.0 '99 crv sobra lakas ang hatak sa Baguio. I suppose dapat mas powerful ito since 2.3L sya.

[3ple4]

Nevermind our driver, wala ng pag-asa yun. Feeling Formula 1 driver tsaka kaskasero... loves to accelerte & brake. He's hopeless in fuel economy driving.

But when I drive it, kapag "normal tapak", para hirap mag-accelerate kasi siguro mabigat yung Tribute?! That's why I have to step on the gas more. When I drive our 2.0L CRV, it accelerates like a sedan, walang problema kasi kayang-kaya sa "normal tapak".

The 2.3L is a 4x2 and sad to say, sobrang lambot ng kahat. Once nabangga ko yung kotse ng friend ko (Mazda 323), yung kanya walang dent... yung Tribute naka-dent sa rear bumper pero pinukpok lang ng friend ko using his hand para bumalik sa dating porma.

[IMm29]

our 3.0L v6 is a guzzler. if you don't ease up on the gas pedal, you're in for about 5 Km/L or worse. and that's Explorer/Expedition territory! other than that, i think the car is solid. i personally like it much better than the Escape, even if they're mechanically the same car.

about the climbing observation, it seems the 3.0L v6 is low on torque. was driving an Escape along some California freeways and it did seem to need more weight on the gas pedal to get up to speed.

[3ple4]

about the climbing observation, it seems the 3.0L v6 is low on torque. was driving an Escape along some California freeways and it did seem to need more weight on the gas pedal to get up to speed.

That's very true for our 2.3L Tribute, even if on city driving, low torque talaga. Kinabahan nga ako climbing up to Baguio... akala ko hindi na ako aabot