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2008 Mazda Tribute Safety Review

July 6, 2008

SAFETY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Safety equipment has been upgraded for 2008
Automotive.com

The brightest news...is in the safety arena
Car and Driver

impressive list of standard safety features
Edmunds

TheCarConnection.com's research reveals that the Mazda 2008 Tribute does an admirable job in keeping its occupants safe.

Solid safety features and accident avoidance equipment earn the 2008 Mazda Tribute high marks from reviewers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which gave five stars to the 2008 Mazda Tribute in most areas. The exception is driver frontal impact, which received only a three-star rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives this year's Mazda Tribute ratings of "good" in all areas except for pelvis injuries: "measures taken from the dummy indicate that a fracture of the pelvis would be possible in a crash of this severity," but they add that "the risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low."

As for the tire pressure monitoring system and traction control, Car and Driver reports that these are standard equipment features across all trims of the Mazda Tribute. Edmunds and other sources also report ABS brakes as standard equipment.

Cars.com discloses even more details regarding this Mazda 2008 model's airbag system. According to this source, sensors control the amount of force with which the airbags are deployed according to factors such as the weight of the passenger and (in the case of the driver) how far back they are sitting. Side airbags deploy from the seats rather than the door; in addition, side curtain airbags are standard.

MyRide.com praises overall visibility, "thanks in part to large side mirrors." When backing up, drivers are assisted by a sonar system that sounds off in case of an unseen obstacle.

Conclusion

The 2008 Mazda Tribute gets mostly good crash-test ratings, though the passenger scores are a concern.

SAFETY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Safety equipment has been upgraded for 2008Automotive.comThe brightest news...is in the safety arenaCar and Driverimpressive list of standard safety featuresEdmunds TheCarConnection.com's research reveals that the Mazda 2008 Tribute does an admirable job in keeping its occupants safe. Solid safety features and accident avoidance equipment earn the 2008 Mazda Tribute high marks from reviewers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which gave five stars to the 2008 Mazda Tribute in most areas. The exception is driver frontal impact, which received only a three-star rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives this year's Mazda Tribute ratings of "good" in all areas except for pelvis injuries: "measures taken from the dummy indicate that a fracture of the pelvis would be possible in a crash of this severity," but they add that "the risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low." As for the tire pressure monitoring system and traction control, Car and Driver reports that these are standard equipment features across all trims of the Mazda Tribute. Edmunds and other sources also report ABS brakes as standard equipment. Cars.com discloses even more details regarding this Mazda 2008 model's airbag system. According to this source, sensors control the amount of force with which the airbags are deployed according to factors such as the weight of the passenger and (in the case of the driver) how far back they are sitting. Side airbags deploy from the seats rather than the door; in addition, side curtain airbags are standard. MyRide.com praises overall visibility, "thanks in part to large side mirrors." When backing up, drivers are assisted by a sonar system that sounds off in case of an unseen obstacle. ConclusionThe 2008 Mazda Tribute gets mostly good crash-test ratings, though the passenger scores are a concern.  2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE STYLING | [7 out of 10] Car and Driver: "significant restyling for 2008" Edmunds: "looks like the shipping container the Mazda CX-7 came in" Kelley Blue Book: "effectively mixes rugged with refined" The 2008 Mazda Tribute gets a revamped look for the new model ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Ford Escape is a near-twin to the Tribute, and it wears an even larger grille. The Nissan Rogue is a new entry among compact crossovers, and it's recommended for good handling, though its cargo area is small and its transmission unusual. The Tribute's main competition may in fact be Mazda's own CX-7 crossover, a slightly larger, far more carlike vehicle with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and much better road manners and styling.

Next Steps:

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See the Mazda Tribute in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

Comments (1 total)

  1. By Razvan #1, Posted: 7/7/2008

    Mr

    still looks bland...the cx 7 is so much better looking

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