2010 Mazda Tribute

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Photos & Videos

Interior - What the Auto Press Says

The five-seat Tribute gets so-so reviews for its somewhat confusing interior design and only adequate cargo space.

• "The Tribute has seating for five, and there's about 99 cubic feet of passenger space, which is less than the RAV4 and CR-V but more than the Vue." -- Cars.com
• "The Tribute interior overcomes its ergonomic shortcomings with value, utility, sexy lighting, and an unexpectedly handy little pen holder." -- Car and Driver
• "The Tribute's revamped cabin is now even quieter and pairs contrasting light and dark interior trim panels on all models." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "Like the 2009 Tribute's exterior, the interior has little Mazda family resemblance apart from the badge on its steering wheel. For the most part, the Tribute's cabin is virtually identical to that of the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner. Unless you're a devout Mazda fan, this isn't really a bad thing, as the control layout and the build quality are generally impressive." -- Edmunds

Seating

The Tribute's five-passenger cabin is spacious and comfortable. A six-way power driver's seat is standard on all Touring models, as well as an adjustable driver's seat lumbar support. Leather-trimmed seats are standard on Grand Touring models. The rear seats are roomy, though a few reviewers find them rather uncomfortable.

• "The rest of the interior is reasonably spacious, particularly in the theater-style rear seat." -- Car and Driver
• "The front seats are well bolstered and comfortable. The rear seat, although roomy enough for adults, is flat and devoid of recline or fore-and-aft adjustments." -- Edmunds
• "Knee and foot space [in the rear] are ample, aided by a flat floor. Three adults will fit for short trips on the nicely shaped rear bench." -- Consumer Guide

Interior Features

The Tribute comes with plenty of interior features. Standard features include a tilt steering wheel, power windows and door locks, a remote keyless illuminated entry system, and an AM/FM/CD audio system with an auxiliary audio input jack. A downside for families with young children is that no rear entertainment system is available. If you need one, consider the Mazda CX-7 or Chevrolet Equinox or look into portable options.

• "The new dashboard brings with it a new ergonomic layout but, alas, few ergonomic improvements. Its dozens of black buttons and knobs were difficult to distinguish from one another, especially against the black trim surround pieces. And if you're wearing sunglasses, forget it." -- Car and Driver
• "Gauges are legible, stow-space generous and key controls well-placed and logically arrayed, but bright sun conditions tend to create annoying reflections on the glossy Piano Black accent bits and frequently overpower the already marginal clock-and-radio digital display readout. ... Even the entry-level Tribute Sport models offer an excellent set of features." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "All controls are simple to use once passengers become familiar with the location of all the buttons. Note that a navigation system is only available on the Hybrid Grand Touring." -- Consumer Guide

Cargo

The Tribute provides 29.2 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in use and 66.3 cubic feet with the seats folded down -- adequate enough, but not great for the class. By contrast, the Honda CR-V's boasts 35.7 cubic feet of space with all seats in use, while the Toyota RAV4 provides 36.4 cubic feet with its third row folded down.

On the plus side, the Tribute's separate-opening flip-up liftgate window is a useful feature. Other standard cargo features include a large center floor console with covered storage compartment, dual front and rear cupholders. An overhead console with dual storage bin comes with Touring and Grand Touring models.

• "However, making the most of its 66-cubic-foot capacity requires folding down the 60/40-split rear seatbacks, but only after removing three headrests and tumbling the lower cushions. Is it wrong for us to expect better these days?" -- Car and Driver
• "A low, level load deck and opening tailgate glass make for handy cargo loading and hauling. Rear seatbacks do fold flat, but require multiple, inconvenient steps to do so. Cabin small-item storage includes several bins, cubbies, and map pockets in all four doors." -- Consumer Guide