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Best tires for the Mazda Tribute

Top picks across four categories for the Mazda Tribute, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 235/70R16. Every recommendation is selected from our 22,000-tire catalog by ranking on UTQG treadwear, mileage warranty, cabin-noise rating, and season class; no commission-weighted reordering.

By Mark Bishop · Last verified 2026-10-07

Daily driver

Best all-season touring

Long warranty, low noise, balanced ride. The one-tire compromise that works for 80% of owners.

Lowest cost per mile

Best budget

Best price-per-warranty-mile in this size. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options, not safety.

Lowest cabin noise

Best quiet

Tread patterns engineered to break up the harmonic peaks that cause highway droning. Pick this if you commute long highway distances daily.

Side-by-side

Pick the trade-off that matches your driving

All-season
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Best budget
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
UTQG treadwear600800
Mileage warranty50,000 mi-
Cabin noise73 dB-
Season classall-season-
Typetruck-suv-

OEM tire sizes by year

What size does the mazda tribute use?

Recommendations on this page are anchored to the latest model-year's OEM size. Confirm yours against the driver-door placard before purchase.

YearOEM size
2000215/70R16Year-specific fitment →
2001–2011235/70R16Year-specific fitment →

How we ranked these tires for the mazda tribute

We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 235/70R16; and filtered our catalog of 22,000+ tires to those offered in that exact size. From there, four parallel rankings:

For sedans and compacts, the all-season touring tire below is the best default; long warranty, low cabin noise, reasonable cost per mile. Switch to the quiet pick if highway droning is a deal-breaker; switch to the winter pick if you see significant snow each year. Use the side-by-side comparison above to weigh the trade-offs against your specific driving; highway-heavy, winter-state, performance-oriented, or budget-constrained.

NHTSA-reported issues for mazda tribute

29
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Most reported: Tires (General) (19) · Tread / Belt (8) · Sidewall (2)

Reported across: 2001 – 2008 (7 years)

What owners described

Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 23% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 22 reports covering every model year of the Mazda Tribute that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.

Reported problemThis subjectAll tire complaintsRelative
Blowout or sudden deflation 23% 20% 1.1×
Sidewall failure 23% 15% 1.5×
Cracking or dry rot 9% 9% 1.0×
Tread or belt separation 5% 13% 0.3×
Loss of control, rollover or collision 5% 8% 0.5×

Mileage at failure

15 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 28,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 11,000 and 112,000 miles.

In owners' own words

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Mazda Tribute. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.

WHILE TRAVELING ON A CLEAN, SMOOTH HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH WITH ONE DRIVER AND UNLOADED, REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOW OUT IN MIDDLE OF SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS SHOWN TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER INITIALLY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TIRE, CLAIMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD, THAT TIRES DON'T JUST EXPLODE. THE DEALER ULTIMATELY REPLACED THE TIRE BUT DID NOT ADMIT TO ANY TIRE DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint 328971 · 2001 vehicle

I HAVE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT P235/70R16 104T M+S TIRES WHICH CAME WITH MY 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE SUV UPON PURCHASE IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. RECENTLY, WITH 30,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A CRACK RUNNING ALONG THE SIDE CIRCUMFERENCE OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE CRACK RUNS ON THE SIDE OF THE TREAD WHERE I BELIEVE THE TREAD IS BONDED TO THE TIRE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE P235 / 70R16 MODEL HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED UNDER YOUR CONSUMER ADVISORY OF 1 SEPTEMBER, 2002 OR IN ANY RECALL AND MAY BE A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE DIGITAL PHOTOS CLEARLY SHOWING THE CRACKING WHICH I HAVE SENT TO YOUR WEB MASTER EMAIL. I CAN RESEND THEM AT YOUR REQUEST. NLM

NHTSA complaint 374247 · 2001 vehicle

I JUST PURCHASED A NEW 2004 MAZDA MPV, VIN [XXX]. I NOTICE THE OWNER'S MANUAL SPECIFIES A TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE OF 240 KPA (35 PSI), BUT THE VEHICLE PLACARD STATES 240 KPA (32 PSI). SINCE THE CORRECT CONVERSION FROM 240 KPA TO PSI IS 35 PSI, IT APPEARS THE VEHICLE PLACARD IS INCORRECT. MOST USERS IN THE USA WILL USE THE PSI AMOUNT TO DETERMINE PROPER INFLATION PRESSURE. THEREFORE, THE INCORRECT PLACARD INFLATION PRESSURE OF 32 PSI WILL CAUSE UNDERINFLATION OF THE TIRE WHICH CAN LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE AND VEHICLE ACCIDENT.*AK UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JSS.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 456213 · 2004 vehicle

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC TIRES, SIZE P235/70R16. AND DOT# A30846JB3604. WHILE DRIVING 73 MPH THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TREAD SEPARATED, LOST AIR, AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISH TAIL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE HAD TO PURCHASE TWO NEW REAR TIRES BECAUSE HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS TREAD SEPARATION ON THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGES TO THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT, STEP GUARD WAS BENT, GLASS WAS CHIPPED IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, AND THE MOLDING IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELL WAS BROKEN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,500. UPDATED 08/18/08 *BF UPDATED 08/19/08

NHTSA complaint 680622 · 2005 vehicle

Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.

FAQ

What's the best all-season tire for the Mazda Tribute?
The all-season touring slate above ranks the top options for the 235/70R16 OEM size. The leader is selected by matching mazda-segment fitment, all-season compound class, and premium-brand quality bonus. For most Mazda Tribute owners, the all-season touring pick is the best one-tire compromise; long warranty, low noise, reasonable cost per mile.
Should I get a cheaper tire for my Mazda Tribute?
The budget slate above ranks tires by cost-per-warranty-mile, ignoring brand premium. The budget pick is genuinely competitive on durability metrics; the trade-off is shorter warranty and slightly higher cabin noise, not actual safety risk. If you drive less than 15,000 miles a year, the budget pick will outlast your replacement window regardless.
Does the Mazda Tribute need winter tires?
If you see more than 5 snow days a year or drive at sustained temperatures below 7 °C, yes; winter compounds stay pliable in cold where all-season rubber hardens, which translates directly to shorter braking distances. The winter pick above is 3PMSF severe-snow rated and works for the 235/70R16 OEM fitment. Storage cost is real (4 extra tires somewhere), but the safety margin in winter conditions is substantial.
Can I run a different tire size on my Mazda Tribute?
Plus-size and minus-size alternatives within ±3% overall diameter are typically safe per the ETRTO standard. See the 235/70R16 upsize options for the full categorised alternatives table with verdicts.
Where can I buy these tires?
Each tire links to its detail page with live pricing from our online retailer partners. Out-the-door cost (including mount, balance, TPMS service, and disposal) varies by state; use the install cost calculator for a realistic estimate.

Last verified 2026-10-07.