2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca Review

Specifications

Out on the Road

If youre just joining us, the first half of this road test review was featured yesterday, so therefore it might be best to go back and read it before starting in on this portion.

By the time I had experienced as much as I had with the Tribeca, I have to admit to being pretty curious as to how the vehicle drove, being that I had only been in it to install child safety seats and attempt to fix the DVD player. I met Jennifer over at her mothers later, and petitioned her to drive this one home and leave the new Volvo V7 T5 to be picked up later. As mentioned the drive takes more than an hour at legal speeds, and would be an ideal opportunity to get a feel for the new crossover and find out once and for all why Subaru feels it can make such bold claims about reinventing the segment.

First of all, after three attempts of trying to close the door to no avail, as my fingers kept slipping off of the interior grab handle, being that it doesnt offer any grip-able surface whatsoever (really, its even rounded in the opposite direction to any other door grip Ive ever tested), I reducing the effect of the manual lumbar support which didnt quite meet the small of my back and therefore was a bit uncomfortable (Jennifer admitted that the lumbar support was her initial reason for discomfort and found the seats much better after dialing out the extra support). After this I found the drivers seat to be fairly decent if not a bit on the firm side, causing me to sit on top of it more than in it, if you know what I mean. But there was adequate side bolstering that held me in place during cornering maneuvers just the same.

On another topic, Jennifer initially complained that she needed to lift her foot off of the floorboard to press the brake, which is probably the correct way to do it but somewhat uncomfortable in stop and go traffic. I like to rest my heel on the floor, and just tap the brake pedal when needed, and although my size eight sneaker was able to touch the brake pedal I can appreciate that those with smaller feet, i.e. most women, might not reach it without lifting the leg. Jennifer wears size 9 womens shoes, which are not small by any stretch of the imagination, and felt that she had to lift her foot off the floorboard in order to safely press the brake pedal, as only the tips of her toes reached. Most of the time I experienced no noticeable problem with this, but on occasion I suppose I was resting my heel slightly rearward and when I went for the brake it felt like my toe might slip off. Disconcertingly I had to bring my left foot up to the brake so that both were now on it, and then move my right foot upward so that I had more control. Being that the majority of Tribeca drivers will probably be women, and that most will have smaller feet than mine, I think that this is important to note. And the problem would so easily be solved with power adjustable foot pedals, like those found in the Pacifica.

What I love about this SUV is its steering wheel, which is wonderfully formed for ideal 9 oclock, 3 oclock hand positioning. Its made of high quality leather too, which felt good to the touch. Just the same, Jennifer complained about the lack of a switch to control the radio pre-sets, an omission that I was surprised not to see. The positive to this is an uncluttered steering wheel, but I prefer the Pacificas system once again, also shared with other Chrysler Group products as well as the Mitsubishi Endeavor, that positions multiple controls on the back of the steering wheel spokes for easy, intuitive manipulation.

The gauges behind the steering wheel are easy to read, if not a little too “Las Vegas neon light show” for my liking, especially the “pods” that extend on each side of the gauge cluster to show digital fuel and engine temperature readouts. They are big, bold and highly legible, mind you, and the controls on the centre stack are mostly easy to read and access.

Mostly? Well, the way Subaru has designed the centre stack, similar to the Toyota Highlander/Lexus RX 330 in styling, causes the controls on its right-most side to face the passenger and not the driver. Therefore, while its possible to see them without too much trouble, I found executing commands a bit awkward. I suppose I might get used to this, but I prefer a more driver-centric setup.

Yet I have to admit that the Tribeca is driver-centric from a driving dynamics point of view. It handles curves surprisingly well, considering its substantial 4,156 to 4,268 pound curb weight, my tester being a Limited and therefore paying the highest weight penalty. Nevertheless, it remained extremely flat to the road surface while tackling tight cloverleaves and managed transitional response maneuvers on a nice, winding piece of mountain road with minimal body roll.

This comes by sacrificing a bit in the ride comfort department, being that the Tribecas suspension is set up a little more rigidly than the majority in this segment. For me, this is no issue, but I imagine that some others wouldnt like it. Jennifer, for one, thought it was a bit on the harsh side and complained of a fore and aft bouncing affect, ironically not unlike traditional SUVs. I could feel what she meant, but it was hardly disconcerting to me. What I noticed was an impressive feeling of solidity as it moved down the road. Yes, the Tribeca gives off the presence of a premium SUV when behind the wheel.

What I was more interested in was planting my right foot on the throttle to enjoy some of that Porsche-like flat-six get-up-and-go. OK, its not quite Porsche-like unless comparing it to a six-cylinder Cayenne, but it feels racy if not a bit thrashy in the upper revs and not quite as smooth or quiet as a V8 or well-balanced V6 at idle. Subaru introduced the 3.0-liter, horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine in the Legacy and Outback models, and in Tribeca trim it makes 250-horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 219 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. I wouldnt say that it is particularly smooth if accelerating quickly, being that its high-revving nature makes finding maximum output a little peaky. And while it goes when called upon, its response is kind of an all or nothing affair. When merging onto a highway, for instance, Id either have to press the pedal to the floor to wake up the engine and move the SUV forward at a decent clip, or it would lethargically meander up the onramp in an uncommitted manner. Maybe the Subaru engineers dialed in a really soft throttle response to smooth out the shifts, but I think that this is taking it a bit too far. Id like something in the middle, so that the engine didnt have to rev so high to elicit reasonably quick forward momentum. I have to admit, though, the five-speed automatic transmission is quite seamless.

This is one area that the Tribeca has over its Pacifica rival, by the way, as the Chrysler only makes do with a rather outdated four-speed automatic - and I should also mention that the Tribecas leather-clad shift knob is superbly crafted, its precise clicking metal button making it feel more like a BMW than an entry-level luxury ride. Both transmissions offer manual mode operation, so that the gearbox wont shift up in mid-corner all on its own, but this is pretty well standard issue in any vehicle over the $30K mark. Under the $30,000 price point, Fords Freestyle offers a CVT transmission with no such feature, although this is an extremely efficient gearbox, making the most of the vehicles rather anemic powerplant and delivering better acceleration than both the Tribeca and Pacifica. The lightest version of the Tribeca, the five-passenger non-Limited model, can manage a reasonable 8.8 seconds to 60 mph and a top speed of 130 mph, not that any of us should be driving any faster than this on public roads. The Ford Freestyle accomplishes the same feat in 8.6 seconds, and from a 203-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 with 207 lb-ft of torque no less. The Pacifica accelerates at about the same rate as the Tribeca, if you were wondering.

And Id be remiss not to mention just how dominating the Freestyle is when it comes to interior packaging. The thing is gigantic inside, allowing comfortable seating for full-size adults at all positions, even the third row. This vehicle should get more credit than it does.

And thats when I have to get back to Subarus claim as a segment buster. Personally, I dont see that it offers much if any difference in comparison to the MDX, Freestyle, Pacifica, or for that matter Buicks Rendezvous. Granted, all of the above perform better than the GM crossover, but its ride is more comfortable than the Tribecas, and that has to be worth something on the pecking order.

For those who will be offended that Ive been a bit harsh on the Tribeca, picking apart its every fault; I reiterate that I only do this because the automakers advertising department has given me license to do so by comparing the new crossover to all that have come before, and stating boldly that it is better than all rivals. While it is very good, I cant say that its necessarily better than the segment leaders.

Will it deliver reliable service to those who buck up for the rather pricy $30,695 point of entry? I imagine it will, as Subaru is well above average in this regard, when comparing manufacturer to manufacturer in third party surveys such as those conducted by J. D. Power and Associates or Consumer Reports.

Then is it built better than the segment leaders when it comes to fit, finish or choice of materials. Id say yes to this too, for the most part. The Pacifica offers higher quality dash plastics, but the Tribeca delivers a finer grade of lower door plastic, so its a moot point. The Pacifica, in Limited trim, looks a lot classier too, but some will be wooed by the Tribecas spaceship inspired gadgetry. I also must say that leather is standard with the Pacifica, Freestyle, and some others when priced at more than $30,000, as are some other luxury features that are optional with the Tribeca. When fully loaded, Subarus SUV hits $39,758, plus a $625 freight and pre-delivery inspection charge for a total of $40,383. While a bit pricey, this isnt any more expensive than an equivalently equipped Pacifica and a heck of a lot less than the Volvo XC90, for instance.

I should also mention that the Tribeca allows a sizeable 8.4 inches of ground clearance for going off-road, something most of its competitors dont, and also for this purpose is equipped with the brands symmetrical all-wheel drive system.

If you happen to get lost in the woods, or in the even more challenging suburbs, the Tribecas navigation system is first rate. Its possible to split the screen in two, with a close up view for mapping out specific roads, and a birds eye of the overall area. The map is clear and easy to read, and controls at the very top of the center stack extremely easy to operate.

On an environmental note, fuel economy is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway, which is about average. The all-wheel drive Pacifica, for instance, is slightly less thrifty at 17 mpg in the city, albeit is a little less thirsty on the highway at 24 mpg. The MDX is not quite as efficient at 17 city and 23 highway, although the Freestyle with all-wheel drive is better than both at 20 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway.

The Tribeca features a full load of safety equipment too, including standard side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags, plus electronic brake force distribution enhanced antilock brakes. Subaru claims that the front-end structure disperses collision energy in three directions through a design that forms a series of “rings” around the passenger compartment, making it an extremely safe vehicle.

Subarus crossover also offers traction and electronic stability control standard, the latter a feature not even offered with the Pacifica. The Freestyle, mind you, includes this feature standard too, as does the sub-$20K Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage duo. In other words, expect this feature on any new sport utility or crossover vehicle, as well as the next-generation Pacifica.

In the end, am I a fan of Subarus B9 Tribeca or not? At first glance it wouldnt take any gifts of discernment to figure out my feelings. While a solid first effort, it isnt the be all and end all of crossover SUVs. Still, none in this segment hits every mark perfectly, which translated means that the Tribeca should work for most people, most of the time.

Still, styling aside it clearly isnt anything new in the crossover segment, despite the colourful TV ads saying different, and to that end there isnt much wrong with those already battling it out, therefore nothing new is not necessarily a bad thing.

How will it do? I think that its unorthodox styling will inure it to some and repel it from others, which I can only guess is exactly what Subaru was planning to do when it signed off on the styling buck. The interior should attract more than it offends, especially when quality is the determining factor, and with that in mind Subarus stellar reliability rating should give their new crossover the upper hand when comparing it to some rivals.

In the end, this is a wait and see vehicle. Only time will tell if Subarus conservative clientele will buy into the Tribecas space-age styling and sizeable dimensions, or for that matter whether the automaker will be able to lure enough buyers, like the women I met at the gas station, over from other brands, people that may have never previously considered a Subaru. At the very least Subaru is now in the game, and with that will gain a great deal more knowledge about what crossover SUV buyers want. If they havent quite hit the mark this time around, they certainly will with each update.

As for the brands ad agency? Big marks for creativity, but a low grade for offending the makers and owners of some very strong competitors. If the Tribeca was miles better than any crossover or SUV that had come before, such an ad might be excusable. But while its very good, Subarus new crossover is not necessarily better than the segment leaders. Still, youd be wise to check it out as the Tribeca just might be exactly what you need.