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Tribeca's a stretch; Subaru puts its spin on a 'progressive' SUV

published December 26, 2005

Published By
( 3 votes, average: 3.6 out of 5)
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The truck-based SUV is getting much competition from car-based utility vehicles that some makers dub as crossovers, multi-use, personal transport or sports activity vehicles.

And now Subaru is putting its spin on the concept with a new label - "progressive-type SUV" - for its B9 Tribeca.


This is Subaru's largest vehicle, based on a lengthened and strengthened Legacy-Outback platform. It comes in two models, with seats for five or seven with a third-row option. Like all Subarus, it comes with all-wheel drive.

Tribeca is named for that urban-chic New York City neighborhood. The B9 part is not for "benign," though it is, but for the Boxer six-cylinder engine and 9 for the model series.

It's sold in Standard and Limited models; pricing starts at $31,320. Add $1,700 for the seven seater.

The Limited with seven seats is $37,695 and adds leather-trimmed seats and a more powerful nine-speaker audio system.

The test vehicle, with options, was $39,336 - wow.

This vehicle is as interesting as its name, kind of weird, kind of progressive.

Subaru says the styling is "a new design language," but it was a screech to my ears. What the sheet metal is wrapped around, however, will not seem foreign to U.S. drivers.

Tribeca is a very complete package, but with two issues that kept me from loving it, even with the star-shuttle styling.

This is a comfortable, quiet-driving, family-type vehicle, loaded with luxury-class safety features. The suspension is a little soft when you get into cornering maneuvers, but what can you expect from a midsize SUV that weighs 4,225 pounds (and that's more than 200 pounds less than the Honda Pilot AWD).

No expense appeared to be spared in the construction and use of attractive and durable materials. There is much attention to detail, including a bounty of conveniences.

Standard equipment includes a power moonroof, windshield wiper deicer, heated front seats, remote locking, leather-trimmed seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, six-speaker, 100-watt audio system with single-disc CD and remote controls on steering wheel, 40/20/40 split/reclining rear seatbacks with fold-down armrest, 60/40 split/sliding rear seat bottoms with 8 inches of fore-aft adjustment.

There's also standard eight-way power driver's seat and four-way power passenger seat with manually adjustable lumbar, lighting at the shifter area and front and rear footwells and dual-zone automatic climate control system with air filtration.

The ride height is an easy step-in and gives good views ahead. Over-the-shoulder visibility is helped by the third-row corner window. The tailgate is light to lift and close.

As a five-seater, the second row has the nice limo feature: 8 inches of fore-aft seat travel and reclining seatbacks.

Safety features include dual-stage deployment front air bags, front seat side-impact air bags and curtain side air bags.

Those items and the Tribeca's Ring Frame Reinforced passenger compartment and high-strength steel in key areas helped earn it a five-star rating in the government's frontal and side-impact crash tests for the driver and passenger.

Electronic driving aids include Vehicle Dynamics Control (a stability system to prevent spinouts) and four-wheel traction control, paired with four-wheel, disc anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution.

And nobody will consider the 250-horsepower, 3.0-liter six-cylinder, with horizontally opposed cylinders, another anemic Subaru.

With the sharp acceleration and all-wheel drive, fuel mileage is 18 mpg city and 23 highway, using 91 octane. The 244-hp Honda Pilot AWD gets 17/22 on 87 octane.

The five-speed SportShift automatic gives well-paced shifts, but the driver-adaptive function can delay quick getaways if you've been dawdling in traffic. It takes a second for the computer to realize when you are serious in asking for a full-throttle double downshift.

A bigger issue for me is in the architecture of the forward cabin and trying to shoehorn a third row into almost any vehicle less than 190 inches long.

The Tribeca's stretched-out windshield pillars and expansive dashboard remind one of a minivan layout. And even the tallest drivers may have trouble seeing over that dashboard to the hood. That's a problem when trying to park.

And for those considering a seven-passenger SUV instead of a minivan, the third row has very constricted leg room, and almost none if the second row is moved back. It's kids-only space, but with cup holders, a Power Point and audio-video plug-in.

The access is not the best, either. You can move the second-row seatback forward and climb through, or fold the seat and step over it. The sliding seat track prevents a flip-and-fold seat system for easier third-row access.

Second and third rows fold flat, so the extra seats can be kept out of the way until needed. The variety of seat-up, seat-down cargo positions is handy and not difficult to execute.

Tribeca is a loyalty retention device for the brand. It's there in the hope of keeping owners who would like to move up in size from a Legacy or Outback. But is Tribeca's 1.1-inch stretch enough?

The duty cycle for this seven-seater might not last long enough to contain a growing family. Youngsters will soon outgrow the third row, and mom and dad may wish they had bought that Honda Odyssey minivan instead.

SPECS BOX
2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca Limited

Body style: seven-passenger, all-wheel drive SUV

Engine: Aluminum DOHC, 24-valve, 3.0 liter Boxer six cylinder with variable valve timing and variable valve lift

Horsepower: 250 at 6,600 rpm

Torque: 219 at 4,200 rpm

Transmission: five-speed sport shift automatic

Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph, 9.2 seconds (from Motor Trend)

EPA estimated fuel mileage: 18 mpg city, 23 highway

Fuel Economy: 16.9 gallons; 91 octane

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 108.2 inches

Length: 157.1 inches

Front head/leg/shoulder room: 38.9/42.3/58.1 inches

Middle head/leg/shoulder room: 38.2/34.3/57.5 inches

Rear head/leg/shoulder room: 38.2/30.9/51.3 inches

Curb weight: 4,225 pounds

Cargo capacity: 74.4 cubic feet (both rear seats folded), 37.6, third seat folded; 8.3 behind third seat.

FEATURES
Standard equipment: Power moonroof, touch-screen navigation system, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, windshield wiper deicer, heated front seats, remote locking, leather-trimmed seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, six-speaker 100-watt audio system with single-disc CD and remote controls on steering wheel, 40/20/40 split/reclining rear seatbacks with fold-down armrest, 60/40 split/sliding rear seat bottoms with 8 inches of fore-aft adjustment, eight-way power driver's seat and four-way power passenger seat with manually adjustable lumbar, lighting at the shifter area and front and rear footwells, dual-zone automatic climate control system with air filtration, rear air conditioning, heated power mirrors

Safety equipment includes: Dual-stage front air bags, front seat side-impact air bags and curtain side air bags, Vehicle Dynamics Control stability system, four-wheel traction control, front belt pretensioners and force limiters, tire pressure monitors

CHASSIS
Suspension: Four-wheel independent

Steering: Engine-speed sensitive, variable-assist rack and pinion; 37.4-foot turning circle

Brakes: Power-assisted four-wheel discs with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution and four-channel, four-sensor ABS

Tires and wheels: 255/55 18-inch M+S all-season and alloy wheels

PRICING
Base price: $37,695; price as tested, $39,336, including $625 destination charge

Options on test vehicle: Cargo area convenience kit (net, cover and tray), $161; Popular Equipment Group, $270, adds auto-dimming mirror, compass and security shock sensor

The competition: Chrysler Pacifica, Ford Freestyle or Explorer, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Volvo XC90

Where assembled: Lafayette, Ind.

PLUSES: Fairly stable handling; five-star safety rating; quality assembly and materials; second-row seat travel and recline; tailgate is light to lift and close.

MINUSES: Cramped third row; odd styling; driver-adaptive automatic transmission is slow to adapt to the driver



Mark Maynard is driving in cyberspace at mark.maynard@uniontrib.com.

© Copley News Service

published December 26, 2005

( 3 votes, average: 3.6 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.