Arriving late to a party is fashionable. Arriving late to a party that is winding down could be embarrassing, socially and politically. Arriving late to a party that is winding down without emphatic apologies and a lovely gift for the host ensures that you won't be invited ever again.
Subaru is arriving to the luxury crossover party late, without anything special to distinguish itself, and wearing a garish bowtie. Nevertheless, the company hopes that the
, a seven-seat SUV that is designed to compete against segment stalwarts like the
, will convince consumers to part with significant chunks of their disposable income.
Exterior Calling the B9 Tribeca a "progressive SUV" that "fuses luxury and performance," Subaru believes its new baby will take Subaru upscale in the minds of American consumers. The Subaru B9 Tribeca possesses a bold face displaying the company's aeronautical heritage, with grille and air inlets are purposely designed to evoke the fuselage and wings of an airplane.
From the headlights back, the
new Subaru B9 Tribeca is a terrific looking SUV, with strong character and a European flair. It looks more like something that a French or Italian automaker might dream up, which should work to its advantage in a world of look-alike vehicles.
Interior Design flair is evident inside the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca, too. The funky two-tone dashboard flows like a wave between the door panels, split by fake aluminum trim and with controls arrayed in a pleasing, symmetrical fashion. Front seat occupants feel enveloped by the B9 Tribeca, and rear seat passengers can expand legroom by eight inches thanks to a 40/20/40 split-fold rear bench seat that can slide fore and aft to maximize space for people or cargo. A third-row seat is optional, giving the B9 Tribeca seven-passenger capacity.
Safety equipment includes standard side-impact and side-curtain airbags, as well as a tire pressure monitoring system. Further contributing to safety is a standard Vehicle Dynamics Control stability system that works in tandem with Subaru's symmetrical AWD system to ensure that the B9 Tribeca remains in control. Other standard features include a power moonroof, heated front seats and side mirrors, and electroluminescent gauges. A touch-screen navigation system, a 160-watt stereo, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system are optional.
PowertrainA 3.0-liter, horizontally opposed "boxer" six-cylinder engine generates motive force for the 4,245-pound, 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca, whipping up 250 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 219 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm. A five-speed automatic transmission with a SportShift manual gear selection mode delivers power to all four wheels, all of the time, through Subaru's excellent symmetrical AWD and Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) systems. With VTD, this AWD system, unlike many on the market, can automatically distribute power to individual wheels for the greatest traction, stability, and control. Maximum towing capacity is rated at 3,500 pounds.
Riding on 18-inch aluminum wheels wearing 255/55 Goodyear Eagle LS2 tires, the Subaru B9 Tribeca is supported by coil-spring struts in front and double-wishbone suspension in back for an optimum balance of ride and handling. Ground clearance measures 8.4 inches.
Wrap-upSubarus are known to be durable, fun-to-drive, high-quality vehicles. But the company wants its products to be viewed as premium, upscale conveyances as well. The problem with the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca is not its love-it-or-hate-it design, though that ginormous schnoz is certain to limit sales. Rather, the Subaru B9 Tribeca is neither groundbreaking nor progressive in any way other than its boxer engine and symmetrical AWD system, technologies found on every other Subaru. Making matters worse, the B9 Tribeca's interior trim reflects penny-pinching, something luxury buyers dislike. Fake aluminum and leatherette steering wheel materials won't win buyers in the $30,000-plus club.
Traditional Subaru buyers are accustomed to unusual styling and have already been sold on the merits of boxer engines and all-wheel-drive systems. They will love the B9 Tribeca. People intending to buy loaded mainstream SUVs or base-model luxury
crossovers need a more obvious value equation to try something new and different, especially when the badge of the back won't impress friends and neighbors.
In it's quest to expand market share and move upscale, Subaru appears at first glance to have an uphill battle on its hands with the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca.
Photos courtesy of Subaru of America
