4Car (UK) - Driving Impression: Subaru Tribeca

[NYCshopper]

4Car (UK) - Driving Impression: Subaru Tribeca

The uncharitable will call it gauche and ugly, the kind will call it striking and characteristic. Whatever you think, there's no denying that the Subaru Tribeca will divide aesthetic opinion. It photographs badly, and it looks uncomfortably gawky in the solitary confinement of a starkly lit showroom. But gliding up, over and down these humpbacked San Francisco streets, the Tribeca looks imposing. Not handsome, granted, but just sitting on the right side of distinctive. And anyway, you will have plenty of time to recalibrate your aesthetic barometer to see if it looks as good in Swindon as it does in San Fran - the big Scooby crossover doesn't arrives here until the end of 2006.

The Tribeca, named after a trendy residential area of New York City, is more than Subaru's first foray into the premium sports utility market. It also signposts a radical change of design direction for the Japanese carmaker. Under new creative director and ex-Alfa design Andreas Zapatinas, Subaru is forging ahead with a family look that centres on that solitary central nostril of a grille that is, according to Zapatinas, inspired by the company's aeronautical heritage. So we'd better get used to it then - the next-generation Impreza is bound to wear a similar, if less pronounced face, as will the facelifted Legacy and Outback. And the Tribeca will not, we are promised, be reskinned to create a Saab like the Impreza was. Thank goodness.

Beneath that high-shouldered chunky carapace, the seven-seater Tribeca is a traditional Subaru. It sits on a Legacy platform that's been stretched 80mm between the axles to swallow the Tribeca's third row of seats. Rear accommodation is further boosted by ditching the Legacy's bulky rear suspension set-up in favour of a new double wishbone layout - it's a more compact and lower arrangement that increases boot and rear passenger space.

And there's plenty of room aboard. Subaru actually shies away from calling the Tribeca a full seven-seater - it prefers the 5+2 description where the two rearmost seats are more occasional than permanent. Although carriage of seven adults is probably best kept to short trips, as a six-seater with three rows of two seats, the Tribeca excels. There's decent room for legs, heads, hips and elbows in all rows. That said, getting into and out of the last row of seats calls for some flexibility. Versatility is further improved by the ability of the second row of seats to slide back and forth by 200mm (around 8 inches) to improve leg or luggage room, depending on the driver's demands. And when not needed, the two rear seats flip and fold forward to create a high-lipped but large and flat-floored load bay.

The cabin architecture is as bold as that of the exterior. The dash sweeps around driver and front passenger in a cosseting double arch and the deeply cowled backlit instruments and major controls are intelligently laid out. It also seems to be very well screwed together and all the plastics to hand are soft, and slush-moulded with soft textures. Subaru, it seems, has finally responded to the criticisms levelled at its robust but flair-free interiors. Pity the steering wheel is adjustable for rake only.

Equipment levels are high too - expect all UK-bound models to come with digital climate control, a top-drawer stereo system, at least half a dozen airbags, the usual extensive array of electronic safety and stability aids, Xenon headlamps, heated leather seats and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. Oh, and ten cupholders and four power sockets too - I counted them all.

Beneath that lightweight bonnet sits Subaru's free-revving H6 flat-six engine driving an asymmetrical all-wheel drivetrain through a five-speed automatic gearbox. The 2999cc 24v boxer delivers 250bhp at 6600rpm and 219lb ft of torque at a highish 4200rpm. That's enough muscle to haul the big 1925kg Tribeca to 60mph in 8.5 seconds and on to 125mph. The Tribeca is, as you'd expect, a neat and grippy handler. Think of punting about a slightly bigger Legacy and you'll get the idea - fine body control, a superbly damped and supple ride despite those standard-fit 18-inch wheels, and relaxed but direct, feelsome steering. It's also pretty decent off-road too - easily capable of dealing with muddy tracks and icy roads.

The engine is satiny smooth and virtually vibration free, but it needs to be kept between its 4200rpm torque peak and 7000rpm redline for the hefty Tribeca to make decent headway - not too difficult when the engine feels like it will rev forever. A pity then that this free-breathing effervescence is hamstrung by the sluggish autobox that never feels anything but reluctant when asked to drop a gear or two. Fuel economy will also be an issue for many drivers. Even driven sedately, the Tribeca will struggle to touch the high twenties. Expect a realistic daily figure around 23mpg and no more. And company car drivers will hardly be excited by the high 280g/km CO2 rating. With no more than 300miles between refills of its 14-gallon fuel tank, you'll need deep pockets to run the Tribeca. But then think of all those lovely loyalty points you'll accumulate...

So, another Subaru that Subaru fans will absolutely adore and others with find intriguing, but not interesting enough to buy. Their loss. They miss out on a distinctive, versatile, go-anywhere, dynamic and well-equipped family car that comes with an excellent reliability record. There will be three models arriving here next year, with a price range of £30-35,000. The base model will be a five-seater, the mid-range a standard-spec seven-seater, followed by a loaded seven-seater flagship. The Tribeca will rub its wide shoulders with off-roaders such as the BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Mercedes M-Class and Land Rover Discovery. That's a talented bunch of adversaries, but given the Tribeca's key strengths - individuality, versatility and driver engagement - Subaru shouldn't have too much difficulty meeting its sales goal of shifting a thousand Tribecas a year.

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[bull3964]

Subaru actually shies away from calling the Tribeca a full seven-seater - it prefers the 5+2 description where the two rearmost seats are more occasional than permanent.

Interesting that the are billing it as a full blown 7 seater in the US.

What in the hell does this mean?

Although carriage of seven adults is probably best kept to short trips, as a six-seater with three rows of two seats, the Tribeca excels.

I didn't think 2+2+2 was a possible seating configuration? Or are they just talking about leaving the center seat in the 2nd row empty?

[phoenix96]

Equipment levels are high too - expect all UK-bound models to come with digital climate control, a top-drawer stereo system, at least half a dozen airbags, the usual extensive array of electronic safety and stability aids, Xenon headlamps, heated leather seats and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. Oh, and ten cupholders and four power sockets too - I counted them all.

So if this article is correct, the UK gets HIDs but we don't?

[Mike Wevrick]

Originally Posted by bull3964

Or are they just talking about leaving the center seat in the 2nd row empty?

Yes, I think that's what they mean. The center seat is not really shaped like a proper seat anyway (like many cars)

Interesting comment about no SAAB version; maybe the poor 9-2x sales killed the idea.

Every review has noted the lack of power unless you rev the heck out of the engine. Come on, Subaru, bring on a stronger engine!

[Subie Roo]

Bet Subaru's not gonna be happy if they read this part...

Beneath that lightweight bonnet sits Subaru's free-revving H6 flat-six engine driving an asymmetrical all-wheel drivetrain through a five-speed automatic gearbox.

All that work into marketing their symmetrical AWD and some copy editor goes and puts that in there.

I also thought the bit about Saab was interesting, since it was forecasted that the Indiana plant was going to begin production of a Saab vehicle next year.

[bull3964]

Originally Posted by Subie Roo

Bet Subaru's not gonna be happy if they read this part...

All that work into marketing their symmetrical AWD and some copy editor goes and puts that in there.

Hehe, I can so see how this happened too.

Original writer probably meant "a symmetrical" and missed the spacebar and made "asymmetrical".

It was later proofread and someone said "oh, a word was missing here" and inserted an.