When Subaru introduced its first three-row people-mover two years ago, it figured it had a winner on its hands. The market thought otherwise. The interior was cramped compared to those of many competitors, the engine suffered from a torque deficit, and, more than anything else, the exterior styling was odd, a modern-day Edsel. So sales were poor.

For 2008, Subaru has sought to address a couple of these shortcomings with a revised exterior and enlarged engine. Does the Tribeca now deserve to be on shopping lists? I took a seven-seater for a test drive to find out.

Name and Styling

I don't often comment on names. But two years ago I wondered what the "B9" was doing in "B9 Tribeca." Where were B's one through eight? As with the Nissan Pathfinder Armada, I figured the name had one word too many. Well, for 2008 the "B9" is gone. The largest Subaru is now simply the "Tribeca," as it ought to have been from the start.

The old nose had a three-part grille meant to suggest the cross-section of an airplane--apparently Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries has aircraft manufacturer in its heritage. Whatever the reason, the grille simply looked odd. (Though with the mesh grille option offered for 2007 it started to grow on me personally.)

At one point Saab was to get a modified Tribeca. But then Saab parent General Motors and Subaru went their separate ways. Rumor has it that the Tribeca's entirely new nose was originally destined for that Saab. In a similar vein, the rear side windows have been enlarged and given a squarer outline.

Well, I cannot say I'm a fan of the changes. The Tribeca has gone from ugly but interesting to ugly and boring. The result suggests what a Chrysler minivan from a decade ago might have looked like if the proportions had been all messed up, with too much nose and too little wheelbase.

The interior remains much the same. Which isn't a bad thing, because I've always found the dramatically flowing curves of the instrument panel attractive. The materials seem lower in quality than I recall, the plastic more obviously the hard sort, but still acceptable.

Accommodations

The view forward is dominated by the large, heavily raked windshield. I'm rarely a fan of such windshields, especially not when they result in small windows at the bases of the A-pillars, as they do here. Visibility is impaired by the pillars, especially in turns, and a heavily raked windshield makes me feel less of a connection with the vehicle. Similar A-pillar windows once graced many minivans. But they went away. There was a reason for that--they're useless. Okay, not quite totally useless. That Subaru fitted these tiny windows with their own defroster vents made me chuckle. And I always appreciate a good chuckle.

Even with the enlarged rear side windows, the view rearward is even worse. Huge front seat headrests mean you can't see a thing with a glance over your shoulder, especially not to the left. You'll just have to trust the mirrors. Be sure to adjust them well.

The front seats are comfortable, with proper support for this type of vehicle. Lumbar support is manually adjustable in both seats. Both seats also include power adjustments, but only the driver's seat adjusts for height and tilt.

Moving to the second row, the seats manually recline and are very comfortable. I like the three-section three-person bench configuration as I need to be able to hold my three kids on a trip to CostCo.

The reat seat adjusts eight inches fore and aft. Much of this travel is of limited use, as there is only a minimum amount of knee room for the average adult when the seats are about five inches back. In the seven-passenger Tribeca the seats hit a safety stop at this point, as going any further rearward eliminates third row legroom (with possibly painful consequences). Only beyond this point will taller than average adults have enough room. Only with the seat nearly all the way back was I able to stretch out my legs enough to fully enjoy the comfort of the seats. Further forward I had to sit partially knees up.

Barely enough room in the second row would be okay if the third row wasn't very tight with the second row at the safety detent. To fit anyone larger than small children back there it's probably best to slide both the first- and second-row seats forward. This is where a height adjustment for the front passenger would be handy, as it would enable that person to get by with less rearward travel.

Like the third row seats in most midsize SUVs, that in the Tribeca is very low to the floor and thinly padded. Adding insult to injury, the second row doesn't slide forward very far for entry and exit. Gotta squeeeeeze in. One bright spot: there is plenty of room for feet beneath the second row.

In terms of passenger space the Tribeca isn't a match for any competitor except for last year's Toyota Highlander--which for 2008 has been replaced by a roomier new design. I suppose I'm being too hard on the Subie, but cannot ignore how much more useful it would be with just a couple more inches of total legroom.

With the third row up there is enough space behind it for an upright suitcase or two, or at least a trip to the grocery store. Folding all of the seats opens up about as much cargo volume as you'll find in a midsized wagon. One problem: a gap remains between the second and third rows when they are folded if the former is positioned at the safety stop. To keep small items from disappearing beneath the seat it's necessary to slide each part all the way back. So fully converting the Tribeca to cargo use isn't as convenient as in many competitors.

On the Road

For 2008, Subaru has enlarged the Tribeca's flat six from 3.0 to 3.6 liters. Peak horsepower is up just a bit, from 245 at 6,600 rpm to 256 at 6,000. But midrange power, as indicated by the torque peak and lower rpm horsepower peak, has received a substantial boost, from 215 at 4,200 rpm to 247 at 4,400. Even though the only available transmission remains a five-speed automatic, acceleration is now effortless in typical suburban driving. The engine no longer seems to struggle when called upon for moderately brisk acceleration, as it does not have to rev as high to get the job done.

Aided by 255mm-wide tires, handling remains among the best for a people mover. Lean is moderate in turns, and grip is all one could ask for in such a vehicle. The steering is nicely weighted, but as before it could stand to feel less numb. When called upon to tackle some challenging roads, the Tribeca will rise to the challenge. But in normal driving it feels just a bit less boring than your typical minivan A bit less understeer when you initially head into a turn would help. No doubt the engineer's dialed this in for safety, but with standard all-wheel-drive and stability control, we've just about got safety overkill in the chassis department.

The downside of the chassis tuning is more impact harshness than you'll find in most competitors, with loud clomping over even minor pavement imperfections. With this major exception, noise levels are low.

Subaru Tribeca Price Comparisons and Pricing

Before running the numbers, I figured that the Tribeca would at least have price on its side. But the much roomier, more stylish Mazda CX-9 with AWD and power driver's seat lists for about $100 less. And even after adjusting for the Subaru's higher level of steandard equipment, its advantage is only $700. Invoice to invoice, the difference is a scant $270.

It's price similarly falls within $1,000 of a comparably equipped new Toyota Highlander Sport. The margins on Toyotas are so wide that, after giving the Subaru a $500 credit for extra features, the Tribeca ends up nearly $700 less sticker to sticker, but the Toyota is nearly $800 less invoice to invoice.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Subaru Tribeca:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Tribeca.php

Last Words

In the end, I still cannot warm to the Subaru Tribeca, even though what I every much could use personally is a fun-to-drive seven-seater. The problem is, in trying to fill both people-mover and driving machine roles, the Tribeca has fallen between two stools. Even with the stouter six, I don't find the Tribeca much fun to drive. About as fun as anything in this segment, sure, but that's not saying much. And if I'm going to sacrifice driving enjoyment, I'd better get a highly functional, roomy interior in the bargain. Or at least some exciting styling, as with the Nissan Murano. You still get neither the functional interior nor the attractive styling with the Tribeca.

In the end, those seeking a fun-to-drive seven-seater will probably be happier in the Mazda CX-9. It's at least as fun to drive as the Tribeca, with considerably more space inside.

If Subaru wasn't to succeed in this segment, the Tribeca needs to be more entertaining to drive or to have a more functional interior. A completely redone exterior also wouldn't hurt.

A Note on Subaru Tribeca Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Tribeca rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Subaru Tribeca reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the Tribeca--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Buick Enclave review
Ford Edge review
Mazda CX-9 review
Nissan Murano review




Amount Paid (US$): 31,700
Model and Options: 7-passenger