Subaru B9 Tribeca 3.0 (A)

Subaru makes it debut in the SUV segment with the Tribeca.

What's New
For a company that is so committed to the all-wheel drive cause, it's surprising that it has only just launched its first Sports Utility Vehicle when nearly every other carmaker has had an SUV for the better part of a decade.

Perhaps it has something to do with being "fashionably late" since the Tribeca is named after one of New York City's trendiest districts.

The Subaru B9 Tribeca, as it is officially called, also makes a bold statement by eschewing the conventional boxy silhouette and rugged styling that characterises the typical SUV. Instead, it's face consists of a triptych of grilles that apparently combine to resemble the front view of an aircraft, as an homage to it maker's roots in aviation engineering.

How it Performs
There's plenty of techno-cred to be found in the Subaru if its owner should ever need to engage in a round of one-upmanship at his local.

For starters, the Tribeca is only available in 3.0-litre guise, powered by a six-cylinder 'boxer' engine. The only other car company that employs a similar cylinder layout is Porsche so in that respect, the Subaru's in good company. An output of 245bhp might sound like a fair bit of grunt for most cars, but in the Tribeca's case, it doesn't quite feel enough if you're in a real hurry. Part of the reason for its lethargy could be down to the late delivery of torque, which doesn't get out of bed for less than 4,200rpm. For a car with a 6,600rpm rev limit, that pretty late.

The upside to this is that the Tribeca makes for an easy drive if you're of a relaxed disposition. When trundling through traffic or cruising the expressways, the 3,000cc unit can barely be heard and all aboard can carry out a conversation without having to shout at each other.

Like almost every other Subaru, the Tribeca comes with all-wheel drive. However, its system is optimised for safe handling on tarmac rather than a rally stage.

Still, the Tribeca has a useful ground clearance of just over 20cm which not only lets you jump a kerb, more practically, it makes for a commanding view over most of the traffic ahead.

How it Stacks Up
The Tribeca also scores another 'first' for Subaru by being its first passenger car to come with seven seats. However, even by Subaru's own admission, the Tribeca should realistically be considered a five-plus two rather than a true seven-seater. If the third row of seats aren't needed, they'll fold into the floor and a 1,065-litre luggage bay is yours.

Up front, the Tribeca's dashboard is one of Subaru's best efforts to date and makes you feel like you're on a science fiction movie set. More importantly for Subaru however, is that the Tribeca is refined and luxurious enough to qualify it as the Japanese carmaker's flagship model.

It needs to as well, if Subaru wants to justify the Tribeca's $135,500 price tag that places it somewhere between the Nissan Murano and Lexus RX 350, both positioned as luxury SUVs.

In that company, the Tribeca looks a compelling proposition.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Subaru B9 Tribeca 3.0 (A) ENGINE Engine: 3,000cc 24V flat-six Max Power: 245bhp at 6,600rpm Max Torque: 2979Nm at 4,200rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed automatic TOP SPEED 195km/h 0-100km/h 9.7s