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It doesn’t matter how great a vehicle is if buyers don’t like the way it looks. We think that could have been a factor in the slow sales for the Subaru B9 Tribeca, because in only its third year Subaru gave the crossover SUV a substantial makeover.
We like the makeover. Gone is the odd (or distinctive depending on your viewpoint) Alfa Romeo-like grille treatment and the triangular headlight covers. The new nose is much more generic, but much more appealing. Subarus have always had unique styling, but sometimes it’s better to blend in.
Walkaround: The facelift was very successful. You could slap any nameplate on the Tribeca and most people would believe it. That may be a compromise, but now buyers can focus on the unique and positive under-the-skin attributes of the Tribeca. Even dropping the B9 prefix was a good idea.
Interior: Interior space and comfort start out fine and shrink as you move rearward. Front row room is ample; second row space is adequate to tight (depending on how far back the front seats are and where the second row seats are on their 8-inch sliding tracks), and the third row is for small children or adults who enjoy having their knees in their face.
The various combinations of folding seats make cargo capacity relatively spacious and flexible. When the third row seats are up there isn’t room for much more than a couple bags of groceries.
Under The Hood: Engine displacement has been increased from 3.0-liters to 3.6-liters, which boosted horsepower from 245 to 256 and increased torque from 219 lb-ft to 247 lb-ft. The torque improvement is impressive. The flat six engine is based on the Subaru Legacy engine.
The 2008 Tribeca weighs about the same as the 2007 model, so performance is improved with the larger, more powerful engine. The new engine operates on regular fuel, not premium like its predecessor.
The transmission is a 5-speed automatic with manumatic shifting capability. Subaru calls its all-wheel-drive system Symmetrical AWD. They claim it’s more balanced, stable and efficient than other designs. We drove the Tribeca on a wide variety of paved, gravel and dirt roads. It performed seamlessly in all conditions.
Behind The Wheel: The Tribeca is a very nice, car-like highway cruiser. It’s as much like a large sedan as an SUV, which is a good thing. It’s enjoyable to drive, but not in the exciting, World Rally Cup way that many other Subarus are.
Whines: As a seven passenger crossover SUV it requires some pretty small people to make the full complement. With a total tab just shy of forty grand our Tribeca Limited seemed optimistically priced.
Bottom Line: The 2008 Subaru Tribeca Limited is substantially improved over previous models. It has many uniquely Subaru features in the largest available package.
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