Tribeca getting better

When Subaru introduced the B9 Tribeca in 2006, the automotive world took notice, and not in an overly good way. The B9 Tribeca was widely panned for its underpowered engine and aviator-inspired nose. I have owned two Subarus in recent years, a Baja and currently, an Outback. We moved to the Outback when we had our first child, as our Labrador Retriever and child seat both wouldn't fit in the back of the Baja. The Outback has served us well, but we are expecting a daughter, and are sure that we'll outgrow the Outback. With our Outback in the shop three days plus the weekend for 60K service and catalytic converter replacement, this posed an opportune time to try the 2008 Tribeca Limited 7-passenger with navigation and rear-seat DVD player as a loaner.
Description and Competitors
The Tribeca is a crossover, which I define as a car frame with a higher body on top. You get the driveability of a car (nearly) and a smooth ride with the added benefit of more interior space and an elevated seating position. The 7-passenger has three rows of seating (captain chairs in front, a 60/40 split bench in the middle, and a 50/50 split bench in the rear). Limited gets you leather seating as well as auto climate and a host of other comfort options at a cost of roughly $2400 MSRP over the 7-passenger model. The 7-passenger with navigation and rear-seat entertainment is Subaru's most expensive vehicle offered in the US at nearly $39,800 MSRP. Subaru made the Tribeca more competitive in this highly contested market segment by increasing the displacement in the engine thereby generating more torque and horsepower. This vehicle competes with the Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, Chrysler Pacifica, Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan Murano among others. I don't include the GM Lambda trio (Acadia/Outlook/Enclave) as they are quite a bit larger, although some might. One point to note is the Subaru offers all-wheel drive standard; most others this is an added cost option. The competition in this market keeps getting better by the day, however.
Driving Impression
I had the opportunity to drive the Tribeca in mixed traffic over a period of days. I highly encourage anyone considering a new car to drive over an extended period to "live with" the car before purchasing. A long drive behind the wheel will bring out more positives or negatives than a 10-minute jaunt. One thing I am struck with on the Tribeca is the sense of weight. The car feels solid and this is evidenced by the very good safety scores (impact scores are highest rating 5-star and rollover is 4-star, the best you'll see in a crossover). I daily drive a Hyundai Santa Fe, and the 5700 lbs of the Tribeca swallows up the 16 horsepower advantage the Tribeca has over the Santa Fe. Gas mileage also takes a hit against the Santa Fe. I noticed the Tribeca felt more sluggish and less nimble than the Santa Fe in casual driving. When pushed, however, the Tribeca pulls well. Subaru has added small triangular windows at either end of the dash--for what, I can't tell, as you can't see either window from the driving position due to the depth of the A-pillar. I found the seating position generally comfortable, but the shape of the headrest was intrusive. Most of the press reviews like the design of the dash. I found that the curve of the center stack reflected daylight and made the buttons on the far side of the radio unreadable in certain daylight conditions. The navigation screen also was unreadable in certain light conditions. This model has the rear back up camera, which projects on the nav screen when in reverse; I wouldn't consider a Tribeca without this feature as rear visibility is compromised due to the high belt line at the rear of the vehicle. Initially, I was let down at the lack of rear-seat leg room, but later discovered (as I was returning the car) that the rear seats have fore-aft travel of approximately 4 inches. The car is very comfortable to drive--quiet, smooth and roomy.
Final Impression
With the initial offering of the B9 Tribeca, I wouldn't have considered purchasing the vehicle due to the requirement of high-octane gas and the lethargy of the engine. Subaru has remedied this problem with the engineering of the 3.6L engine in the 2008. The exterior styling on the 2008 is a bit tamer and, in my mind, the front bears resemblance to Chrysler products. I wasn't turned off by the old styling. However, I'm not sure given the competitiveness of the CUV market segment that the Tribeca is a standout. I would put the Tribeca on your short list if you value safety with a little bit of edginess in your styling. Definitely look at the Tribeca if all-wheel drive is on your list of must-haves.