Overview & Reviews

The Subaru B9 Tribeca was the first midsize SUV from a company that traditionally just made smaller station wagons with elevated ground clearance. Bigger and taller than other Subarus, the B9 was meant to be a viable alternative to established Japanese crossover competitors as well as other more upscale sport-utilities.

Named for New York City's fashionable and affluent TriBeCa neighborhood (the B9 was tacked on seemingly just for fun), it also became Subaru's first U.S. vehicle to feature a new design expression consisting of a stylized triangular grille and rounded bodywork apparently inspired by aircraft. It wasn't well-received, however, which was made all the worse because it was underpowered and not as spacious inside as other three-row SUVs.

In an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to turn the ship around, Subaru adopted more conservative styling for 2008 and ditched "B9" in the process. The rechristened Subaru Tribeca is covered in a separate review.

Most Recent Subaru B9 Tribeca
The Subaru B9 Tribeca was sold for 2006 and 2007, before it dropped the B9 from its name. Attached to its standard all-wheel-drive system and five-speed automatic was a 3.0-liter horizontally opposed (boxer) six-cylinder engine that produced 245 horsepower and 215 pound-feet. This modest output didn't do the relatively heavy B9 any favors, bringing it from zero to 60 mph in a pokey 9.6 seconds.

The B9 came in five- or seven-passenger configurations with either base or Limited trims. The base car included 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, power front seats (eight-way driver, four-way passenger), a tilt-only steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player. An auxiliary audio jack was added for 2007. With its seven-passenger configuration, the base B9 Tribeca gained heated front seats and rear climate controls. The Limited got you leather upholstery and an upgraded sound system with a six-CD changer. Options on the Limited included a navigation system, a rearview camera and a rear seat entertainment system.

The Subaru B9 Tribeca's cabin had a distinct look with a waterfall center stack painted silver. It looked cool, but with its awkwardly arranged buttons, it was definitely a case of form over function. The cabin's abundance of hard plastic was also a turn-off, although we liked the central screen that displayed the climate control and audio information.

Many have found the B9 Tribeca's driving position awkward, which was largely a result of the non-telescoping steering wheel. Legroom was sparse for third-row passengers, and even those in the second row might feel a little cramped -- a rear-facing infant seat barely fits. Fortunately, cargo room with the seats folded was a bit more generous, with up to 74 cubic feet available.

In general, we found the Subaru B9 Tribeca to have too many flaws to be recommended as a used SUV purchase. Power was improved with the subsequent Subaru Tribeca, but it, too, remains an also-ran as more impressive crossovers have arrived on the scene.

User Reviews:

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  B9 Tribeca w/ Nav - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By wxman475 - March 8 - 4:30 pm

  Its certainly the one of a kind SUV - powerful, solid, luxury & fun to drive. Looking for a premium quality SUV for some time, I was initially interested in ACURA RDX and test drove that many times. RDX, besides pricey, turned out to be too small compared to Tribeca, especially the tight back seat and small cargo area; its also way too noisy when speeding up from low speed. Tribeca, on the other hand, feels more solid when turning & smoother speeding up. Some people complained about the gas mileage. Im getting 21.5 to 23.9 mi/gal combined local and highway in the DC area. For an SUV this size with AWD, Im happy. Sport shift is certainly helpful to gain speedy pass when needed-easy to use.

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  Fun "Car" to Drive - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By DDillman - March 2 - 6:33 pm

  We have driven 6000 miles to date in the last 5 months. This is a very fun "car" to drive. My wife is 51" and loves it. We looked at ALL of the other options out there. Until this we could not look at Subaru due to the fact we use the 6+ passenger seating often. I still dont know how my 10 year old fits in the 3rd seat. She says its very comfortable. As long as the family is happy so am I! What a fun car to drive, very sporty. I am looking forward to ski season to see how this vehicle does in the snow!

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  Very Classy Car - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Trace & Mike Francis - February 25 - 7:30 am

  My husband and I were originally looking to purchase the Murano, and as I was conducting research, I came across the Tribeca. After going to the dealer and seeing it in person, we had to have it. We absolutely love this car. We have the Atlantic Blue with grey interior. Its like a cross between the BMW X3, Infiniti, the Lexus and the Murano. A lot of features to have fun with including the rear DVD, and it drives like a dream. We havent had the chance to test out the sports/manual transmission drive yet, but maybe when we go on vacation, well be able to test it. Several people have already stopped to ask us what the car is, and we have gotten many curious looks when driving this car.

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  Best SUV Ever - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Joe Lopez - January 31 - 3:53 pm

  I love my Tribeca. its great that its not everywhere. People say "wow thats so beautiful, what is it?" I love it. First Subaru. Forever Subaru.

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  owner - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Jim - January 23 - 11:26 pm

  Rated as being one of the safest vehicles on the road. All wheel drive is beneficial in snow and wet conditions also. Speed and performance is good for this type of vehicle. Mileage is low - we get approx. 21 miles per gallon since owning the vehicle. Wife is driving vehicle. Im not too pleased with the appearance of vehicle, but is handy with hatch and seats that go completely down. Very reliable and no issues whatsoever with the vehicle. GPS system is a great option if you travel frequently. We use it quite frequently. Kids enjoy seeing movies and makes the longer trips bearable for us also. We simply run to the library and have them pick out a few cds to watch.

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  Sure thing - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Bill - January 11 - 1:06 pm

  I have been buying Subarus for years and find this one the cream of the crop. Handing is a bit soft, but the comfort, the small turning radius, the "interesting" styling, and the power to spare all combine to make it a first rate buy, even at a top Subaru price.

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  The most unknown SUV & is the Best - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By asraghu - January 5 - 11:03 am

  Driving experience is top class, the handling is so different from Murano & RAV4 that I almost decided not to take a serious look at this unknown candidate in my list. I saw a great value in the AWD system after reviewing all available documentation around on Subarus AWD vs, Audis AWD,; finally I decided that this is a very special SUV under the hood. The interiors were better than Murano and to some extent RX330. There are few problems with this SUV like the power lock switch does not light up, parking brake has issues etc. but just ignore all these for what you get under the hood & the handling. Once the engine warms up its almost silent there after. Acceleration is moderate/average.

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  So far lovin it - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Ann Marie - October 26 - 3:23 pm

  This is my first SUV purchase. After driving my husbands Ford Explorer around I knew I had to finally get rid of my old 99 Honda Accord. The Subaru Tribeca looks very modern and that is one of the reasons why I really like it. Inside the dash is amazing - simply beautiful. It is quite easy to drive and park (and I am not the best parallel parker). I love the solid feeling the Tribeca gives me. I feel very safe driving it.

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  Best Of The Bunch - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Subienewbie - October 26 - 1:10 am

  This is my first Subaru. I did my homework before making up my mind and choosing the Tribeca. My decision to buy a Tribeca may not seem surprising until you realize that the last 4 cars I have owned were a 1999 Jaguar XK8, a 2000 BMW 540si, a 2001 BMW M5 and a 2002 Infiniti Q45. I mention this so you understand that I know what quality automobiles are. I am not saying that a Tribeca is the equal of those cars but in comparing it to the likes of BMW X5, Lexus 330, Volvo, MDX etc, there are none that come close to the Tribeca and all cost thousands of dollars more.

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  Drove it and I was sold - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By junochoe - October 21 - 1:43 am

  I have owned the Tribeca for about three weeks and I am continuously amazed. When we first test drove it, I noticed how smooth this SUVs boxer engine revs and how much willingness it has on acceleration. I also did some crazy turns in a parking lot and I noticed minimum body roll and solid grip during acceleration from the Tribecas AWD. Recently, I took my Tribeca on slick and wet winding roads at about 45 mph, and the Tribeca kept its composure. At no time did I feel excessive body roll or loss of traction. This is one fun car to drive! The exterior is a bit funky, but Ive learned to love it. Also, the interior is pretty space-age but very comfortable.