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:
Showing 21 through 30 of 225.00-
Tribeca - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By Andrea - October 23 - 5:23 pmPlease test drive on the freeway before you purchase if a lot of road noise or wind noise is bothersome to you. You have to turn up the radio loudly and speak loudly if you drive more than 50 mph because of wind and road noise. Also dont count on this car to get out of the way of a speeding truck coming towards you. NAV system not that reliable. Dont bother paying extra for it. Drives more like a truck than expected. A big truck. Gas mileage is so so for a truck.
-
Horrible 3.0 motor - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By Jr - September 2 - 5:36 amThe 3.0 in this vehicle is horrible. Its a pig to put it bluntly. Im getting rid of this vehicle with 7,500 miles. Im sick of it and its lack of power.
-
best car i ever owened - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By jcp6 - June 24 - 5:06 pmnever had a issue with this vehicle. as long you keep up with regular oil changes etc... good family vehicle extra seats come in handy. handles really well especially in snow.
-
Tribeca Wins with Fun Ride - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By CWhyte - May 3 - 12:30 pmAugust 2005: We compared and test drove new Subaru B9 Tribeca, Highlander LDT, Honda Pilot, Acura MDX, Nissan Murano, Infinity FX3,and used Lexus RX300. Final Round was between MDX & Tribeca. Tribeca won for us. Heres why: Better handling, especially in sudden high speed manuvers. Slight lean never gets worse than slight. Quick, accurate steering and shifting response. 255/55/18 Tires w/ 18" wheels contribute. Fun to Drive: Std auto trans adds "sport" mode AND " Manual mode". Zoom. (But Murono shiftless trans is cool!) Ground clearance: 8.4" allows a some off road adventure confidence. Features & doo-dads: All the rest being about equal or better than the competitors.
-
A little slow, a little ugly, but safe - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By Dmitry - January 13 - 9:23 amI suppose I could talk about how slow the car feels, the so-so ride quality, the hard seats, and the subpar audio system (although it does read MP3 discs); but thats been said. Id like to talk about how this car saved my life. While driving in the winter in Minnesota, doing about 55 mph, the road suddenly changed from plowed to about 9 inches of snow. As the car begins to slide out of control, I give it full left but the steering is unresponsive, as are the brakes. As Im about to hit a parked car doing 55, I remember than in an AWD vehicle you must gently apply gas to recover. Voila. AWD saved me from what would have been a horrendous accident. Slow? Who cares.
-
Stylish 7-seater - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By zoomer - December 19 - 6:56 pmPurchased new in 05. Reliability has been good, none of the issues reported by others. Performance is fine for an SUV. Third row comes in handy now and then for our small children and others. Werent many 7 seat options back then (not MDX, Highlander, etc.) and we didnt want the mega SUV or minivan. Overall, happy with the experience.
-
A complete Ride? - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By dsmyers - July 17 - 2:50 amThis ride met all criteria when we purchased. At least we thought so. It was advertised and listed on the sticker to get 18 city 23 MPG highway. The highest we have seen is 16.9 MPG. Bums me out that I didnt verify this before we purchased. We have to set aside some extra $$ in budget for gas. Also, we cant be the only ones. There is something very different with the low beams. It displays a broken line in front of you. The Subaru factory said thats the way it is. Subaru dealer said we were not first the TB9 owners to make this claim. It is a flaw I tell you. Subaru (everyday is a winding road). A dark winding road can be dangerous one. During the day it is a very sturdy, safe ride.
-
Great Car--Major Collision-Were Alive - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By JOHN - December 25 - 1:53 amA great car for the money.
-
3 years now PROBLEMS - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By michelle3971 - December 22 - 1:55 amI brought this car 3 years ago its a 2007 its 7 years old the check engine light came on so i called the dealership and took it right over and the told me that the right front axel had a crack and that the mass air flow sensor was bad and the K N G filter i had in my car had trapped oil and it damaged the sensor so long story short we paid $1253 to have the work done and 2 days later again the same thing and now they claim that the sensor may be bad so i drop it off and today they said the engine is running lean and they have to figure out why but when the claimed to have fixed it the y never mentioned the engine running lean smh talk about ripping off customers . navigation system went to
-
Liking it more than I thought I would - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
By rc - October 27 - 5:03 pmWe tested everything on the market, from the RAV4 all the way up to the XC90, and chose the 7 passenger Ltd Tribeca, feeling it offered more for the money. We are new to the Subaru brand and enjoying the experience so far. After a bad start, on purchase day, the car we originally leased broke down, but the dealership quickly replaced it. After 4 months of use, this car has really grown on me. Useless third row for anyone over 4 feet, but the fit, finish, ride and comfort are excellent. It fits two adults, two car seats and everything we need to pack easily without feeling overly large. The handling is sharp and the all wheel drive and traction control systems are great
