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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  More car for your buck - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By SK - January 2 - 3:03 am

  I have been a B9 owner for 4 months now and I must say, the more I drive it, the more I love it. I have happened to drive it in a blizzard, therefore, I can say the AWD system is the best I have seen (the second best is Audi). Extremely smooth braking, and you dont feel thrown forward when sudden braking is necessary. Adequate performance, however, more torque for quicker acceleration would be nicer. The interior design is gorgeous, and I catch gas attendants checking it out and giving compliments all the time.

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  Oh, my Tribeca! - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Donna - November 11 - 7:50 am

  I bought this SUV used and I was kind of wary about buying used, but this SUV makes all that worry go away. I love that I can warm myself with the heated seats. That my kids have tons of space in the back. My husband loves driving it and changing from automatic to manual. Great family vehicle. Excellent trunk space. Not to mention you dont see them much here in Long Beach, California since I bought it Ive only seen 3 on the road.

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  Tribeca - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By busher - November 11 - 12:50 am

  Only have a few thousand miles on it but its everything its built up to be.

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  Solid performer - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By FuzzyJohn - October 27 - 11:36 pm

  I live on a dirt road and the B9 Tribeca handles washboarding like a champ, feeling little vibration in the body or steering. On paved roads, the ride is smooth and gives minimal feeling of sway at moderate speeds. The look takes getting used to but it grows on you quickly. I enjoy the fact the controls and readouts are simple and easy to use. The seats are comfortable and I dont feel cramped with the amount of room in the front seat area. The rear leg room leaves something to be desired but the seats are deep and can be adjusted to give adequate room for knees. Overall, I believe it is equal to most luxury cars and a big improvement on every SUV and off-road vehicle I have driven.

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  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By New Subie Lover - September 1 - 2:16 pm

  Excellent vehicle. Never had a Subaru before, will always consider one now. Fit and finish are excellent, very tight turning radius, AWD is awesome in rain, can really feel a difference. Navigation is a pleasure to use. Only drawback is when on the highway and ascending up a hill, the transmission cant make up its mind where it wants to be, but is easily remedied with a downshift on the sportshifter...take this for a ride before you buy a Murano, you wont be disappointed. Hope this helps you.

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  Love the Tribeca - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Nancy Jo - July 18 - 6:50 am

  I am thrilled with my Tribeca. The interior and exterior are well designed. It doesnt look like every other SUV on the road. It handles well and has good power.

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  Good value and performance - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Gary Gleason - July 16 - 6:36 am

  First SUV (if you can call it that) I have owned; love the NAV system. The salesman showed us the dealership owners demo first that did not have the NAV system. What a mistake, we almost didnt buy one but went back and took a Limited for a test drive. So far combined mileage about 60% in town and 40% at 70+ mph is 19.8 and at 65 mph the NAV system says we are getting 24 miles per gallon, which is not bad for this size of car.

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  Love this Vehicle - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Lisa Mullen - June 21 - 12:33 pm

  I purchased my Tribeca three weeks ago after driving a Suburban for the past 8 years and I love it! It is very comfortable and easy to get in and out of. It has plenty of power for the mountain roads. I especially love the DVD Player for our kids. The trip to our cabin this past weekend was the quietest trip we have ever had. Since purchasing my Tribeca I have had four people stop me and ask what it was and just the other day found a doctor peaking into the windows while I had it parked in the parking lot. He liked it so much I ended up opening the doors to let him take a look at it.

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  Love the Tribeca - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Ali - June 20 - 11:40 pm

  I have had my Tribeca for almost a month and LOVE the car. I traded out of a Lexus RX330 and have not compromised at all. I have every available option you would need and the car drives like a dream. It is heavier than the Lexus but that is due to AWD that is standard on Subarus. I would definitely recommend this car!

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  Subaru Rocks - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Paul Browne - June 12 - 7:06 pm

  I have owned this car for about four months now. This is my second Subaru. Its a great car, handles as good or better than many sports cars I have owned, is fairly quiet on the road, and yes, it can get good gas mileage (you have to drive gently). Commuting to and from work I get 20 to 22 mpg, with mostly highway driving. At high speed on the Interstates (75+) I get 19-21 mpg. The manual shift feature I use a lot when Im driving in the mountains (NM), it saves the transmission from countless up and down shifts. The other vehicle I considered buying was a Cadillac SRX 7 pass. One test drive told me the B9 Tribeca was the best buy.