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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  Love the B9 - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By B9er - September 7 - 12:30 am

  Nearly 1000 miles on the Tribeca. Plenty of room for baby car seat and cargo. Everyone loves the interior styling, the Nav is great and easy to use. Everything is laid out intuitively. Comfortable to drive and decent fuel economy for an SUV, ~20- 21mpg mixed. Gas tank is on the small side, which requires more frequent stops at the gas station.

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  Great Vehicle - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Randy M. - September 3 - 6:13 pm

  Had narrowed our choice to BMW X3 vs Subaru for safety reasons. Was looking at LL Bean Outback when my wife saw the Tribeca. Wow! The driving performance is slightly below the BMW; however, it surpasses it in the overall package. Subaru does a tremendous job of equipping the vehicle with so many standard options. Dealer experience was the best we have EVER had. I had no idea Subaru made vehicles like this. Very impressed with the build quality, performance and luxury of the vehicle.

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  I love this car! - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Krista - September 1 - 9:06 pm

  Ive had my new 07 Tribeca for a month now, and I absolutely love it. I shopped the Nissan Murano, and Lexus RX330, but ultimately had to go with the Tribeca. Its got a 3rd row (which fits adults comfortably, despite some reviews I read), which neither Nissan nor Lexus even offer. Plus I could get leather, dvd back-up camera and nav for thousands less than the Murano or RX330. This car is fun to drive, it has plenty of power. The only downside is the gas mileage has been awful, Im averaging 16 mpg, with a mix of highway and around town (with air on, its been hot!). Plus the tank only holds 16 gallons, so fill-ups are frequent. Overall, this car looks and feels very luxurious.

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  Tribecta Review - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Diana Dunn - August 4 - 1:33 pm

  I fell in love with looks of this SUV the minute I saw it. The car is real comfortable and looks great. I love the moon roof. It has the navigation system but I havent had time to really learn it yet. However, I bought it because I haul around 4 grandkids all the time as well as I am a realtor and I wanted room for passengers. However, it is a tight squeeze to put more than four people in this vehicle. Three is really more comfortable. The worst part of this car is the extremely poor gas mileage. I thought being it was a 6 cyl. that I would get much better gas mileage than the Lincoln Towncar I traded in to lease this.However I get only 15.6 miles per gal. Also you must use 91% oct.

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  Great CUV! - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Mtnbiker - July 26 - 12:06 am

  Good, safe vehicle for my wife. Full time AWD, stability control, heated everything...good winter vehicle. Comes with all the bells and whistles for a very reasonable price, maybe because they arent exactly flying off the lots. The mileage isnt too miserable either (20ish). Plus, we LIKE the look of the vehicle.

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  Wow...from Subaru? - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By FirstSubie - June 24 - 4:20 am

  This vehicle is truly a refreshing drive considering all the other SUVs I have owned. I think the thing that will blow you away is the interior. The fit and finish and design is on par with our Teutonic friends from Germany. It almost has a "cockpit" like feel from a fighter jet and the electroluminescent gauges are awesome. Also, get the "puddle" lights. They really finish the vehicle off nicely! The Boxer motor is amazingly smooth as is the tranny. Shifts are seamless and road/wind noise is non-existent. The driving experience is very pleasing. The Boxer motor provides a low center of gravity so you have sharp/precise handling, not "tippy". Sports car handling with SUV clearance!

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  Beautiful B9 Tribeca - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Robert Brand - May 21 - 9:36 am

  This vehicle is extremely pleasant to drive as it feels like you are in complete control at all times. It is the most sure-footed car I have ever had. So far most of the driving has been inside the city but the times outside on longer trips I found the navigation system to be very helpful. After driving Cadillacs it took a bit of getting used to a high revving (7000rpm redline) engine. To date absolutely no problems have showed up. I have the five passenger version.

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  Aceleration - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Bill Bates - April 18 - 3:36 pm

  The editors review indicated less than good acceleration for the B9 Tribeca and I must say I disagree strongly. My B9 has great acceleration entering and on the highway. It will jump out from under you if you require it. Super highway car.

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  Exciting and Fun New Vehicle - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Lisa Mulen - April 7 - 3:26 pm

  I just purchased my new Subaru and I absolutely love it. It is fun to drive and comes with great features. Great set up on the dash. This is my first Subaru and I was impressed with the dealership. For the past ten years I have had various Suburbans and I am very excited and pleased with this change.

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  Good vehicle but poor dealer service - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By sewel - April 7 - 4:42 am

  My Tribeca has been a great car but factory dealer service was terrible- On my way home from their shop the dashboard lit up like a xmas tree- with only 40k miles it needed some regular service. They reported to me that the electic wire harness was faulty-critters had chewed it and it need to be replaced at more than $1000- was told it was a common occurance on Tribecas???? This one is parked inside athome so wtf- Since that visit the car has had many new problems my advise is to keep away from the Subaru dealer in Plano, TX when times are hard some people go beyond to create more business