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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  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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  We like it a lot - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By drjochen - June 21 - 3:03 pm

  We have has the car for 2 months now and we like it a lot. It is very solid and doesnt drive as bad as your standard SUV/minivan. It drives more like a passenger car. It also roomy inside without having the monster size of some SUVs.

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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.

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  Underrated - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By rilbo - May 28 - 1:40 am

  B9 Tribeca is not getting the fair review as it should properly be compared to other foreign cars. The exterior and interior designs are fairly comparable to the luxury brands of Toyota, Honda and Nissan. You take a look at the safety features of the car you will be surprise its even better than those big 3 imports. I am enjoying my B9 Tribeca in terms of its luxury appointment and the price that I have paid. Try test driving one and compare it.

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  Great comfortable ride. - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Frank - April 29 - 12:16 pm

  Had this for a couple of months now. Been up the mountain a couple of times, in three big snow storms and still on the icy roads every day. It all handle very well. Gas mileage in the city is not that great, but you cant complain about a 25mpg average from a ski trip, can you? For more power, you definitely need to know the clutchless gear shift option. Its easy and fun too. What more can I say?

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  Tribeca - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By RJBLUM - April 18 - 5:10 am

  My first Subaru and a great looking, fun to drive car. Lots of features and perfect for a smaller type of SUV. Gas mileage is so-so, comfort and roominess is great. Sound system in this model is excellent. All in all a very nice vehicle.

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  Nothing but a great ride - 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By Roy McGrew - April 9 - 4:10 pm

  Our Tribeca just turned over 12,000 happy miles. Its truly a great car. Over the last 2,000 miles we have averaged 20.4 mpg. The state-of-the-art aluminum boxer engine is powerful and very smooth. It makes good horsepower, but being only 3.0 L, the torque is rather low for hauling a 4100-lb auto. This means it downshifts quite a bit under load. But hey, if you are on a road where it hunts, or you dont like where it shifts, you can hush up and shift it yourself. The "Sport shift mode" works great. Ride, handling, and braking are very good. We have the two-seat model and there is loads of room in the second seat. Styling is also a plus - it doesnt have the truck look.

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  Test drove 17 SUVs and bought the B9 - 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca
  By RWP - April 4 - 8:20 pm

  This vehicle was purchased for my wife. She wanted an SUV that wasnt too big, wasnt too small, wasnt the same as everyone else, and had lots of features. We test drove everything (17 in total) from $25K to over $70K. We liked the Porsche Cayenne S, but didnt feel like spending that much. We also liked the Lexus RX350, but everyone has one. The Subaru B9 Tribeca was the last one we tested and we only tried it because the Porsche and Audi dealer also sold Subaru. We liked it so much, and the dealer gave us a very good deal on a just off the truck 2007 model, that we bought it that day. We have taken it on two long road trips and love it.