Overview & Reviews

The Tribeca, Subaru's first midsize sport-utility, is a relatively recent addition to the crossover SUV segment. Bigger and taller than the company's other utility vehicles, it's meant to be a viable alternative to established Japanese crossover competitors as well as other more upscale sport-utilities.

The Subaru Tribeca (originally known as the B9 Tribeca) succeeds in that regard. However, there's not much to push the Tribeca beyond that "alternative" status. Though premium in look and feel, the vehicle's interior is a little cramped when compared to some competitors. Earlier models also suffered from mediocre acceleration.

Overall, the Tribeca's faults are significant enough that we think most shoppers will be happier with other top crossover SUVs. Only if you're a dedicated Subaru fan looking for something out of the mainstream will it be worth adding to your consideration list.

Current Subaru Tribeca
The Subaru Tribeca is a midsize SUV based on a widened and stretched version of the platform Subaru uses for its previous-generation Legacy and Outback. There are three trim levels -- Premium, Limited and Touring -- and all seat up to seven passengers.

Convenience and safety features are pretty comprehensive on the Premium model, as 18-inch alloy wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control and power front seats are standard. Stepping up to the Limited gets you leather seating, heated front seats, front-seat memory presets, Bluetooth and a 10-speaker audio system with CD changer and satellite radio. The Touring's additional highlights include xenon headlights, a sunroof and a back-up camera. Big-ticket options like rear-seat entertainment and a navigation system with rear parking camera are optional.

The Subaru Tribeca is powered by a 3.6-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine producing 256 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. All models also come with Subaru's signature traction-boosting all-wheel drive that splits the power 45 front/55 rear under normal circumstances, and redistributes power on the fly as needed. A five-speed automatic transmission with a Sport and manual-shift mode is standard.

The Tribeca's cabin has a distinctly sleek and upscale look, but the dash is slathered in hard plastic, and some controls are awkwardly arranged. On the other hand, we like the central screen that displays climate control and audio information -- and this feature comes along for the ride whether you order the navigation system or not.

Legroom is 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 is a bit more generous, with up to 74 cubic feet available, though it lags behind some rivals.

Once under way, the current Subaru Tribeca feels reasonably quick and certainly better than earlier models. The engine can sound a little noisy and rough when it's working hard, however. On the other hand, the Tribeca's highway ride is smooth and the cabin remains quiet.

Used Subaru Tribeca Models
The Subaru Tribeca midsize SUV debuted for the 2006 model year, though it was originally known as the B9 Tribeca. The "B9" was dropped for 2008. Named for New York City's fashionable and affluent TriBeCa neighborhood, it became Subaru's first U.S. vehicle to feature a controversial (and short-lived) new design expression consisting of a stylized triangular grille and rounded bodywork.

This look was poorly received by the public, hence the current model's generic front-end treatment, which bowed for the '08 model year. The following year saw a Special Edition model joined the original base and Limited trims, though for 2010 it was gone when the Touring trim debuted and the formerly optional third-row seat became standard across the board.

Used-vehicle shoppers should note that prior to 2008, the Tribeca's six-cylinder engine was a little underpowered. Displacing 3.0 liters, it made 245 hp and 215 lb-ft of torque. Subaru Tribecas with this engine can feel considerably more sluggish when accelerating than 2008 and later models.

User Reviews:

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  Good car, bad mileage - 2009 Subaru Tribeca
  By rorypang - April 2 - 5:40 pm

  I bought this car, last year before the bad North east winter. I was really pleased with its snow weather handling, it left stuck 4runners, and trailbazers behind. The car is excellent with overall driving, however issues I have are; very bad mileage approx. 16 mpg, for city, small fuel tank, dated design, dated nav system, unrealistic third row, the radio steering controls are not practical, no bluetooth, no ipod controls. I am really thinking of trading it in for the X5 diesel, it gives 26 mpg.

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  Like It!! - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By Judy from Syosset - May 18 - 5:43 pm

  This is my first Subaru; my last lease was a Toyota Highlander. When I turned it in, the new ones were huge and very expensive. So far, Ive liked this car; its comfortable and has been reliable, except that Ive had some issues with the tires...one a nail picked up and another tire had a rim that was coming away..Very strange. The big downsides for me are: the gas mileage, no automatic hatch opener and its very hard for a short person to close the hatch. Overall, though, I would consider leasing another one, particularly if some of these flaws were corrected.

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  Sensor issues - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By future uncertain - May 1 - 10:00 am

  This car has had five sensor issues since I bought it one year ago. One was a Transmission issue and the others were oxygen or other sensors. The small gas tank on this car is a bit of a pain because you have to fill it often. Otherwise, the car has a good layout and a stylish look. It drives smooth and has good pick up. I want to like this SUV, but its obviously an inconvenience to have to keep going back to service to diagnose and replace sensors every other month. I was surprised at this - Subaru is usually known for reliability. Not sure whether I will hold on to this one or not.

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  1000 km Review - 2010 Subaru Tribeca
  By Michael S. - April 9 - 4:43 pm

  My family have been loyal Volvo owners for the last 12 years. Given Volvos current lack of a value proposition we decided to expand our horizons before purchasing a car this year. My checkpoints for our decision were a. needed to be real AWD; b. must accommodate 2 6 ft+ boys comfortably in the back seats; and c. it need to fit our budget. Point A eliminated a bunch of vehicles very quickly. Point B narrowed the list down even further. After looking at Mercedes, Audi, Volvo, VW, Toyota and Nissans offerings we went off to look at Subarus offerings on a friends recommendation. We took a 60 minute test drive of the car and came back thrilled with the drive, the space and the value.

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  Good Choice - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By Angela - March 12 - 2:00 am

  When the lease was up on our bmx x5, we chose the tribeca. The monthly bill was way less, a little over half of what we were paying for the BMW. All in all, weve been happy with this car. The small gas tank is a bit of a drag. The gas mileage isnt great. But from what I hear, it isnt terribly out of range for a comparable car. Would love a split rear hatch. The door is heavy and hard to pull down with one hand. Ive gotten stronger, though. Theres a bit of a leap when you first touch the gas pedal. Our lease is up in March, and I think well buy this car.

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  tribeca flat six - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By rdg - February 15 - 4:26 am

  I have been driving for 50 years and consider myself knowledgeable when it come to vehicles and this one is raising eyebrows where ever we go people ask me questions, the dash excites everyone also the engine when I explain flat six people say how come they have never heard about it, which is subarus poor advertising.Take my advice just go see for yourself

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  Why I bought the 2008 Tribeca - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By bgk - December 30 - 3:20 am

  After talking to persons who own a Subaru I knew they were onto something. I test drove a few friends who own them and could feel the solidness of the vehicle. Since I dont buy new cars every few years (previously drove a 97 Blazer) I wanted to make sure this was the car for me. It is. Reading the reports on Subarus reliability also moved me into purchasing it. Size wise, its perfect. Not too big or small. Driving the Tribeca one can feel the responsiveness of it. A good, linear feel, like you are on rails, plus great stopping power. Good road feel too. Not too soft or harsh. Like Goldilocks porridge, just right! Plus quick acceleration when stomped on.

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  A well made SUV that deserves attention - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By Handsome36 - November 10 - 11:50 am

  After much debate on Tribeca’s 3rd row comfort, I bought the 2008 Tribeca. It is smooth, wonderfully stable and deserves to be compared with lux utes. It costs $7-8k less than the Acura and 10k less than Volvo and BMW but more reliable than either. Very nice touches with ambient lighting, puddle lights (optional), etc. It has very smooth engine and its dynamic stability control really works (unlike the one I had in my minivan), most effective AWD system of many out these and absorbs bumps very well. Very little road noise too.

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  Another First Time Subaru owner - 2008 Subaru Tribeca
  By Impressed - November 8 - 10:26 am

  Like another reviewer, wifes car, was driving an STS.Did all the comparisons of driving and reading reviews plus watched a bunch of comparison videos. Nothing comes close to the performance,handling or safety. Compared to the B9 it is a much improved vehicle. If anyone is looking to buy an SUV because of weather considerations, this car will be one of the last to lose integrity.Great AWD and Traction control that really work.

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  Less than 13 mpg. instead of Subaru advertised 16mpg - 2012 Subaru Tribeca
  By careviews2 - October 19 - 12:09 pm

  We bought a 2011 and from the begining had back support problem, we decided since coulnt get our money back to get a 2012 (design is better) but now we are stuck with 7 years paying this gas eater.