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Introduction
Subaru Tribeca – 2008 Review: There’s a lot of power in it, a word that can refer to anything from a war to belly-button lint. And, as we discovered while driving the 2008 Tribeca, the subject can sometimes remain a mystery. Subaru’s current tagline reads: “It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.” Thing is, after hundreds of miles in Subie’s midsize crossover we couldn’t figure out what “it” was. “It” certainly wasn’t the WRX’s sporty nature, and “it” definitely wasn’t spacious seven-passenger seating. Our best guess? “It” is the brand’s homogenized exterior styling and, in the case of the Tribeca, a completely average driving demeanor.
What We Drove
Since our test vehicle was a pre-production model provided by Subaru, there was no window sticker to go by and, as is our policy, we steered away from evaluating this particular crossover’s build quality. To remedy the window sticker situation, we configured an exact replica on Subaru’s site. The base five-passenger Tribeca starts at just over $30,000 (including a $645 destination charge), but we figured our three-row/seven-passenger Limited model rang up at $39,053. That included a base price of $33,595, the $645 destination charge, a trailer tow package, fancy floor mats, and a touch-screen navigation system with a rear DVD player ($4,200).
Performance
Yes, the 2008 Tribeca has more power than the 2007 B9 Tribeca is replaces, yet the boost translates to nothing more than adequate. If the Tribeca had to align itself with a family member, it most likely would be a four-cylinder (non-turbo) Forester rather than a WRX STI. There’s enough gusto for comfortable cruising, and the automatic transmission is smooth in routine driving. However, we were not inspired enough to make two-lane passes, and the tranny’s sport mode provides altered shift points that are hardly discernable. On the plus side, we averaged 19.5 mpg using regular 87 octane petrol.
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