2009 Subaru Tribeca review

Not since the Pontiac Aztek has an SUV been so heavily criticized for its appearance as was Subaru's B9 Tribeca when it debuted. For 2008, Subaru has replaced the controversial grille that became the crossover SUV's defining characteristic, tweaked its overall appearance and increased the size and power of its horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. Subaru has also dropped the B9 portion of the model's name.

The updates make the Tribeca a better SUV than it was before. However, significant ergonomic and visibility problems and an only-adequate new engine mean that even though the styling blunder has been corrected, the Tribeca still has some catching up to do in the midsize-crossover segment.

See also:

Center console box (front)
If you remove the divider plate from the dual cup holders, you can use the center console box as a storage space. To use as storage space: Pull out the divider plate of the dual cup holder. T ...

Driving tips
• On a road surface where there is a risk of wheelspin (for example, a snow- or gravel-covered road), you can pull away from a standstill (safely and easily) by first selecting the 2nd gear of the man ...

Volume control buttons
Models without Hands-free system Models with Hands-free system Press the “+” button to increase the volume. Press the “−” button to reduce the volume. A number indicating the volume will be s ...