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.

• Ride & Handling
• Going & Stopping
• The Inside
• Safety
• Cargo & Towing
• Tribeca in the Market