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.

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Changing the coolant
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap until the engine has been shut off and has cooled down completely. Since the coolant is under pressure, you may suffer serious burns from a spray ...

Engine Changes
Complete redesigns tend to bring the most dramatic changes, from the styling to the mechanics. A few things have changed in the WRX drivetrain, but I fear it's not enough. The 2008 model seems exa ...

D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving. The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable gear from 1st to 4th according to the vehicle speed and the acceleration you require. When more acceleratio ...