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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Stopping the engine
The ignition switch should be turned off only when the vehicle is stopped and the engine is idling. Do not stop the engine when the vehicle is moving. This will cause loss of power to the ...

Power windows
To avoid serious personal injury caused by entrapment, always conform to the following instructions without exception. • When operating the power windows, be extremely careful to prevent anyone’s ...

Driver’s SRS frontal airbag
The driver’s SRS frontal airbag uses a dual stage inflator. The inflator operates in different ways depending on the severity of impact. Have the system inspected by your SUBARU dealer immediately if ...