Subaru Tribeca
Encyclopedia
The Subaru Tribeca is a mid-size crossover SUV sold since 2005 by Subaru
, the automobile manufacturing division
of Japan
ese transportation conglomerate
Fuji Heavy Industries
(FHI). Released in some markets as the Subaru B9 Tribeca, the name "Tribeca" derives from the TriBeCa
neighborhood of New York City
. Built on the Subaru Legacy
platform and sold in five- and seven-seat configurations, the Tribeca was originally intended to be sold alongside a slightly revised version known as the Saab 9-6. Saab
, at the time a subsidiary of General Motors
(GM), abandoned the 9-6 program just prior to its release—a decision forced by GM's disposal of its 20 percent stake in FHI in 2005.
Inspired by the B9X concept car, the Tribeca's original design was criticised at launch resulting in Subaru quickly releasing a heavily facelifted version in 2007, which dropped the "B9" tag in the markets where it was applied. The styling changes that resulted were originally intended to be the design of the abandoned Saab 9-6.
Although not sold in Japan, North American markets received the Tribeca in 2005 for the 2006 model year
, while it was introduced to Australasia in late 2006, with an introduction to Europe in 2007. In addition to these markets, the Tribeca is also available in Chile, Argentina, Peru, China, and parts of Southeast Asia.
and a rounded body shape. Subaru also used the grille styling on the Impreza
, and the Japanese market Subaru R1
and R2
kei car
products. As this styling motif proved controversial, all future Subaru redesigns abandoned this design language.
The grille design was not conceived by designer Andreas Zapatinas
, rather by Fuore Design, an independent design consulting firm based in Spain, hired by Subaru before Zapatinas involvement. Andreas Zapatinas and his team were responsible for the design of the interior, and the dashboard in particular. According to an Los Angeles Times
article, the grille design was "meant to convey parent-company Fuji Heavy Industries' glorious history in aviation".
The Tribeca was initially powered by the 3.0-liter EZ30 boxer engine paired with a five-speed automatic transmission
.
Saab
planned to have also retail a version of the Tribeca, to be called the "9-6", but such plans stopped with Toyota's acquisition of the 20 percent FHI stake held by Saab's parent company GM. The 9-6 would have been built alongside the Tribeca at Subaru's Lafayette, Indiana
factory in the United States. Saab revised their plans to replace the 9-7X
after a short two-year lifespan, and instead the Oldsmobile Bravada
-based body-on-frame SUV continued production until the 2009 model year.
The Tribeca was slightly reworked in 2006 for the 2007 model year. The updated model, debuting at the Chicago Auto Show
, included a revised grille, revised struts, stabilizer bars, and spring rates. Inside, XM Satellite Radio
and iPod
connectors were pre-wired, while a backup camera and parking assist system were optional for the navigation system. A "Special Edition" package included a mesh grille, XM radio, and unique wheels.
Subaru released the 2008 model year facelift at the New York International Auto Show
in April 2007. The revised Tribeca received a facelift, as well as a larger 3.6-liter EZ36 flat-six engine rated at 256 hp, and Subaru claimed 10 percent better fuel economy while using regular gasoline fuel (the 2006 and 2007 models use premium gasoline). At the same time, Subaru dropped the "B9" identifier from the model name in the markets that was applied in, harmonising the name internationally as the "Subaru Tribeca". The rear of the vehicle was also mildly redesigned—the tail lamps were more rounded, the "cutout" on the hatch above the bumper omitted, and the rearmost side window reshaped. Interior styling was unchanged, but the second row seats were redesigned for more room and easier access to the third row.
The facelift was released due to the controversial styling of the original. The changes were able to be implemented so quickly after the original model's release due to the refreshed Tribeca utilizing much of the exterior styling tweaks present in the unreleased Saab 9-6. Saab had withheld its version of Tribeca from the public until showing a prototype at the Saab museum in Trollhättan
during July 2011.
The Limited trim level included an in-dash multifunction screen that displayed navigation system information, audio system information, trip computer functions, outside temperatures, maintenance intervals, controls for various vehicle settings, calendar, calculator and memo-taking functions. Video input from rear-seat DVD entertainment system was available with third row seating only, and could only be displayed on the instrument panel center screen if the vehicles parking brake was engaged.
The cargo volume was 37.6 cu ft (1.1 m³) with the second row seats raised and 74.4 cu ft (2.1 m³) with rear seats lowered. Seating configuration remained at standard second row seats or optional third row seats.
The vehicle was equipped with six airbags; two for the front passengers, two side impact airbag
s that deployed from the outer edge of the front seats and side curtain airbags that dropped in front of the front and second row side doors.
Two stereo packages were offered, starting with a 100-watt six-speaker system with a single-disc in-dash CD player with MP3 compatibility, or a premium stereo with 160-watt, nine speakers with subwoofer and a six-disc in-dash CD changer, also MP3 compatible. Both stereos had auxiliary audio jacks for MP3 players and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.
In North America, the Tribeca is the only vehicle in this class that comes equipped with all-wheel drive as standard equipment. In the United States, Subaru's television ad campaign for the Tribeca prominently featured the Kansas
song "Dust in the Wind". The Tribeca won best interior of the year by Ward's Auto, a benchmark agent similar to JD Power, but more subjective. Also, it was considered Most Innovative Concept at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show. The Tribeca scored well on Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
crash tests. It earned a "Top Safety Pick" ranking.
The Subaru boxer engines have a lower center of gravity than typical inline and V type engines, this helps reduce body roll. The weight of the engine and automatic transmission
are balanced instead of being offset. The power delivery is also direct from the transmission to the front wheels, and to the rear wheels through a rear differential, which is limited slip
on some models. The front differential is integrated into the Subaru transmission. Other AWD vehicles were first engineered as either front or rear wheel drive, but were modified with an additional, external transfer case
and asymmetrical drive shafts to power the additional wheels.
The boxer design also provides near-perfect vibration mitigation due to the fact that the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, eliminating the need for a counter balance shaft, and that the movement of the pistons is on a horizontal plane
. The only vibration caused by the boxer engine is secondary caused by the cylinders being slightly offset on opposing banks. This vibration, however, is minimal and is largely absorbed by rubber engine mounts. Torque steer is also reduced with this type of power train layout. This is achieved by having the front driveshafts being of equal weight and length, and extend from the transmission to the front wheels at almost perpendicular
from the transmission.
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
, the automobile manufacturing division
Automaker
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese transportation conglomerate
Conglomerate (company)
A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate structure , usually involving a parent company and several subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company...
Fuji Heavy Industries
Fuji Heavy Industries
, or FHI, is a Japanese transportation conglomerate most known for being the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles. It traces its roots to the Nakajima Aircraft Company, a leading supplier of airplanes to the Japanese government during World War II...
(FHI). Released in some markets as the Subaru B9 Tribeca, the name "Tribeca" derives from the TriBeCa
TriBeCa
Tribeca is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York in the United States. Its name is an acronym based on the words "Triangle below Canal Street", and is properly bounded by Canal Street, West Street, Broadway, and Vesey Street...
neighborhood of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Built on the Subaru Legacy
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in...
platform and sold in five- and seven-seat configurations, the Tribeca was originally intended to be sold alongside a slightly revised version known as the Saab 9-6. Saab
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
, at the time a subsidiary of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM), abandoned the 9-6 program just prior to its release—a decision forced by GM's disposal of its 20 percent stake in FHI in 2005.
Inspired by the B9X concept car, the Tribeca's original design was criticised at launch resulting in Subaru quickly releasing a heavily facelifted version in 2007, which dropped the "B9" tag in the markets where it was applied. The styling changes that resulted were originally intended to be the design of the abandoned Saab 9-6.
Although not sold in Japan, North American markets received the Tribeca in 2005 for the 2006 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
, while it was introduced to Australasia in late 2006, with an introduction to Europe in 2007. In addition to these markets, the Tribeca is also available in Chile, Argentina, Peru, China, and parts of Southeast Asia.
2005–2007
The Tribeca, introduced as the "B9 Tribeca" in several markets featured a new corporate face of a triangular grilleGrille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
and a rounded body shape. Subaru also used the grille styling on the Impreza
Subaru Impreza
Introduced in November 1993, the Impreza was offered in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive versions and as a four-door sedan/saloon or five-door station wagon/estate. According to a Motor Trend article written March 1992 on page 26, the name of Subaru's new compact was, initially, to be...
, and the Japanese market Subaru R1
Subaru R1
The Subaru R1 was introduced by the Japanese carmaker Subaru on January 4, 2005. It was designed to fit within the Japanese kei car tax bracket.The R1 is a two-door version of the Subaru R2, but with a shorter body and wheelbase...
and R2
Subaru R2
For the late 1960s Subaru R-2, please see Subaru R-2The Subaru R2 was announced in Japan on December 8, 2003, and the R2 name was inspired by the Subaru R-2, the kei car model that was produced between 1969 and 1972....
kei car
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
products. As this styling motif proved controversial, all future Subaru redesigns abandoned this design language.
The grille design was not conceived by designer Andreas Zapatinas
Andreas Zapatinas
Andreas Zapatinas is a Greek automobile designer, born in Athens in 1957.Zapatinas studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and graduated in 1986. He worked at Fiat Centro Stile from 1988 until 1994, where he met Chris Bangle. He was chief exterior designer of the Fiat...
, rather by Fuore Design, an independent design consulting firm based in Spain, hired by Subaru before Zapatinas involvement. Andreas Zapatinas and his team were responsible for the design of the interior, and the dashboard in particular. According to an Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
article, the grille design was "meant to convey parent-company Fuji Heavy Industries' glorious history in aviation".
The Tribeca was initially powered by the 3.0-liter EZ30 boxer engine paired with a five-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
.
Saab
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
planned to have also retail a version of the Tribeca, to be called the "9-6", but such plans stopped with Toyota's acquisition of the 20 percent FHI stake held by Saab's parent company GM. The 9-6 would have been built alongside the Tribeca at Subaru's Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
factory in the United States. Saab revised their plans to replace the 9-7X
Saab 9-7X
The Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle based on General Motors' GMT360 platform, which also included the GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, Isuzu Ascender, and Chevrolet TrailBlazer The Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) based on...
after a short two-year lifespan, and instead the Oldsmobile Bravada
Oldsmobile Bravada
The Oldsmobile Bravada is a mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle from the now retired Oldsmobile marque of General Motors. There have been two different vehicles to bear this model name, the first and second-generation GMT330, and the 2002 to 2004 GMT360....
-based body-on-frame SUV continued production until the 2009 model year.
The Tribeca was slightly reworked in 2006 for the 2007 model year. The updated model, debuting at the Chicago Auto Show
Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Placeconvention complex. It is among the largest auto shows in North America....
, included a revised grille, revised struts, stabilizer bars, and spring rates. Inside, XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
and iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
connectors were pre-wired, while a backup camera and parking assist system were optional for the navigation system. A "Special Edition" package included a mesh grille, XM radio, and unique wheels.
2007–present
New York International Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in New York City in late March or early April. It is usually held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Sunday after Easter...
in April 2007. The revised Tribeca received a facelift, as well as a larger 3.6-liter EZ36 flat-six engine rated at 256 hp, and Subaru claimed 10 percent better fuel economy while using regular gasoline fuel (the 2006 and 2007 models use premium gasoline). At the same time, Subaru dropped the "B9" identifier from the model name in the markets that was applied in, harmonising the name internationally as the "Subaru Tribeca". The rear of the vehicle was also mildly redesigned—the tail lamps were more rounded, the "cutout" on the hatch above the bumper omitted, and the rearmost side window reshaped. Interior styling was unchanged, but the second row seats were redesigned for more room and easier access to the third row.
The facelift was released due to the controversial styling of the original. The changes were able to be implemented so quickly after the original model's release due to the refreshed Tribeca utilizing much of the exterior styling tweaks present in the unreleased Saab 9-6. Saab had withheld its version of Tribeca from the public until showing a prototype at the Saab museum in Trollhättan
Trollhättan
Trollhättan is a city and the seat of Trollhättan Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 44,498 inhabitants in 2005. It is located 75 km north of Sweden's second-largest city, Gothenburg....
during July 2011.
North America
North American market Tribecas offered two trim levels—the standard Tribeca—and the Limited, which added a moonroof, leather interior, roof rails for enhanced cargo carrying and a premium audio system with six-disc in-dash CD changer. The interior colors were somewhat limited to either dark gray cloth or a choice of dark gray or light beige leather interior.The Limited trim level included an in-dash multifunction screen that displayed navigation system information, audio system information, trip computer functions, outside temperatures, maintenance intervals, controls for various vehicle settings, calendar, calculator and memo-taking functions. Video input from rear-seat DVD entertainment system was available with third row seating only, and could only be displayed on the instrument panel center screen if the vehicles parking brake was engaged.
The cargo volume was 37.6 cu ft (1.1 m³) with the second row seats raised and 74.4 cu ft (2.1 m³) with rear seats lowered. Seating configuration remained at standard second row seats or optional third row seats.
The vehicle was equipped with six airbags; two for the front passengers, two side impact airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
s that deployed from the outer edge of the front seats and side curtain airbags that dropped in front of the front and second row side doors.
Two stereo packages were offered, starting with a 100-watt six-speaker system with a single-disc in-dash CD player with MP3 compatibility, or a premium stereo with 160-watt, nine speakers with subwoofer and a six-disc in-dash CD changer, also MP3 compatible. Both stereos had auxiliary audio jacks for MP3 players and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.
In North America, the Tribeca is the only vehicle in this class that comes equipped with all-wheel drive as standard equipment. In the United States, Subaru's television ad campaign for the Tribeca prominently featured the Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
song "Dust in the Wind". The Tribeca won best interior of the year by Ward's Auto, a benchmark agent similar to JD Power, but more subjective. Also, it was considered Most Innovative Concept at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show. The Tribeca scored well on Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
crash tests. It earned a "Top Safety Pick" ranking.
Drivetrain
Subaru chose to use an aluminum alloy boxer engine in order to reduce powertrain weight.The Subaru boxer engines have a lower center of gravity than typical inline and V type engines, this helps reduce body roll. The weight of the engine and automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
are balanced instead of being offset. The power delivery is also direct from the transmission to the front wheels, and to the rear wheels through a rear differential, which is limited slip
Limited slip differential
A limited slip differential is a type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in angular velocity of the output shafts, but imposes a mechanical bound on the disparity...
on some models. The front differential is integrated into the Subaru transmission. Other AWD vehicles were first engineered as either front or rear wheel drive, but were modified with an additional, external transfer case
Transfer case
A transfer case is a part of a four-wheel-drive system found in four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles. The transfer case is connected to the transmission and also to the front and rear axles by means of drive shafts...
and asymmetrical drive shafts to power the additional wheels.
The boxer design also provides near-perfect vibration mitigation due to the fact that the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, eliminating the need for a counter balance shaft, and that the movement of the pistons is on a horizontal plane
Horizontal plane
In geometry, physics, astronomy, geography, and related sciences, a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field at that point— in other words, if apparent gravity makes a plumb bob hang perpendicular to the plane at that point.In...
. The only vibration caused by the boxer engine is secondary caused by the cylinders being slightly offset on opposing banks. This vibration, however, is minimal and is largely absorbed by rubber engine mounts. Torque steer is also reduced with this type of power train layout. This is achieved by having the front driveshafts being of equal weight and length, and extend from the transmission to the front wheels at almost perpendicular
Perpendicular
In geometry, two lines or planes are considered perpendicular to each other if they form congruent adjacent angles . The term may be used as a noun or adjective...
from the transmission.