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Subaru B9 Tribeca (B9X)

19192949697163

Comments

  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    p.s. We are FINALLY up to 21.6mpg.

    That pissed me off :mad: I'm still stuck at 15mpg (local only). Will see what kind of highway mieage I get in 2 weeks when I heads for beach.
  • newsubunewsubu Member Posts: 39
    We are very pleased with our Yakima "Bighorn" bike rack, installed easily on the trailer hitch. Make sure you get the 1 1/4" stinger to match Subaru's hitch. Had a mountain bike and a "jogging" stoller on it crossing four states. Everything stayed put, even over rough roads, & locked up securely. Lengthened the vehicle quite a bit, however.

    Recently back from a 2000 mile trip, with a loaded nylon roof rack on top and bike rack. MPG peaked at 19.7, once we had cargo off, and usually came in b/n 17 & 18.+ when loaded. Highway and country roads primarily, with occasional small town stop and go. Now back to "city" driving almost exclusively, and seldom seeing over 15 mpg. Running premium, but also AC with all the heat lately. Told this will improve with further break-in. I hope so...

    I and family are all extremely pleased with Tribeca overall...handling, acceleration, styling, interior room, comfort & versatility. Highway bound as often as possible these days!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    YMMV, we got between 13mpg in city bumper-to-bumper and up to 30 on a low speed highway jaunt. Give it a chance to stretch its legs and your average will break 20 soon enough.

    Plus, Subie engines tend to get better as they break in, I've observed about +2mpg in my Forester after 15k miles.

    -juice
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    I am at 15 also. I am in Chicago - heavy urban stop and go and a lot of stop and go on the local expresswaya.

    I do not believe that you can get 21.6 in my enviorment. When some says 21 in local driving that doesn't mean anything. Local country is not the same as local big city.

    It is like apples & oranges.

    I am switching to mid grade from premium, I want to see if my mileage goes down with my city driving. I do not think so - so I might as well save the 10 cents a gallon.
  • newsubunewsubu Member Posts: 39
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  • b9driverb9driver Member Posts: 118
    Using premium gas most of the time. Located in NYC, so plenty of awful traffic. Average is now 18 over last few days. Most recent trip to PA returned 24 overall. If I drive easy, this is how it goes. If I drive to PA and do some legs at 95 MPH and use the manual mode to play, it drops down to 20 or lower.

    Robert B
    Blue 5 Pass Limited
    NY
  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    Just checked my owner's manual about front, side and head airbag deployment. According to manual, none of them are likely to deploy when vehicle rolls over. So that settles this issue. I'm wondering the reason other SUVs emphysis on airbag deployment when roll over is because those SUVs are really easy to result in roll over ;) With lower center of gravity of the Subaru design, wider tire, good suspension and more importantly tightly integrated Vehicle Dynamic Control system, the risk of roll over is low. One thing I noticed about Tribeca is its gas peddle that is electronically controlled (drive-by-wire?) so that on-board computer has the final say about how much gas you can really inject into the engine. Bad for sprited driving but good for safety. During a winter snow testing a few years back by Motor Trend(?) with OB VDC model, Audi A4, Volvo XC70 etc, OB VDC is the only vehicle that didn't need to be towed out of snow bank.
  • photoguy2photoguy2 Member Posts: 164
    Okay, so back on this again... I have a 7 Pass DVD/NAV so obviously I have the better stereo with it's subwoofer in the back. If I add the Subaru accesory Sub under the front Passenger seat or any other 3rd party sub will the sound be noticably different? I am pleased overall with the sound but if it would make it that much better I'm up for that.

    Thanks, John
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    That the side curtains do not deploy in a roll over seems stupid.

    One prupose of side curtains is to help keep the passengers from being thrown out of a window in a a severe crash. That is in part why the B9 does not have side curtains for the 3rd. row, because it's window is too small for anyone to fall through.

    If what you read is correct - SOA made a big boo boo!
  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    Not with the Subaru underseat sub. It's not worth the money, IMO. If you really want to improve the bass response, you will need a big (10" or larger) sub in the trunk area. For subwoofers, size does matter.
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    It's possible to have too much bass, or bass that is not well tuned. The underseat sub will add some punch, but don't expect a lot out of it. I guess you'd really have to try it to know for sure.

    I do like the underseat sub in my 05 Outback XT, but that model does not have a factory sub in the rear. The underseat sub is the only one. It did make a huge improvement in the sound compared to just having speakers.

    Craig
  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    Think of this way, what causes a vehicle roll over:

    (1) Struck by another vehicle from side.

    (2) Drive too fast in a turn and lost control

    (3) Dumb drivers drive it off the road or cliff.

    For situation #1, the air bag and curtain already deployed. For situation #2, Subaru is pretty confident its VDC system will prevent it from happen. For #3, that's another story.

    BTW, you can register and create your own site at my.subaru.com. This way you can access many information about your car online including manuals.
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    I appreciate what you are saying but think about it.

    In situation 2 or any rollover why would the bags not deploy? Is SOA trying to save us money or save our lives.

    I agree that a B9 is less likely to roll because of driver error but so what. A rollover is a rollover, are you saying that a driver and his passengers should be put at risk because he made a mistake?
  • rctennis3811rctennis3811 Member Posts: 1,031
    Like subienewbie said, a rollover is still a rollover. It can happen to anybody, anywhere, anytime. That's the purpose of stability control, to help reduce the chance of this happening. If Subaru was so confident that a rollover would not occur, then they wouldn't have included VDC.

    Anyways, I went to both dealers today today and both were giving extremely good prices. Subaru of Lewisville said I could get $300 worth of free accessories. David McDavid Acura, however, gave me $550 since I'm a repeat customer and $500 for purchasing a new car, which to me as a good deal so I took the plunge and ordered one to be ready tomorrow at 4PM. It was a really tough call, but overall I think I'll be a little happier (for my needs and my family's needs at least) with the MDX. However, my aunt is planning on trading in their 2001 Toyota Highlander and I've recommender the B9 to her. I'm hoping she gets one, as it will probably suit her needs more than mine (5-passenger cloth). Thanks for all the help guys!
  • wmquanwmquan Member Posts: 1,817
    Rollovers can occur despite a low center of gravity and electronics. Obviously the chances may be lower, but they happen, even in sedans with a comparably lower center of gravity.

    The key then is to have a strong roof structure. Has Subaru said much about how they've reinforced the roof? E.g. with their ring structure? Any special marketing videos showing internal tests with the B9 getting rolled over, like MB and Volvo has shown for their SUV's?

    I don't think the MDX has an especially strong roof structure (certainly not at the level of MB and Volvo). They don't advertise roof reinforcement, don't show any internal tests, and there are some ugly anecdotal photos of MDX rollovers (which aren't empirically defining, but disturbing nonetheless).
  • movedormovedor Member Posts: 65
    Today I test drove a black 7 seater/NAV/DVD.

    The good:
    1) legroom and headroom for driver is very, very good (I'm tall, so this is matters to me)
    2) interior fit and finish is very good (isn't this really Mercedes :-)?)
    3) handling is very precise/predictable (less body roll than a Pilot)
    4) cabin is very quiet (engine noise only pronounced on hard accelaration)
    5) exterior of the car is atractive (but rear end not so much)
    6) doors close and open effortlessly. feels solid too
    7) very easy engine access (hood is ultra light) and has well marked maintainance points (oil, radiator, break fluid, etc.)
    8) wheels look really good
    9) leather seats feel very good (perforated leather version)
    10) reclining 2nd row is a good idea
    11) Subaru history on reliability

    The not-so-good:
    1) lack of option for memory seat
    2) lack of option for 8 way power adjustable passenger seat (me as a passanger was not confortable as driver, since my head was too close to the roof)
    3) small sunroof (they should have the Outback sunroof size instead for no DVD versions)
    4) it really has poorer rear visibility than average (less than Pilot, that's for sure)
    5) trunk space is average, not so spacious
    6) gas milage is worrisome. During the test drive, going at 40 mph on straight flat road it was just 13 mpg (???)

    The bad:
    1) feels slow to get from zero to 40 mph. This engine needs more torque or more gears with lower relations (like the new MB R-class. which has 7 gear box)
    2) 3rd seat row is not usable for adults, access there is terrible too, even for kids

    3) [not related to the car] Dealer person is poorly informed: said it has full size spare, doesn't know what center of gravity is (come as a shock to me, since a Subaru dealer should know this best), said VDC is the name for Subaru chose for estability control system (it is more the ES, right?), didn't know how to operate or explain how to use the NAV system.

    Overall a very good SUV for my needs, but I still undecided due some minor points. Price and gas milage among then.
  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    Like subienewbie said, a rollover is still a rollover. It can happen to anybody, anywhere, anytime. That's the purpose of stability control, to help reduce the chance of this happening. If Subaru was so confident that a rollover would not occur, then they wouldn't have included VDC.

    You're missing the point. It's really because of VDC, driver error would rarely cause roll over unless, of course, you drive off the slop or cliff. In which case, I don't think airbag can protect you at all. Like wmquan said, it's really up to the structural strength to save your life.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    OB VDC model, Audi A4, Volvo XC70 etc, OB VDC is the only vehicle that didn't need to be towed out of snow bank

    True, this was actually in Car & Driver, though.

    Tribeca has something like 4 cross members to reinforce the roof, in fact that's why the moonroof is small, so a brace can run from one B-pillar to the other.

    Here's a pic, not great, but it gives you a general idea (may require registration at ImageStation.com):

    http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid154/p67775a91386232114ec7a25b1afaa319/f57dbb82.jp- g

    -juice
  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    Or this assembly line picture:
    image

    Or this one:

    image

    The red parts seems to indicate where the airbag sensors located. If thats the case, there are definitely sensors on edge of the roof which means it can deploy airbags when roll over.
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    6) gas milage is worrisome. During the test drive, going at 40 mph on straight flat road it was just 13 mpg (???)

    If you were looking at instantaneous MPG, then don't worry about it -- definitely can be misleading! If it was the average MPG, then it prrobably had not had enough time to establish a fair average.

    Instantaneous can vary between 0mpg (not moving) and 99mpg (coasting at high speed), but it's the average that really counts.

    Craig
  • onestaronestar Member Posts: 14
    I cant believe it doesn't have any (I think). I've gotten very used to my 99 Grand Cherokee locking the doors for me automatically when I reach a speed of 15 mph or more. I just assumed every new auto these days had this type of feature.
  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    So far, I only see cars from big three do this.

    Also, Tribeca's paddle brake does not auto-release itself when you put shifter into drive or reverse. I found this annoying and rarely use foot brake when parking for this reason.
  • onestaronestar Member Posts: 14
    Every type of topic is bunched into one forum. We need seperate forums in the main forum on different topics. For example, a "Radio/Sound System Forum", "General Discussions Forum", "Apperance Forum", "Interior Forum", "Installations Forum", etc......

    Just my 2 cents........
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Nice pics, they really drive the point home. Thanks.

    I swore there was yet another brace near the C-pillar, maybe this gets added later on in the assembly process? Or perhaps it makes up part of the roof sheet metal's structure.

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    went to dinner and upon parking noticed the trifecta hidden in the back and darkest part of the parking lot. it was so dark it was hard to tell what color it was.

    unlike karen who parks her car in front of the coffee place this owner appeared to very shy.

    i told my wife the 0-60 times and she gasped and said why would you want to trade in the fxt for something so slow :P gotta love someone who appreciates speed versus luxury lol
  • kmartinkmartin Member Posts: 427
    All very good points, and most have been mentioned by many others before you, so you are in good company.

    As for the test drive and mileage thing, did you start with a brand new full tank of gas and reset the odo? If not, you may have had folks before you sitting in the vehicle in park with the AC running, or gunning it on their test drive. If the tank was nearly full, chances are the mpg calculations were not reflective of your actual driving pattern. It'll be more accurate as the gas tank drains, and even better when the engine breaks in (I have seen this, as have others). You can look for the 18/23 to be a good indicator or what you'll get...eventually.

    -Karen in AZ-
  • kmartinkmartin Member Posts: 427
    Yep, Swampy, I park where I can enjoy the view of my 'beca, and so that everyone else will notice it (and they DO notice it). Also, living in the worst metro area for car thefts in the US, I'll keep an eye on it.

    Case in point: I went into the Home Depot a couple of weeks ago for a few little items, and wasn't in there 10 minutes. I parked fairly close (maybe 10 spots out from the main door). When I came back out there was a guy hot wiring a mid-80s Toyota Celica RIGHT NEXT TO ME (driver's side)! My vehicle was evidently big enough to hide him from the main store entrance. I climbed into my driver's seat, locked the door and watched him...he knew I was watching, but he kept at it (he probably thought, dumb lady, doesn't know what I'm doing). I just pretended to be disinterested. When he drove away, he pulled forward right past me, so I easily got the license number (DOH!). As soon as he was out of sight I grabbed the cell and called 911. The Celica belonged to a young man who worked at Home Depot, as I found out when I went inside to report it to customer service.

    Later that afternoon I discovered there had been and Amber Alert issued an hour before that for a stolen van just down the street with an 8-yr-old kid in the back seat, and that the driver had ditched the van and took off on foot. Police think it may have very well been the same driver trying to commandeer another vehicle to get away.

    So, yes, even with the immobilizer and alarm, I'll park it where I can see it :-)

    -Karen in AZ-
  • wmquanwmquan Member Posts: 1,817
    Nice pics. I doubt if those sensors are for rollover, however. The vehicles I've see with curtains that deploy in rollovers use an attitude sensor (often part of the stability control system). Having the sensors on the roof to trigger for a rollover means the vehicle has already rolled to its side. So they wouldn't help much.

    My guess is that those sensors are for triggering the curtain airbags for side impacts along the top of the frame. E.g. the famous "pole test" that EuroNCAP and others use,

    Has anyone asked Subaru?
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    i dont blame you. when i lived in cali, i saw people trying to break into my Z. police were too busy chasing back robbers to get there within 15 minutes :mad:

    one of my favorite movie scenes is in a james bond movie when guys try to break into james' car. the car blew them up when one of them used the butt of his gun to try and break the drivers window.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Swampy: when I got my loaner I woke up early to get the very first spot closest to the beach entrance (walk way), so lots of folks would see it. Subaru needs that kind of exposure because they're a small make compared to Honda/Toyota.

    It drew plenty of attention.

    C&D tested an 06 XT and got 0-60 in 5.9s, so it's still mighty quick even with the more relaxed gearing.

    -juice
  • wmquanwmquan Member Posts: 1,817
    Seems like a lot of automakers are going to a new SAE standard for measuring and stating horsepower and torque. Some brands are showing horsepower "drops" for 2006, some are showing "increases" without actually changing anything.

    Given that the B9 is a 2006 model, are Subie's numbers based on the new spec already, so there won't be any "change" in the fall (or whenever it's required to use the new spec).
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    > So far, I only see cars from big three do this.

    My 2001 Jetta has that. I'm pretty sure my Mom's Renault Laguna does too (not available in the US of course).

    A.
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    You are still missing the point. I completely agree that structural integrity is important in protecting the occupants.

    Since it appears that the B9 may have superior structural Integrity, why not help keep the occupants inside the cabin in the rare event of a rollover by deploying the curtain airbags so you don't get thrown out a window and die.

    If you have a rollover, you've basically trashed the car anyway, so whats a few grand more to replace the bags if they may save a life?
  • b9driverb9driver Member Posts: 118
    i told my wife the 0-60 times and she gasped>>>

    Not as loud as the gasp from my wife when we test drove the FXT and felt the harsh sporty ride. Is this how you want to travel on long trips?" She asked. Well, with plans to buy a STI down the road, we're happy to be traveling in comfort. We also have a 10 month old baby and NO WAY would I subject an infant to the ride of an FXT. After owning the Outback, there's no doubt that the B9 is a far better distance car. You can also drive faster for longer because the smooth quiet ride is far less waring.
    22 months until we trade in for the B9 STI with it's 330HP! In the meantime we travel like human beings. Keep your FXTs and Corollas!
    Oh, and we park ours out front...though the compliments are getting tiring...it even happened at the toll booth on Sunday!

    Robert B
    Blue 5 Passenger B9
    NY
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    I had to pull over to the curb to enter a new destination in my nav (rats) when a 50ish Europen gentleman tap on my window and asked how much I paid for my B9.

    When I told hom he smiled and said "you have a very beautiful car" - later that day an 18 or 20ish guy who helped me load a package into the Beca commented on what a cool ride I had.

    So it seems that Becas may have cross generational appeal.
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    i have an odyssey for that

    the fxt is the bat out of hell commuter
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    No system is perfect and we're always looking to improve ours. It may help to browse our discussions by topic.

    tidester, host
  • foxbat121foxbat121 Member Posts: 211
    i have an odyssey for that

    Now we all know where all your hatrate toward Tribeca comes from ;) Give it a rest, swampy. You're stuck with your mini-van and FXT for the rest of your life. :P
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You must love boxy, the Ody is a one-box shape and the Forester a two-box shape. No wonder you don't like the Tribeca. ;)

    Not that I dislike either one, but they're not exactly progressive or stylish.

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    i said i hate the NOSE only. geez read people read. and the trifecta is underpowered for me.

    so if your wife is not progressive or stylish you trade her in? boxy is very efficent on space :P
  • jeffmcjeffmc Member Posts: 1,742
    Fun little article on the reaction from a Kansas (the band!) founder to Subaru's use of Dust In The Wind.

    http://www.lafayettejc.com/news20050802/200508024local_news1122960215.shtml
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You would like it better if it were square instead of A-shaped? :D

    By the way, if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. You dish out more criticism than everyone else combined, so I think a little good humored teasing in return is to be expected. :P

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    See, even the folks from the flattest state are impressed with these curves.

    -juice

    Disclaimer: juice has a head cold and is currently heavily medicated
  • b9driverb9driver Member Posts: 118
    the fxt is the bat out of hell commuter >>>

    Exactly. Two hours in my father's 2006 FXT and I feel just like hell. No thanks. The FXT is a great local around town car, but a interstate machine it aint.
    And again, as far as looks go, the B9 actually gets compliments. The Forester hasn't gotten a complement...or even a second glance once.
    I think that at this point your posts are bordering on trolling. Why does it bother you that we like the Tribeca? It doesn't bother me that some folks like the FXT in spite of it's primitve design and lack of comfort. Maybe you need to play with another group...such as the folks in the Yugo forum. Maybe they care about how fast the FXT is compared to a SUV.

    Robert B
    NY
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    i love the fxt for the sleeper that it is and dont need compliments to confirm that i made the right decision. i didnt get my fxt for trips just commutes. but hey look at juice he runs his forester all over the planet.

    trifecta is perfect for many people, i just need bobs 12 inch extended version with turbo before i could get one.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You must love boxy, the Ody is a one-box shape and the Forester a two-box shape. No wonder you don't like the Tribeca.

    I saw a great looking van in Reno the other day; it was a short wheel base Caravan; probably a late 80's model. I also love that body because they had real rain gutters up until ~'94.

    At least there's the Scion and Element in production for box lovers. (Odysseys are too curvy these days!).

    Steve, Host
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    just needs wood paneling LMAO
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