Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I drove all of the competition
1. MDX
2. Enclave, Arcadia, Saturn (whatever it was) - all the same Enclave was the nicest
3. CX -9
4. SRX
5. Highlander
6. XC90
I know I am forgetting others. Anyways, kept coming back to the Tribeca. Yes, it has a few underacheaving things.
1. No Telescoping SW
2. Non-user friendly Navigation
3. DVD screen does not come back on when car is turned off then back on, but audio continues to play.
4. No HID - read the posts, if you have had or have them and live in dark, rainy/stormy areas, this is a real plus to have - I actually may have a source to get them anyways : )
5. Can't operate NAV while driving. Love my Volvo for this as I drive all day long.
6. Not prewired for bluetooth.
However,
1. Price - Well below any of it's competitors
2. Reliability
3. Not everyone and their brother has one - MDX, HIGHLANDER, XC90 tons around here.
4. Great AWD system
5. Fits all 5 of us plus some friends
6. Way better gas milage then my 06 Titan crew cab I replaced at half the cost to fuel up. BTW, Enclave, et all say 24 MPG HWY, long term test say best HWY achieved has been 19MPG.
7. Styling is really on par with MDX, etc.
I know I am missing a lot on the plus side, but these are a few that kept bringing me back.
My first Scooby, hope to make it long term.
BTW, whoever did not think the Toureg is an off roader, needs to do some homework. DAKKAR EX- VW guy here, so let's chat
-mike
Dakkar, like WRC is based on stock vehicle but they are not stock ones!
Also desert running is different than what I'd call off-roading, but let's not go down that road here, it's bad enough bob is still mad at me!
-mike
Yes, the Tribeca needs a telescoping SW and could use a 20 gallon gas tank. And up here in snow country, winter wiper blades (going to modify the 26" to fit the drivers side).
MNSteve
It's cool, I have seen way worse debates on VWVortex then you guys had .
Anyways, yes, DAKKAR, WRC, all loosly based on production model, but most "true" off road vehicles are never out of the box ready anyways. Still gotta modify the Jeeps, the Hummers, etc of the world to do the hard stuff. But, I think both of those are also, very capable off road cars for the masses. The Toureg, IMO, is one of the best at achieving both on/off road capabilites for "layman" not pro's . It has a ton of technology that most drivers will never use. Watching a quick you tube video of some rock crawling is only very little what the Toureg can do. With some very simple mods (snorkle, WAY better tires, etc). Much better stuff has been done then that video, but then again, how many Toureg owners even do that
Anyways, I hope I did not cause I stir. I like learning about all types of cars through these forums. Part of being an enthusiast :shades:
Tribe is off to the mountain tomorrow!!
On a side note, I just installed some aftermarket HIDs into the low-beams on my 05 LGT projectors, haven't had a chance to take it out at night yet but will report back, it may be a very inexpensive upgrade for folks.
-mike
Concerning the wiper blades, what mods are you doing for the 08s? With the 07s, it has been a sore spot and have been left with very minimal options for wiper blade replacements.
The rear wiper arm is not the same as the front wiper arm. The arm ends in a "blob", not a shepards crook. Darn! :mad:
I also noticed that on the drivers side blade, the "wind wing" is fastened to the blade assembly, not the wiper arm. I'm assuming there won't be any "large" problems not having a "wing" on the winter blade since I don't plan on traveling too fast this winter.
-mike
-mike
Glad to know an un-winged blade is good up to 80mph.
MNSteve
Then several hours later while parked at Sam's club (waiting for the wife) a gentleman asked me about the Tribeca as he was looking at replacing his gas-hog vehicle. Of course I told him that I was getting around 16mpg in town and low 20's on the highway. He stated that was a heck of a lot better than his vehicle.
And of course, both my wife and I love the Tribeca. :shades:
MNSteve
So now the only winter blade is installed on the passenger side. Maybe I'll have to avoid driving in heavy snow falls (right - try that living in the northlands )
The wiper blade manufacturers have really dropped the ball as far as I'm concerned. :mad:
MNSteve
Wiper Replacement
Don't know if that helps any (may not have been winter blades).
Doug
Got to admit, the Veracruz has caught my attention, but I have not driven either the Tribeca or Veracruz yet. My only concern with the Tribeca (also a beef I have with my XT) is the lack of telescoping steering column. At 6'4", I have my seat all the way back, which means my arms are fully outstretched to drive my OB. Not bad for short drives, but gets tiresome on long ones. Why is it Subaru can't get it right the first time? They introduced it on the OB, but not on the Tribeca...where's the logic?
Has anyone TALL with an Outback tried the Tribeca, and noticed whether the distance (when the seat is fully back) is the same as the OB, or improved?
Cheers.
Handling is going to be more like the XT than the Veracruz, and for sure you'll miss it sooner or later. Power delivery too, not from a start but on highways. Plus the security that only a Subaru gives you. I think the Veracruz amenities, like sound and big space are its strong points.
I do think in terms of personality these vehicles are a 180 from each other, though. The Tribeca is on the sporty side, while the VC is more quiet and isolated.
I think if you drive them you will have a clear preference for one or the other. And not everyone will prefer sporty necessarily, just one or the other.
My van is very isolated and it's great for passengers on long trips. They sleep like babies. For the driver? Not so much. That's OK, I have a Miata for that.
At this point, I don't plan a purchase until later this year, but I am a planner so I am looking now.
Also looking at the option of buying in the US given the price difference. Could save myself almost $11 K on the top end Tribeca, even with the rebates Subaru Canada is throwing in to discourage Cdns for doing so.
Also saw the pic of the proposed '09 Honda Pilot....looks sharp, but time will tell.
Cheers.
Good luck.
I enjoy the shopping process so it seems I'm constantly test driving vehicles. The last Korean car I sampled was a Sedona, though.
Veracruz 07 (unfortunately it was their last Veracruz on the lot rest were sold):
Pros:
- Price, at least here in Canada
- quiet (but not sure if more or less than Tribeca)
- Nice interior, very comfortable
- Telescoping steering wheel made driving position for me (6’4”) very comfortable
- 3 row seats are actually useful! Even with decent space in the 2nd row, the 3rd row still had foot room. Just found more roomy inside than the Tribeca overall. Not sure about actual dimensions though.
- Great warranty
Cons:
- Believe it or not, I found ride far rougher than my Outback (although I do have my 16” winters on right now), and slightly rougher than the Tribeca. I would have though the opposite a bit of a surprise
- A few rattles inside over bumps. Not sure if this was out of the oridinary, or something to expect.
- Interior is nice, but button layout is not as intuitive as Tribeca perhaps because the Tribeca has similar functional layout to my outback and so I am familiar with it.
- Not as nimble handling a bit more body roll than Tribeca, but given I don't drive like Schumacher, its not absolutely critical. I found the ride rough...I felt every bump in the road, way more than my Outback (although I do have my 16" winters on right now) and more so than Tribeca.
- Not so great resale, although I truly believe that in a few years, Hyundai will be right up there with the other big players.
Tribeca 08:
Pros:
- Nice handling, drives really nicely around corners .just feels tighter than Veracruz
- Even with the bland front grill, still has a nice shape overall....more attractive than the Veracruz in my opinion
- Power, seems to have more torque at low end, and it accelerates more seamlessly (shifts) than the Veracruz, although I understand that Hyundai has rectified that for the 08 with a 6 speed tranny?
- Like the dash layout in general. Really sharp.
- Driver seat was very comfortable
Cons:
- Can’t get 7 passenger with leather unless you get the NAV and DVD (I don’t care for in car NAV or DVD I prefer portability)
- 3rd Row – totally $%^@$^ useless!!! I can’t believe it! I tried sitting in the 2nd row with the seats pulled forward to give a “reasonable” amount of space to the 3rd row, and I could hardly fit! I was crammed! Getting in and out of 3rd row is a pain as well. I found the Veracruz excelled over the Tribeca in this area by a long-shot.
- No telescoping steering wheel. I found my driving position slightly worse than with my Outback XTL when I had the seat back (ie. My arms were fully outstretched).
Anyway, that’s it a nutshell. Will have to discuss with my wife how important 3rd row of seats really is to us, but the lack of telescoping steering wheel is a real downer. Perhaps by the time I’m ready to take the plunge the ’09 Tribeca will be out with this as stnd equipment.
Cheers.
The rough ride and rattles on the VC are a disappointment. Maybe the tire pressures were way high or something.
You can get a Tribeca 7 pass LTD with no DVD or NAV. I think the DVD requires NAV, but you can get leather without either of those.
Of course that would not address the 3rd row.
We felt the same way, though we ended up caving and going whole-hog with a big van.
We've used the 3rd row about 4 times on trips, taking other families with us and taking the grandparents on road trips. A few other times for quick trips, but not routinely.
That's a tough call. It is nice, but you may not use it as often as you think.
Good luck deciding.
I have a Miata, so I was willing to make the sacrifice. If I could only have one single vehicle, though, I may have chosen the Tribeca for its superior handling.
Up here, the Limited comes whole hog. If you want 3rd row, you get NAV and DVD. Otherwise, to avoid DVD + NAV, you need to go 1 step down to leather but only 2 rows. May not be an issue if I decide to buy south of the border. I'm beginning to think that 3rd row would be more of a "nice to have" rather than necessity. Not even sure we would use it that much, so maybe it's not so important.
Good point on the single vehicle. This is our only vehicle as my wife does not drive. DOH! Yup, you read correctly. So I do want something with gusto. You can imagine what it felt like to go from my XT to a Veracruz....I was throwing nuts in front of the car hoping the squirrels would go faster! Just kidding, it wasn't nearly that bad.
Anyway, something else ocurred to me....I noticed the hatch on the Tribeca was very low....clocked my nogggin on it once, and almost a 2nd time when i was checking out rear cargo space. I don't recall ever having this issue with my OB, but will have to check when I go home. Did not pay much attention to this when I drove the VC.
Furthermore, not sure the VC had an aux jack for mp3 player. I know the TB does.
Hyundai dealership going to call when they have an 08 to demo and if I notice any changes, I will certainly post my thoughts.
Cheers.
Gotta be abused. Still, you'd hope it would feel better at those low miles.
Why? Because "most" dirt is mid-range and neutral in color value, and will therefore blend into the body color.
Having said that, buy the color you like best, and not which color will look the cleanest the longest.
Bob
So if you are picky about the cleanliness, then I understand how it would factor into your decision.....you don't want it to be a constant source of frustration with your new vehicle. But tough call given you are looking at two dark colors. Personally, I saw the gray in the showroom and thought it was very sharp. If I decide to go with Tribeca to replace my OB XTL in the Fall, I think the diamond gray will be my choice :-)
Cheers.
I have a black 2006 subaru 7 pass. limited tribeca (mine did come with gray interior)
I had a dark gray honda odyssey before the tribeca , and I do have to admit, black shows EVERYTHING - much more than the gray odyssey.
Since they don't make the black on gray now, guess they did for the 06' only?
I would go for the dark gray with gray interior - close enough to black, but probably not as bad at showing everything.
Let us know what you decide on!
I love Subaru's - I had a 2001 subaru outback sedan a few years ago before kids.
Went to a honda odyssey, but realized how much I missed having a subaru a few months ago, when my husband purchased a 2003 subaru imprezza.
So I have had my tribeca for 2 months now and have noticed I am only averaging 16.2 mpg most of the time - I drive about 12 miles one way to work, most of it is highway miles going 50-60 mph. Is this average normal? Is there something I can do to get a better average?
I just keep hoping it will get better gas mileage during the summer.
Other than that - It is an awesome vehicle!
I had to take my wife to the airport, and in the 24 miles I saw like 8 crashes. When I left my wife, on the way back I saw like 4 more in the other side. I was driving feeling so secure, that I did start secondguessing my luck. Then, close to home, I saw this FWD Buick coming to me, making all kind of efforts not to cross to my line, skidding and finally crashing over his curb onto a small snowbank. I stopped like 50 yards ahead, and saw how the guy put reverse and left with obvious damage on the front axle. So, as the street was completely empty and I was alone, I tried to recreate his path. Nothing happened. I didn't even felt ice on the road. So I did it again, faster, and playing some with the steering. Nothing. The VDC light didn't even came.
Later, on the street closer to my house, I saw my neighbor in a RWD Chevy truck, tailing side to side of the road, gasping for control, until he finally returned home and decided not to go out today. Again, I went to recreate the path, and I founded the same, not even a blink of the VDC light, plus a completely secure way forward.
Maybe all AWD systems are like this, but I doubt it. Now, what I think I won't be second guessing is my purchase.
I can take the so -so mpg for the everyday safety I get driving my Tribeca in Alaska !
Because the rear hatch & rear seat on my car vibrates and rattles so bad when driving on anything other than "freshly paved road"....... to the point that i am about to drive the car off of a cliff!!!
I have a 5P LTD with a mfg date of 10/3. What is your mfg. date?
It's on the inside of your drivers door.
I intend to have these taken care of as well.
I had a few black cars and yes they are hard to keep clean. Pretty much right after a wash the dust settles on it and it doesn't look clean anymore. It's sharp but you definitely have to wash it A LOT!
With the Tribeca (still have the OBW) we rarely drive in the bad weather (we're retired now) just to keep it clean. But we've been out in several snow storms already. Even with the stock tires it gets around just great. Love it!
i have taken my car back like 3 times already complaining about the noisy rear hatch and all they did was adjust the "striker" for the hatch to try and make it close tighter......but obviously it did not work.
i am sure it is the rear hatch and not the headliner. and i know i should not be bothered by the little things, but this is not little, it is "excessive" noise, and for the price i pay a month that noise should not be there.
i have taken my car back like 3 times already complaining about the noisy rear hatch and all they did was adjust the "striker" for the hatch to try and make it close tighter......but obviously it did not work.
i am sure it is the rear hatch and not the headliner. and i know i should not be bothered by the little things, but this is not little, it is "excessive" noise, and for the price i pay a month that noise should not be there.
Did you have them check to see if it is the license plate that is rattling? I had this one of my cars not to long ago and it drove me nuts trying to figure out where it was coming from. Finally figured out it was the license plate, stuck a couple pieces of foam strips to the back and no noise. Worth a shot. :shades:
16.2mpg does seem a bit low, but any car, including the 'beca, will get reduced fuel economy on short trips and in cold weather. I've got a 13 mile commute, major boulevards 40-55mph and I'm averaging 20-21mpg with conservative driving. (measured at fill-up, not off the computer).
Good luck keeping the black clean the AK winter. :shades:
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host
Rogue's Gallery
I expect, just a tad warmer than anywhere in AK.