The long-circulated news about Subaru ceasing production of the Subaru Tribeca (in production since 2005) has become a reality. In 2014, the company officially certified this fact. The commercial project "Tribeca" became fatally unsuccessful - the company's dealers sold a little more than seventy thousand crossovers in the world over nine years. What is the main reason for the failure of a large crossover, quite popular in the CIS?
The design of the Subaru Tribeca is quite unusual even by today's standards.
Photo of Subaru Tribeca: possible reasons for failure
Subaru's motives for releasing a new model are quite understandable. The company that produces the best crossovers (Forester is still in the top five of the best light SUVs), world champions in rally racing (Impreza VRX) - did not have a voluminous, comfortable large crossover in its model line. It was precisely these models that quickly came into fashion at the beginning of the century, primarily in America.
Want to know more about Subaru crossovers? Detailed description Subaru Forester you will find
Quite varied and attractive. Here you will find a description of the most successful cars from this country.
None of the analysts, experts, or commentators provide an accurate analysis of the failure. They wrote about the SUV’s appearance being “too bold” for 2005. From the height of time, we can say that the model was somewhat ahead of automotive fashion.
At the very least, the radical restyling initiated by Subaru managers in 2007 gave the Tribeca a more standard appearance without changing its financial performance. Car enthusiasts still consider the pre-restyling version more beautiful.
The reason for the failure was the incomprehensible name of the car (according to the abbreviation, slang name for the bohemian quarter of New York), and excessive fuel consumption.
In the second generation, the car received many technical changes. These include new side pillars that provide almost all-round visibility (with minimal “dead” zones), damping engine compartment, energy-absorbing bumpers, and modular windshield wipers. The crossover's safety features won several American awards, but the overall level of comfort did not satisfy buyers.
In terms of richness of finishes and the number of additional options (qualities most valued by American buyers), Tribeca was decisively inferior to its main competitors - Infinity, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes.
It seems likely that Subaru entered an unfamiliar market ill-prepared. The model did not live up to high expectations - from the Tribeca they expected the speed qualities of the Impreza, cross-country ability no worse than the Forester, and the simplicity and economy of the Legacy. The simplest way: using a new body on the Legacy passenger platform, a standard line of used engines, brought weak economic indicators and disappointed buyers.
Subaru Tribeca price
On a wave of expectations, immediately after its release, Tribeca (especially in the CIS) was a great buy. Today's offers of first-generation cars on the secondary market prove this. In fact, for our conditions, the crossover is very good. On the used car market, offers of higher configurations are common - with dual-zone climate control, sunroof, xenon headlights, multi-steering wheel, CD changer, two parking sensors, all heating, electrical adjustments. Most cars sold have leather interiors.
Buy a used Subaru Tribeca 2005 with such equipment, tiptronic, three-liter gasoline engine, mileage 289,000 km. you can buy it for about $17,877. Of course, a similar car can be bought cheaper. The newer (2006 onwards) Tribeca, with less mileage (122,000 km) is sold for $16,700. The difference in prices for the first generation offers is significant, from $14,400 to $24,900 (with a mileage of 69,000 km).
It is typical that second-generation crossovers (after 2007) are sold at the same prices. This indicates a decrease in the authority of the model. Exceptions are cars of recent years of production (2010-2011), with low mileage, a 3.6L engine, in excellent condition - their price reaches $26,400. But cars of 2010-2012. there are very few on the market.
Competitors
The prices of the first generation Tribeca are in the middle of the crossover price rating. Cheaper than it are Mazda CX-7 ($15,750 - $18,400), Hyundai Santa Fe ($14,300 - $18,800), Nissan Murano ($15,450 - $21,650), Mitsubishi Outlander ($12,499 - $17,400), Acura MDX ($15 755 - $22,400).
They offer to buy Volkswagen Touareg ($18,600 - $27,100), Lexus RX ($19,200 - $27,200), TOYOTA Prado ($18,700 - $28,999) at a higher price.
As for the second generation, the difference in prices is much greater. For comparison, we can give prices for models that are market leaders of the same years of production (2008-2012). The Lexus RX sells for $41,000 - $45,000. For individual copies, sellers want to get $59,999. The TOYOTA Prado ($33,499 - $40,000 - $46,000) is slightly inferior to it. VOLKSWAGEN Touareg costs from $44,999 to $50,999, reaching $67,199. Even more expensive is the BMW X3 (with a 3.5L engine) - it is sold for $36,000 - $47,000 - $64,700. The record holder among used crossovers is the MERCEDES ML-Class 350 ($39,000). – $56,000 – $73,000).
Test drive Subaru Tribeca
Immediately after the restyling, automobile publications showed increased interest in the Tribeca changes. The first impression was surprise - test drivers found changes only in appearance. Commentators continued to consider the interior design “cosmic”, but expressed a lack of understanding of the discrepancy between the “playful, ultra-fashionable interior” and the solid exterior.
Test drivers who are prone to comparisons note the average quality of finishing materials and the lack of additional options (for example, all-round cameras). Control of the crossover remains simple and easy, the suspension remains energy-intensive. But the car still does not provide the opportunity for active drive. In comparative test drives, the Tribeca is inferior in dynamics to the even weaker (2.3L) turbo engine of the Mazda CX-7.
Other differences - “Tribeca” rolls more, is less sensitive to the steering wheel, brake system noticeably dampened. In subsequent operation, not all the experts’ statements turned out to be true (for example, about the good perception of “ninety-second” gasoline). The general impression from the test drives is that the car is too simple for its advertised price.
Subaru Tribeca: reviews from owners and mechanics
After restyling, Tribeca acquired a more conservative exterior, which was supposed to attract a wealthy audience not inclined to the extravagant appearance of their car. This affected the radiator grille (the fancy shape of the first generation was gone), it became solid, with abundant longitudinal chrome plating. The head optics also acquired calmer shapes. The sharp edges of the trunk lid have been smoothed out, and the aggression in the appearance of the crossover has diminished.
Most owners of the first generation Tribeca do not support the idea that the design is controversial - they consider it original and beautiful. Comfort, ergonomics of the interior, parameters of the driver's seat - satisfy the owners, but not the experts. However, according to practical drivers, the seats are comfortable for long trips and everyday driving. "Tribeca" is convenient for large people; such owners praise the driver's seating position, the convenience of rear passengers, disembarkation, and embarkation.
All categories of reviews rate the car's handling as predictable and easy at all speeds (the crossover has not lost this traditional advantage of all Subaru models). The suspension received different ratings. During test drives and in practical use, it proved to be balanced, energy-consuming, and moderately tough.
Mechanics assess it as not strong enough for the increased weight of the machine. For the Legacy, this suspension is good, but with the weight of the Tribeca, it significantly loses service life and is more often repaired.
Opinions differed decisively about engine power. Experts, comparing it with competitors, find the power insufficient. Drivers write that the state of our roads and electronic assistants did not allow us to fully evaluate it. Another question is that even the opposed engine arrangement did not relieve the voluminous body from rolling and swaying at high speeds. Therefore, Subaru Tribeca is not a car for “racers”. Its destiny is cruising speeds in the region of 140 km. The reliability of the engine is beyond doubt, as is permanent all-wheel drive – Subaru’s main trump card. By the way, neither experts nor owners tried to evaluate the Tribeca off-road, well aware of its inability to handle extreme conditions.
Drivers cite poor noise insulation as a disadvantage of the model. There are problems with the brakes - when the hub brakes sharply, the discs quickly overheat (which, again, is due to the increased weight for which the brake system is not designed). Unpleasant body swaying is more pronounced on snowy, frozen surfaces when the speed increases. The complaints about the radio are unanimous - the control functions on the steering wheel are inconvenient, the device itself is of low quality, and the possibility of replacing the radio is excluded.
Mechanics note the short service life of the clutch mechanisms (which was not long enough for the Legacy) and brake discs. The life of the suspension has decreased significantly; on our roads, its elements are the most replaceable parts of the Tribeca. Almost all cars have a loose rear door that requires constant adjustment.
Drivers consider the Tribeca's biggest drawback to be high fuel consumption; this was also noted by European experts and car owners. The “domestic problem” was the immediate reaction to low-quality gasoline - the car lights up the check light, loses power, and refuses to drive. Other design flaws include the operation of the stabilization system (irritates it automatic switching on at low speeds of 40 km/h, no ability to turn off), a thoughtful automatic transmission, low ground clearance. Russian owners of Tribeca consider the high cost of spare parts to be a disadvantage. The Subaru branded service is rated as good, but not the cheapest.
Buying a used Subaru Tribeca is only rational for thrifty lovers of large crossovers. Even Subaru “fans” note that in terms of off-road qualities, the Forester is better, the Legacy is more reliable. The main advantage of a crossover on the secondary market is its low price (with a lower level of comfort).
Bottom line
There is no exact information about the release by Subaru of a new version of the large crossover. The company cannot ignore such a powerful market segment, but it will not make its plans public. It is not even known whether it will be an enlarged station wagon (like the Outback) or a full-size crossover (like the Mazda CX-9).
Subaru Tribeca model, specifications which will be described in more detail below, is a fairly large crossover from the Japanese automaker, first demonstrated at the 2005 North American Auto Show and named after one of the New York streets. This car became the first seven-seater car in the history of Subaru.
Subaru Tribeca Exterior Aesthetics
Stylistics appearance The crossover in question, about which numerous reviews from Subaru Tribeca owners are admiring, is clearly aimed at consumers of the North American market. Features of the implementation of the false radiator grille, bumpers and head lighting create a more classic and friendly appearance of the car. At the same time, the visual proportionality of the car indicates its rather considerable dimensions, represented by the following indicators:
In addition to its impressive size, the model’s recognition in traffic is formed by such structural elements as a massive front part, a high hood line, a sloping roof line, “muscular” wheel arches and a horizontal “rib” on the sidewalls, which starts from the front door handles and goes to rear lights. True, the form of the rear lighting technology cannot definitely be called original, since similar solutions are widely used in other models of various famous automakers.
Subaru Tribeca interior and its aspects
The interior design of the Subaru Tribeca crossover is bright and uniquely different from the implementation of its competitors. The overall impression is formed by the two-level “cunning” architecture of the dashboard, the extensive abundance of curved lines in the decoration of the center console, and the peculiarities of the shape and method of placing the instrument panel on the dashboard.
Particularly noteworthy is the design style of the information display, whose podium is harmoniously flowed around by dividing curved lines. At the same time, the dashboard pattern is continued on the door panels, but the somewhat simplified side surfaces simply stand out from the overall rich and futuristic surroundings.
Subaru Tribeca options and prices
Russian consumers were offered three levels of car equipment: DJ, UJ, DM. The basic version is equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, a glass sunroof, fog lights, a dynamic stabilization system, curtains and airbags, a rollover sensor, emergency braking assistant, an anti-theft system with an immobilizer, and heated front seats.
In addition, the standard equipment of the car already includes a height-adjustable steering wheel, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a rear view camera and an entertainment multimedia system for rear passengers. The cost of this version is 2.1 million rubles. For the seven-seater modification of the crossover, which additionally has a glass panoramic roof and a premium audio system, you have to pay 2.27 million rubles.
Features of technical characteristics of Subaru Tribeca
For the crossover in question, a single opposed power unit, exclusively five-band automatic transmission gears with functionality for manual shifting, as well as a system all-wheel drive, under normal conditions, ensuring distribution of traction force in favor of the rear axle in a proportion of 45/55.
Owner reviews published about Subaru Tribeca
I've been driving a car for about six months. So far I have no complaints. True, the fuel consumption in the city of 18 liters is still somewhat disappointing, but friends say that after running it should decrease. The engine runs great, the suspension is soft, the gearbox is responsive and comfortable, the interior is original. Very satisfied.
Dmitry M., Subaru Tribeca 2013 model.
I bought the car as a family car, and the technical characteristics of the Subaru Tribeca particularly attracted me. I am satisfied with almost everything: the car works flawlessly, the interior is comfortable, in general, the impression is excellent. True, the service is somewhat expensive.
Arkady S., 2012 Subaru Tribeca model.
