Find parts for your car Go to My VehiclesMore than a nose job If there were a gossip magazine for automotive facelifts, the Subaru Tribeca would be a cover star. The difference, though, is that the surgeon's work would look better in the after photos. Subaru's medium-sized soft-roader, available as a five- or seven-seater, has been on sale for a little over a year and yet has already come in for a nip, a tuck and a nose job. It is Subaru's - and probably the car industry's - fastest-ever makeover. Car makers customarily give their models a freshen-up about halfway through a vehicle's life cycle, about three years after its release. But following a mixed reaction to the original Tribeca (the nose was intended to resemble that of an aircraft), there is now an updated model. Everything forward of the windscreen is new (headlights, bonnet, bumper, fenders), the aperture of the rear side windows is larger and there's a new tailgate, rear bumper and tail-lights.
The changes are more than skin deep. As the Subaru designers were performing cosmetic surgery, engineers took the opportunity to perform a heart transplant. The previous 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine struggled at times on hills, so Subaru fitted a new ticker which has a bit more life in it. The new 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine has 5 per cent more power and 18 per cent more torque (or pulling power) than the previous engine. It also uses slightly less fuel than its predecessor, according to the figure on the compulsory fuel rating label, which is calculated on a lab test. During our road test, though, the new Tribeca was no more frugal than its predecessor, consuming between 16 and 19 litres for each 100 kilometres in a mix of city and highway driving. In comparison, we've recorded slightly lower figures for the new Toyota Kluger (14 to 17 litres/100km) in similar driving conditions. At least the updated Tribeca has less expensive tastes when it comes to fuel. The previous model insisted on premium unleaded but this one makes do with regular unleaded.
Subaru also installed a new automatic transmission. It has the same number of ratios as the old one (five) but with much smoother and more predictable shifts. As with the original Tribeca, there are four models in the new line-up: two five-seaters and two-seven seaters. Despite the extensive changes, prices remain the same, ranging from $53,990 to $60,990. Standard equipment on all models includes satellite navigation, a rear camera (now with a slightly wider view), dual-zone air-conditioning, power-adjustable front seats, sliding second-row seats, remote entry, high intensity xenon headlights and a better quality sound system. The flagship models of each version carry a $5000 premium and come with leather upholstery, heated front seats with "his and her" settings for the adjustable seating positions, a sunroof and a roof-mounted DVD player with a pair of wireless headphones. The cabin looks smart, which is probably why little has changed. It has a cockpit-style design, where the controls sweep around the driver.
There is, however, a downside to this. Some basic controls are a little out of reach. We also noted that some of the plastics feel cheap and hard to the touch. This may be attributed to the fact this Subaru is made in Lafayette, Indiana, US, whereas all other Subarus sold locally come from Japan. Some of the dials - in particular the fancy-looking air-conditioning controls with a digital display in the centre - felt a little flimsy. At least the instruments directly in front of the driver, such as the speedometer, are clear and easy to read. The steering wheel has illuminated audio controls and the cruise control is mounted on a stalk. Cabin storage is average (rivals have larger door pockets and centre consoles) but adequate. Third-row seat access has been improved. The second-row seat now has hinges and sits on rails so it can tilt and slide forward. Unfortunately, it's still pretty cramped once you're in the third row. It's for kids only. As before, the third-row seats fold into the floor to create a flat load space.
The Tribeca has a five-star safety rating for crash protection and a four-star rating for rollover protection (authorities are yet to award five stars to a 4WD for rollover protection) and comes with a comprehensive level of safety kit, including stability control and six airbags. There is one blot, however. The curtain airbags don't extend to the third-row seats (curtain airbags cover all three rows in the Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Kluger). For a brand that promotes its safety credentials (every model in the Subaru line-up has a five-star crash rating), the lack of curtain airbag protection in the third row seems a disappointing oversight. I found it difficult to find a comfortable driving position in the Tribeca. The driver's seat cushion is flat and unsupportive and the steering wheel has tilt-adjustment but not reach-adjustment. Larger, ultra-wide view convex mirrors on both sides help you manoeuvre this rather large vehicle in traffic, with good vision of what's in each lane either side.
Despite the larger rear glass area, the Tribeca's view when parking is still marginal, which is presumably why Subaru has fitted a wider angle camera and the image appears on a screen in the middle of the dashboard. It should be noted that the Tribeca's latest camera and screen are quite clear, especially at night, when some systems are not at their best. The new xenon headlights are a welcome change too, with a toothpaste-white glow on low beam and a strong, long range from the regular globes on high beam, making it ideal for country driving. Subaru expects many Tribecas will end up towing caravans, which is why it has improved the cooling on the transmission and made an effort to improve the towing capacity. The claimed maximum braked towing capacity of the new model is 2000kg and the unbraked towing capacity is 750kg. But Subaru has increased the tow ball weight from 100kg to 160kg with the new model. That said, I'd be inclined to tow lighter, smaller caravans to build in some margin for reliability and durability.
As with all Subarus, the Tribeca is covered by an unlimited kilometre three-year warranty, which should appeal to those who plan on covering long distances. Service intervals are the same as other Subarus, too, at 12,500 kilometres. Given the Tribeca is likely to be used on long hauls, it is odd Subaru has fitted a space-saver spare tyre. These are only good enough to get you to the next town, provided it's within the range of the space-saver - shown by a wear indicator on the tyre. Space-saver tyres seriously diminish a vehicle's road holding, which is why a maximum speed of 80kmh is recommended. If you're planning a big trek, we suggest you buy a full-size spare wheel and tyre from Subaru, or perhaps even from eBay. You might be able to squeeze it into the cargo area of a five-seater; otherwise, store it in whatever you're towing or strap it to a roof rack (provided the roof rack is capable of carrying the weight of the spare). A switch to wider tyres has made modest improvements in the ride and handling of the Tribeca, although they're designed for comfort rather than corners.