Let??™s start with the bottom line: If you dismissed the 2006 or 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca as too pricey, too ugly or too powerless, I??™ve got good news for you.

The 2008 Tribeca gets a radical makeover. It loses more than just half its name and gains more than just a pleasant face. A better engine and improved interior refinement make it seem like an all-new vehicle.

When Subaru brought out its B9 Tribeca crossover-utility two years ago, it seemed somewhat of a stretch for the Japanese maker of all-wheel-drive machines for independent thinkers.

After all, the Tribeca was named for a trendy New York City neighborhood, far from the quasi-rugged imagery of vehicles with names like Forester or Outback. (The B9 part was a tribute to the B9X, the original name for the Tribeca that everyone agreed was too close to the name of Saab??™s 9-7X. More on this later.)

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Source: [url=http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_6259486]San Jose Mercury News[/url]