2008 Subaru Tribeca

2008 Subaru Tribeca

The Tribeca extends the legendary performance that Subaru has developed over years of automotive excellence. The Tribeca has an innovative and intelligent design, impressive control and safety, consisting of standard Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC).

The 2008 has even more power than last year's model. The new 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine with 256 horsepower and 247 lb.-ft. of torque runs on regular fuel. Combine that with the 5-speed automatic with Sportshift manual control, revised for smoother and quicker shifts, and you get a vehicle that is powerful and economical.

Tribeca's list of amenities is limitless, whether it's the smart seven-passenger seating configuration, front, side, and side curtain air bags, dual zone automatic climate control, or the integrated key fob, Tribeca makes owning a Subaru one of life's greatest pleasures.

The Tribeca carries seven passengers in three rows of seating. Fold one or both seats in the third row to create 37.6 cu. ft. of cargo space and with the second row of seats also folded, you get up to 74.4 cu. ft. of capacity.

Rain, roadwork, or an unexpected turn. In life you never know what will be around the corner. But with the Tribeca, you know what to expect. Tribeca's symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD) means that your tires really hug the road. Its uniquely balanced configuration helps ensure stability and poise. Its efficiency at transmitting power means greater grip and quick response to slippage. The AWD has been perfected over 30 years, giving you the confidence to handle virtually any road condition on your own terms.

Should you want to capture a pothole, drive the open road, or skate along an icy street, the Tribeca delivers a truly great driving experience, no matter what the road conditions may be.

The Tribeca is built on an extremely rigid platform, which not only aids its considerable handling ability, but also provides a solid smooth ride. Four-wheel disc brakes, enhanced with anti-lock brake system (ABS) and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), provide more even and stable braking by optimally apportioning power to the front and rear wheels.

There are numerous active safety features on the vehicle. The Tribeca is engineered for exceptional strength by helping to maintain the integrity of the cabin structure with ring-shaped reinforcement around the passenger compartment, which helps dissipate crash-impact energy away from the occupants.

An intelligent front air bag system senses the driver's seat position and whether the front passenger seat is occupied to determine the safest deployment level for each. A rollover sensor detects an imminent rollover and activates the seat belt pretensions and deploys the side curtain and side-impact air bags.

Inside the Tribeca you feel like you're in the master suite at the Waldorf Astoria. Ambient lighting, dual zone climate control, rear vision cameras, navigation system, and seating features that allows a 2-postiton driver seat memory. The feature memorizes the setting for you and another driver and automatically reverts the seats at the push of a button. You'll always stay warm with the standard heated front seats.

I was at a used car lot last week that specializes in clean, upscale, late-model cars. I could not find a single Subaru. I asked David Thomas, managing partner of the two Subaru places in Dallas, why that was so. He just smiled and without questioning my "car-smarts," said, "Well, when a customer buys a Subaru, over time they become like a part of the family. These cars are dependable, last forever, and are not very expensive to maintain. So people never sell or trade them in. They pass their Subarus on to their kids or other relatives; or just keep it as a second car after buying a new Subaru."

Well, that statement of Dave's made sense to me. With over 16 mpg in the city and nearly 22 on the highway, and a low price tag of $36,000, the Tribeca may just be the car buy of the year.

Durhl Caussey is an international car writer and a member of the Texas Auto Writers Association. He may be reached at this paper or dcaussey@sbcglobal.net .

Source: [url=http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-11-25/62308.html]Epoch Times[/url]