Subaru Tribeca Reportedly Axed
One of the least-loved Subarus is about to find out what happens when you lose a popularity contest in the auto industry.
Set to be axed at year’s end according to insider sources, even Subaru wouldn’t confirm the crossover’s existence beyond the 2013 model year.
While easily criticized for its unusual styling back when it first launched in 2005, that was just one of a long list of flaws. Other reasons not to love the Tribeca include the fact that its engine was too small and not powerful enough, fuel economy wasn’t great and size-wise it was always a bit of a stretch to call it a three row.
Sales never lived up to expectations and Subaru’s lack of interest in its future is obvious in the fact that apart from minor updates, little development has been done to plan for the crossover’s future. In fact, even the 2012 model continues to use an outdated 5-speed automatic transmission.
Past rumors have suggested a next-generation Tribeca could be in the works, sharing the same platform as the Toyota Highlander.
[Source: MotorTrend]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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It never established an identity for itself, and the extreme ugliness of the first model stained its reputation for evermore.
We literally raced out and bought an '07 Tribeca when we learned that the grill was going to be changed in '08...and have not been disappointed! We have less than 40K on it, but mileage continues to improve (about 28 highway, while using regular,,,still doesn't like the stop and go of city driving, however). I judge everyone else's transmission by how smoothly they shift compared to the Tribeca...nobody comes close! It holds the road, and while I don't "drive it like I stole", it accelerates plenty fast for a car that the "experts" say has too small an engine. Comfort is the big thing, though. It is much more comfortable on long drives than our Outback. If Subaru discontinues the Tribeca and doesn't come up with something to take its place, we might find ourselves without a Subaru for the first time in many years. About the "identity" issue...when they changed the grill to the current design, all of a sudden, the Tribeca had no identity; it could be a Ford, Chev, or almost anything else. Nope, I wouldn't trade my Tribeca for anything out there right now.