Judging by its name, this Subaru was intended for creative types from New York's SoHo district. But they would hardly have accepted it — the new Tribeca strongly resembles a Chrysler Voyager. It seems the Japanese were aiming at a wider audience, say, residents of Austin.
When the Japanese softened the ride of the fresh Impreza, it became obvious to everyone: the brand's former fans no longer interest them. The company needs turnover and profit, which means the time has come for housewives, vegetable traders, and women's aerobics instructors. These people also understand cars, but their priorities differ from those of Subaru fans. And comfortable seats matter more to them than a sharp steering wheel.
IT'S A MINIVAN!
A short drive from the dealer to the editorial office — just about four kilometers — helped us understand the key features of the new model. First, this is not an SUV, and second, it's not at all what we're used to calling a Subaru. Due to the high seating position and heavily raked windshield, it most resembles an American minivan. Of course, the low center of gravity and the power of the 3.6-liter boxer engine make it a decent athlete, but who races minivans here?
The restrained appearance of this "American" wildly clashes with the futuristic chaos on the center console. I last encountered such eclecticism in the Dodge Nitro, where a striking body coexists with icy interior minimalism. Here, a respectable exterior coexists with techno-kitsch — conservative outside, avant-garde inside. The brain struggles to digest such an intricate design concept and won't let you relax behind the wheel. Take the climate control unit, for example — three huge toggle switches. You don't need to turn or press them — they respond to rocking. At first it's amusing, then it starts to irritate.
Okay, let's not get distracted by trifles, but simply wake up all 258 "horses." The 3.6-liter flat-six is the largest in the Subaru lineup. But that's not its only plus. It also features low vibration levels and excellent balance. At low revs, it's practically inaudible.
However, even with such a lively engine, it's better to drive in the automatic's sport mode, since the standard logic of the "automatic" is too sluggish. Why not make "sport" the default mode, as in the Honda CR-V, where the gearbox itself allows revving the engine to 6,500 rpm? True, in Subaru's advertising, their automatic is called a "transmission that fulfills your every wish." Don't believe it. I wished for a lot, but nothing came true.
SPECS: SUBARU TRIBECA
THE BENEFIT OF MANUAL LABOR
To test the suspension and steering, I always rely on the dense left lane on Leningradskoye Shosse. You drive onto broken, rutted asphalt at night when the divider is barely visible, and if you manage to stay calm among drivers flying at 150 km/h and flashing their high beams — then the chassis is worth something. And when you pull over to the shoulder with a wet back, you want to send your soaked shirt to the marketing engineers — let them wash it; maybe during manual labor something will dawn on them.
I experienced no pleasure driving the new Subaru Tribeca in the left lane. The steering is too long, and the effort is always monotonous, so there's no feeling of full control. The suspension isn't tuned for pure comfort: it's energy-intensive and absorbs bumps from broken roads well, but it's insufficient for active maneuvering. Directional stability is also not its strong suit, especially on uneven surfaces. But overall — everything is decent, without much emotion...
ONLY IN AUSTIN
We can stop and look into the trunk. At first glance, it seems incredibly small. The boxes hidden under the false floor are to blame. This "organizer" perfectly accommodates and safely survives a long journey with various cargo. Where shall we go? I see only one route — to the small Texas town of Austin. Sipping non-alcoholic beer and listening to the jukebox.
