New Tribeca

[SubieDriver]

Finally something to tease us:

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/09/19/subaru-three-row-suv-spy-shots/

[Opie]

Was hoping to hear 3.6L TT, or 3.6T

[RobbieGT]

I spy 3.6r Legacy brakes. Damn! I was hoping for a budget big brake kit!

[SBT]

5x114.3 wheels if following the previous Tribeca model, and the current Subaru Legacy platform trend.

 

Adaptation from the current OB platform, just like the previous version. Looks vaguely like the Exiga, dimensionally, but too wide.

[The B4]

Exiga is shorter than the Outback. This thing looks longgggggg. It looks like it has the ground clearance, but it doesn't look unnecessarily tall.

[ToRealEyes]

Looking at the ride height and size, I fear it will handle like a boat.

[ehsnils]

Looking at the ride height and size, I fear it will handle like a boat.

Does that make it different from any other minivan?

[The B4]

Looking at the ride height and size, I fear it will handle like a boat.

 

CX-9 handles very well for its size. The CX-9 is out testing with it in the spy shots. It bodes well if they are benchmarking it

[theGeneral]

Very interesting.

[ToRealEyes]

CX-9 handles very well for its size. The CX-9 is out testing with it in the spy shots. It bodes well if they are benchmarking it

 

That's a relief.

 

The '94 Mazda MPV we had growing up was even somewhat nimble. At least, definitely more so than its Dodge/Ford counterparts at the time. So yes, I believe it is possible for a large vehicle to instill some sort of handling confidence to the driver.

 

RIP Mazda MPV, should never have let you get cash for clunker-ed. My poor parents have still not found a good replacement at that price point.

 

But back on topic - I wouldn't be surprised if the Tribeca replacement price point hovers around or above the (new) current CX-9. Especially with their up-market moves of recent, ie. Outback "Touring" trim. We drove one of these for a week. $37k window sticker.

[laufu]

That's a relief.

 

The '94 Mazda MPV we had growing up was even somewhat nimble. At least, definitely more so than its Dodge/Ford counterparts at the time. So yes, I believe it is possible for a large vehicle to instill some sort of handling confidence to the driver.

 

RIP Mazda MPV, should never have let you get cash for clunker-ed. My poor parents have still not found a good replacement at that price point.

 

But back on topic - I wouldn't be surprised if the Tribeca replacement price point hovers around or above the (new) current CX-9. Especially with their up-market moves of recent, ie. Outback "Touring" trim. We drove one of these for a week. $37k window sticker.

 

Funny you mentioned the Mazda MPV and handling like a boat. From my experience with dad's old 92 MPV with 4WD, it was nimble on road at highway speeds, but once you were at parking lot speeds, the steering required so much turning to go from lock to lock. Like a boat. Still the MPV was a good car, so much so, I think subconsciously, it inspired me to buy my Tribeca.

 

Back to the topic.

 

What I find interesting in these pictures are the CX-9 and the Explorer, the Mazda has a 4 cylinder turbo and the Ford can be optioned with one. Could Subaru be testing their 2.0DIT against them?

 

The Tribeca was one of the most expensive Subarus. So I would not be surprised if the starting price for the new 7 seater will be near around $37k.

[The B4]

That's a relief.

 

The '94 Mazda MPV we had growing up was even somewhat nimble. At least, definitely more so than its Dodge/Ford counterparts at the time. So yes, I believe it is possible for a large vehicle to instill some sort of handling confidence to the driver.

 

RIP Mazda MPV, should never have let you get cash for clunker-ed. My poor parents have still not found a good replacement at that price point.

 

But back on topic - I wouldn't be surprised if the Tribeca replacement price point hovers around or above the (new) current CX-9. Especially with their up-market moves of recent, ie. Outback "Touring" trim. We drove one of these for a week. $37k window sticker.

 

http://mediaroom.kbb.com/new-car-transaction-prices-continue-climb-despite-slowing-sales-august-2016

 

The average price of a new Subaru in August was $28,283.

The average price of a midsized SUV (non luxury) was $37,122

I think a new Tribeca might get close to $50k with all the bells and whistles plus accessories.

[FLlegacy]

http://mediaroom.kbb.com/new-car-transaction-prices-continue-climb-despite-slowing-sales-august-2016

 

The average price of a new Subaru in August was $28,283.

The average price of a midsized SUV (non luxury) was $37,122

I think a new Tribeca might get close to $50k with all the bells and whistles plus accessories.

 

I don't think so, look at what the upscale Outback offers and that is pretty much what you will get with the new 7 seater even when the tribeca came out it wasn't even close to cutting edge tech. I think $40kish will be the high end of the price range.

[The B4]

I don't think so, look at what the upscale Outback offers and that is pretty much what you will get with the new 7 seater even when the tribeca came out it wasn't even close to cutting edge tech. I think $40kish will be the high end of the price range.

 

Building a touring Outback how I'd like it is $41,229. New Beckie will be more expensive than an Outback, plus offer more tech as well. There will probably be an entertainment system again. I think fully loaded version with accessories will be $47-48K

 

For 2006:

$30,500 Outback LL Bean H6 (leather)

$32,395 base 7 B9 Tribeca (cloth)

 

$33,691 Outback LL Bean VDC w/ Navi

$38,320 loaded 7 B9 Tribeca

 

 

Looking back, the Tribeca crossed the $40k line back in 2012

 

2012:

$35,465 Outback 3.6R Ltd w/ Navigation

$40,670 Touring Tribeca

 

And those prices are without any accessories.

[FLlegacy]

2012:

$35,465 Outback 3.6R Ltd w/ Navigation

$40,670 Touring Tribeca

 

And those prices are without any accessories.

 

And they sold so well ...you think subaru is going to keep making the same mistake with pricing. What tech can subaru offer on a 7 passenger that is going to be above and beyond whats in the Outback? The tribeca never offered anything better than what the rest of the lineup already had.

[The B4]

2012:

$35,465 Outback 3.6R Ltd w/ Navigation

$40,670 Touring Tribeca

 

And those prices are without any accessories.

And they sold so well ...you think subaru is going to keep making the same mistake with pricing. What tech can subaru offer on a 7 passenger that is going to be above and beyond whats in the Outback? The tribeca never offered anything better than what the rest of the lineup already had.

 

Even after deep discounts and lease programs, Subaru sold less and less Tribecas, so I don't think it was the pricing. Everything Subaru makes is more expensive than it was back then(starting @ 2007 really) and they all sell way better to boot. The Tribeca spanned two generations of Outback, so there were definitely things that the Tribeca was left behind on. At the outset...better rear suspension, nicer interior, bigger brakes, bigger wheels, higher tow capacity, better sound system, rear ac, footwell and overhead lighting, built in homelink, VDC, and reverse sensors that I can think of. Things like HIDs became available at some point and that was never available on any Outback until the current generation.

 

The tech Subaru might offer? Probably its next advancement in Eyesight with more autonomous driving, some sort of entertainment system, mobile hotspot for families, better interior materials, more advanced lighting, power folding mirrors, bigger wheels, heads up display, power sunshades... who knows. It will be its new flagship and a generation newer than the current Outback and Forester. The gestation time alone for this thing says that it's something more than a bigger Outback.

 

Just like an Outback is more expensive than a Forester which is more expensive than a Crosstrek, the new Beckie will be price positioned above the Outback regardless. I'd expect a fully loaded seven seater with a good helping of accessories to land somewhere in the thick of things.

 

How I'd build a loaded model(not every accessory):

 

$56,580 Explorer

$53,310 Durango

$51,231 Pilot

$50,380 Traverse

$49,095 Pathfinder

$47,794 Highlander

$46,360 Mazda CX-9

$44,100 Santa Fe

 

 

I didn't even add any racking systems or tow hitches to these.

[FLlegacy]

I think your hoping for a moon shot and are going to actually get a ground ball. What has Subaru done that has revolutionized their lineup like you are seemingly hoping they do...nothing. Subaru plays it safe and then roles in updates little by little.

 

None of what you listed in the Tribeca was any kind of fancy, was it nicer than the previous outback, yes and no. The rear air was a necessity, but it was AC only, footwell lights, integrated homelink...really thats what you think was so revolutionary about the Tribeca...VDC was available in most auto-turbo combos and HID lights I don't think were available in the US model. The stereo is ok, my wifes 9 speaker premium audio is definitely not better than my 9 speaker HK system.

 

The RSE and rear air are the only two things I can say are different than the rest of the lineup, but when compared to other 3 row SUVs those features lagged behind even then.

 

Is it a nice car, absolutely, and it has aged well. But I am not going to pretend it is something it is not nor ever was.

 

I hope the new 7 seater is as good and better than the tribeca, and I am sure it will be. But I don't think it will be cross shopped seriously with most of the SUVs you have listed I even think the price will be well within the low $40k range.

 

Eyesight, entertainment...yada yada yada nothing new there.

[The B4]

I think your hoping for a moon shot and are going to actually get a ground ball. What has Subaru done that has revolutionized their lineup like you are seemingly hoping they do...nothing. Subaru plays it safe and then roles in updates little by little.

 

None of what you listed in the Tribeca was any kind of fancy, was it nicer than the previous outback, yes and no. The rear air was a necessity, but it was AC only, footwell lights, integrated homelink...really thats what you think was so revolutionary about the Tribeca...VDC was available in most auto-turbo combos and HID lights I don't think were available in the US model. The stereo is ok, my wifes 9 speaker premium audio is definitely not better than my 9 speaker HK system.

 

The RSE and rear air are the only two things I can say are different than the rest of the lineup, but when compared to other 3 row SUVs those features lagged behind even then.

 

Is it a nice car, absolutely, and it has aged well. But I am not going to pretend it is something it is not nor ever was.

 

I hope the new 7 seater is as good and better than the tribeca, and I am sure it will be. But I don't think it will be cross shopped seriously with most of the SUVs you have listed I even think the price will be well within the low $40k range.

 

Eyesight, entertainment...yada yada yada nothing new there.

 

We're talking about a 11 year old car and Subaru's tech at the time. When the B9 Tribeca came out, VDC was only available on one model of Outback. HIDs did make it to the USDM Touring Tribeca. 2006 Tribeca lagged in features. 2008 fixed that, but the vehicle fell behind again over the next 6 years with few updates. What will it be cross shopped with then? You can see a CX-9 and Explorer in the spyshots, so obviously Subaru is thinking of those as competitors. Those are the mainstream 7 passengers on the market. All I'm saying is that the new vehicle will top out in the $47/$48k range with all the bells and whistles and nicely accessorized. Subaru will be missing both competitive content and profit opportunity if it somehow does not top out in that range. The only way it doesn't in the first model year is if Subaru adds a touring variant later.

[FLlegacy]

And I think, it will be geared more toward people who want a subaru already but just need the extra seating flexibility, IMO the closer it gets to $50k the less it will sell Subaru would be smarter to keep it close to $40k at that price point you are getting better content than the competition.

 

If subaru tries to beat the competition with niceties its going to be another failure, IMO it needs to be all about core values like the rest of lineup delivers. They aren't the nicest, don't have the most tech, aren't the prettiest. However, end of the day, they all deliver on performance, reliability, and utility while meeting with comfort and economy in their respective classes.

 

I just don't think the Subie will compete with the higher trim levels available from other automakers, and I don't believe that is the target customer for Subaru.