IwannaSportSedan Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Fusion + SHO 3.5TT WTF! Too bad I'm done modding my DD after this thing and won't be looking for a car like this in the future. Funny... I have been thinking the same thing... Just too much to gamble with by futzing with a car that has to get back and forth every day. It also is pushing me to think about considering non-turbo engines for daily drivers, just to avoid the service costs, and repair complexities... with people seeing blown turbos, clogged oil feed lines, broken piston ring lands, split intercoolers or dislodged pressure hoses... and on, and on... But I still love the EJ25 turbo engine... and for a project car or weekend sportster... would be bloody fantastic. If subaru would build a sporty car with less than 4 doors with said engine. I like turbos, and the way they behave... but more complexity and more heat does have it's costs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 It also is pushing me to think about considering non-turbo engines for daily drivers, just to avoid the service costs, and repair complexities... with people seeing blown turbos, clogged oil feed lines, broken piston ring lands, split intercoolers or dislodged pressure hoses... and on, and on... Yup. If stupid Subaru had given us a 6MT 3.0R option, I'd be driving it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLegacy99 Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 There was just an article on Autoblog about the EcoBoost 4 powering camo-ed face-lifted Ford Edge mules. Ford Edge and upcoming Explorer are probably going to spear-head the EcoBoost 4, but it wouldn't surprise me to see it in the Fusion/Milan/MKZ, as well. but manual gearbox, especially manual+AWD, might be a tall order for Ford. They have an abysmal history of only offering manuals on the very most base trim line, not on the upper-feature trim lines, and pretty much never pairing manual and AWD together. Oh really? I had heard an Ecoboost 2.0L Explorer has been in the works for some time, but perhaps my doubt in an offering the Edge was ill concieved. I definately think that there are people out there who are afraid of a 4 cylinder in a vehicle that size. But Ecoboost is doing as its intended. Case in point. The 210 HP Explorer is rated for 13/19 MPG. The larger MKT with the 355 HP Ecoboost 3.5L is rated for 16/22. Imagine what a 2.0L unit could do in a CUV, reportedly offering about 20-30 more HP than the outgoing 4.0L V6. But you're right. Ford has never offered that many MTs. I am surprised to see that the Milan is still offered with one. I never see em or the Fusion with them. Yup. If stupid Subaru had given us a 6MT 3.0R option, I'd be driving it. I'm interested in the DI unit supposedly in the Toyobaru. Could be very appealing given the price of gas today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiablo Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 As a replacement for my wife's 03 Highlander we considered the Tribeca as well as the Forester... and bought a 2010 Toyota Venza. Bigger than a Forester, cooler and cheaper than the Tribeca. With so many impressive models to choose from in these segments, it's not hard to believe Subaru is having a tough time here. My VB Garage... Pumping the air back into despair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viber Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 The competition is less ugly than the Tribeca. They are cheaper. They have more power and get better gas mileage doing it. ....Tribeca has a long way to go. Why would I buy a Tribeca when I could get a Highlander or an Edge? That being said, I don't think it should be eliminated, but it does need improvement. This. The Tribeca's shitty sales numbers make perfect sense. It might be the worst featured vehicle in its class. The interior is very cheap and plasticy The audio system is garbage It's expensive The Nav system is complete ass I'd rather get a 2010 Equinox if I were in the market for a vehicle of this type Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLegacy99 Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 I think the Tribeca is way over priced. They need to drop features or something to get that price tag down to the Mid 20s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verwilderd Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Actually...for what it offers and what it's priced....it's actually very competitive...the issue is that for a third row vehicle, the spacing is not that great....Also the big thing it offers is not something people generally care about when shopping for a midsize suv (AWD). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiablo Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Actually...for what it offers and what it's priced....it's actually very competitive...the issue is that for a third row vehicle, the spacing is not that great....Also the big thing it offers is not something people generally care about when shopping for a midsize suv (AWD). Based upon my recent cross-shopping analysis, I disagree that the Tribeca is "very competitive". I really wanted to buy another Subaru, but... It's not nearly as stylish as other options out there that offer more interior space, better gas mileage, nicer interior finishes, all wheel drive options with more power for less money. The amount of manufacturers offering models in this space is unreal. We looked at a lot of vehicles - I didn't find a single model out there in the 25k range that was inferior in any way to the Tribeca. I wouldn't be surprised if the Tribeca is not around to see a refresh in the next couple of years. My VB Garage... Pumping the air back into despair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recuomo Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Was looking to buy a '10 OB to replace our '04 but hate the color selections, lack of folding mirrors and lack of temp gauge. We are going to live with the '04 for awhile longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuzaxeman Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 i luv the tribeca. i think it's a little over priced but the tribeca is a great suv. i drove my inlaws and took a long trip and it's comfortable. my inlaws tribeca has over 100k miles and has had not 1 major problem other than replacing battery and brakes. i would never in hell buy a ford....i drove the fusion and can't stand it. drive the fusion long enough and you'll notice you'll miss ur legacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_J Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Disappointed that the new Outback has a smaller cargo area and shorter overall cargo length. Also the roof rack is too bulky and weird looking. The dark green is the one color I really like though...previously not available for many years. The hood has hydraulic lifters which is a nice improvement at least over the heavy duty reinforced hood of earlier models that a weigh a TON. SOA I hope will stop the Toyota-tization of their product line. Keep the Outback a light truck/ wagon style and less of a soccer mom grocery-getter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Based upon my recent cross-shopping analysis, I disagree that the Tribeca is "very competitive". I really wanted to buy another Subaru, but... It's not nearly as stylish as other options out there that offer more interior space, better gas mileage, nicer interior finishes, all wheel drive options with more power for less money. The amount of manufacturers offering models in this space is unreal. We looked at a lot of vehicles - I didn't find a single model out there in the 25k range that was inferior in any way to the Tribeca. I wouldn't be surprised if the Tribeca is not around to see a refresh in the next couple of years. Stylish is subjective. I don't find the Highlander or Pilot better looking than the Tribeca. they both offer marginally better real world fuel economy. The Tribeca is one of the most fun to drive vehicles in the segment. It offers more standard features for the price than any of its competitors. Power is still and function of weight... and it has a better power to weight ratio than most of the vehicles in the segment. The interior one an international award for best interior for a premium SUV. Popular Mechanics data: http://i45.tinypic.com/11mb590.png To reiterate, the Tribeca's faults are it's lack of 3rd row room and a lack of bells and whistles (although it did add harmon kardon, bluetooth, and HIDs this year.) Price is definitely not the Tribeca's issue. http://i48.tinypic.com/14cyzhi.jpg http://i48.tinypic.com/rljg2d.jpg http://i50.tinypic.com/2n9bbiv.jpg [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Picked the wrong Murano model. http://i46.tinypic.com/t7g0tt.jpg [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiablo Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Dang - after all that time spent behind the wheel of all of those test drive vehicles it seems that I (along with every body else that didn't buy the Tribeca) chose the wrong car. My VB Garage... Pumping the air back into despair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Considering there are 300 tribecas out there (which isn't even 1 per Subaru Dealer) I doubt many people in the midsize SUV market was test driving one let alone even know what a Tribeca is. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiablo Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 My local dealer (Cherry Hill Subaru) has 6 on their lot. Not a single one has a sticker price of under $35k. My VB Garage... Pumping the air back into despair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 My local dealer (Cherry Hill Subaru) has 6 on their lot. Not a single one has a sticker price of under $35k. Your local Mazda dealer (Maple Shade Mazda) has 29 AWD Touring CX-9's and all but 2 are over $35k [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiablo Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 I drove the Tribeca and the CX-9 back-to-back on the same day. Mazda wins by a landslide. My VB Garage... Pumping the air back into despair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The B4 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 I like the CX-9 Better... probably why it was SUV of the year... but there's nothing else in the range other than the Tribeca that's even close to the CX-9. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Power is still and function of weight... and it has a better power to weight ratio than most of the vehicles in the segment. Popular Mechanics data: http://i45.tinypic.com/11mb590.png If power is a function of weight, then why did the CX-9 better the Tribeca in power-to-weight ratio, but not on the acceleration testing? Why is the Highlander slower in the quarter? The truth is that these "quantitative" comparo tests are still open to a margin of error. In the real-world, I think it's sufficient to simply say that the Tribeca is competitive in its segment in the quantitative measures. And just as pragmatically, I think it's also important to remember that buyers in this segment aren't all about performance stats. Unless one's shopping the mega-power-Utes segment, truly, what's a few tenths (or even full seconds) off, in the sprint to 60 or through the quarter? My sister-in-law chose the CX-9 over the Tribeca earlier this year. The Tribeca fell to the wayside in her considerations after the first round of test-drives. It wasn't that she didn't like how it performed. Similarly, it wasn't the pricing - both the CX-9 and the Pilot were more expensive. Rather, it was the quirky interior design - "award wining" (c.2006) it may be but alas, you're right, The B4, beauty is subjective, both inside and out, as well as, again spot-on, the lack of third-row space that really did the vehicle in. Whatever the reasons may be, the Tribeca simply has not proven popular. As a Subaru loyalist, would I look at one, if I were purchasing in that segment? Certainly, I would. I like the interior, have no need for the third row, and the exterior doesn't bother me (I actually grew to like the B9's rather distinctive aesthetics, and although I think the current restyle is just too cookie-cutter, it really doesn't offend me enough to drop the car from outright contention; I mean, come-on, gimmie a break, my wife is in an '09 FXT, and I friggin' love the thing ). FWIW, I think that I'd like the way it drives, too. But would I buy it? That, I honestly don't know. There's just something I can't quite get my fingers around - an intangible which, I suspect, is that missing part of the formula that Subaru has failed to capture with the Tribeca, and is what's causing it to miss sales. Who has their hands on that Cobb supercharged B9? <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuzaxeman Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 part of the sales issue with the tribeca and the rest of the subaru line is there aren't many dealerships around. not many people know about the tribeca too. i drove the cx-9 and it's a great suv. but the tribeca is faster, proven awd, has better looking interior, has a better ride (cx-9 drove harsher), and isn't common (which i think is cool since cx-9 are everywhere). it's all what u want and can afford and if u can find a good deal on the tribeca, get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Yup. If stupid Subaru had given us a 6MT 3.0R option, I'd be driving it. An odd rattling sound got me paranoid this last week about the potential for the turbo going out on my Legacy GT, and possibly taking the short block with it. And the dampers are gone, and the thing rides like a model A truck, with solid rubber tires... I need to look to that, too, but don't want to put marginal stock replacement dampers on it, if I am going to keep it, but don't want to spend on Bilsteins, if I am not going to keep it. And considering how smoothly my SVX drives, despite it's failed-clearcoat appearance... I am seriously considering trading the Legacy GT for something else. I would rather spend thousands on a trade-up than a new engine, turbo, and labor... But I can't think of anything else I want that much. If I go to a 2007-2009 3.0R Limited, I lose the possibility of a decent paint color, AND lose the availability for the manual gearbox. If I go to Infiniti, I can get a nice V6, and AWD, but no manual gearbox there, either. The AWD is part-time, not full time... Also, I do like the boxer engine design, although the VQ is reportedly very good. Plus the Coupe AWD cars are pretty new, and still a bit of $$$, and for some reason, the AWD car doesn't get the paddle shifters that the S-model RWD automatics do. (almost SOA quality decision making...) If I buy another SVX... I'll have two rare cars that nobody, including Subaru, makes parts for anymore. A V6 A5 Quattro 6-speed is probably not all that affordable, either. I detest FWD handling characteristics, and RWD, while better in the dry, is almost impassable in the winter... heck this winter, even Subaru AWD and snow tires have been a challenge for the NASTY weather. So... The last option... while Subaru can't sell the Tribeca, and won't sell a sport package H6 Legacy, and still won't show us a coupe... I wonder if my turbo and engine blow... if an EZ36, along with it's ECU, and front exhaust section... would bolt into my Legacy, directly onto my car's 5MT... Or if it would be cheaper to put a Spec.B 6MT and differential into a 2007-2009 3.0R Limited... and why the heck did Subaru not offer the car that way, as a 3.0R Spec B, just to offer the driveline choice? The H6 BL Legacy has the Bilsteins, the memory seats, and all the other Spec B equipment... minus the alcantara seat inserts and the manual gearbox. That is it. Maybe if I buy a 3.0R Limited... and someone else has a Spec.B... but really wants an automatic gearbox, instead... a trans and rear diff swap... Maybe if Subaru offered some configurations to both the Tribeca, and their other vehicle lines... and let people GET WHAT THEY WANT, maybe they would sell even more vehicles than they currently are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 ^ Winky's still going strong - knock on wood - but I know exactly what you mean. <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viber Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 The Tribeca is more of a CX7 competitor. The CX9 is a fill size Suv. The Tribeca us not. There is a reason why the CX9 is 4500lbs with 17cu ft. of storage despite seating 7. It's huge. The modest size of Tribeca leaves only 8.3 cu. ft with a 3rd row, and weighs a lofty 4100lbs. The Tribeca is more akin to a crossover, as is the CX7. I got to drive a new Ford Edge, and new Chevy Equinox. Both left a much bigger impression on me than the Tribeca, which I last drove in early 2009, and walked away feeling uninspired. Inside and out, I found the American endeavors to be more appealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 ^ That's a good point - RE: CX-7/Tribeca comparison. However, most in the popular press do not see it that way, and similarly, when my sister-in-law cross-shopped the vehicles, after having had one CX-7 in her family (her husband's, to be exact), chose instead to compare the Tribeca with the CX-9 and the Pilot. At the same time, my brother-in-law, who favors "smaller" vehicles and currently, as I mentioned, leases his CX-7, eyes my wife's FXT. <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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