Used 2012 Subaru Tribeca SUV Review & Ratings

Performance

It does not matter which trim you pick in the 2012 Subaru Tribeca SUV, they are all powered by a strong 3.6-liter six-cylinder horizontally opposed engine paired up with a five-speed automatic transmission. No manual transmission is available and all are all-wheel drive. Under normal driving conditions, 55 percent of the engine power is directed to the rear wheels.

Acceleration is pretty good, reaching 60 mph in 8.3 seconds, and fuel economy is about average, returning 16 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. Properly equipped, the Tribeca can safely tow up to 3,500 pounds, which is more than enough for most drivers.

On the open road, this SUV performs confidently. It maneuvers well and the steering offers a nice amount of nimbleness. Tribeca features a four-wheel independent suspension that does a wonderful job of absorbing the bumps and holes in the road to deliver a smooth ride to all passengers, not just those in the front seat.

Technology

• Audio: Depending on trim, you will either enjoy a 100-watt, six-speaker system or a 385-watt Harmon/Kardon system and 10 speakers. It is pretty easy to figure out which one most will want.
• Rear Seat Entertainment: If you frequently have rear seat passengers, you will want to add on the DVD entertainment system with monitors in the back of head rests and wireless remotes, headphones and game controllers.
• Navigation System: Unfortunately, this is not a standard feature like it is with other SUVs. It is only available on the Limited and Touring trims and it includes a rearview camera.

Safety

When it comes to safety, Tribeca excels. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated this vehicle “Good” in side-impact, roof-strength and frontal-offset crash tests. It should also be noted that when braking was tested, it blew its competition away, coming to a complete stop from 60 mph in only 121 feet.

To shield passengers in the event of a collision, it features a ring-shaped reinforcement frame. Also, Tribeca features rollover sensors to deploy airbags when they are needed. Other safety features include:

• Antilock brakes
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Whiplash protection system in front head restraints
• Traction control
• Front seatbelt pretensioners
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Stability control
• Child seat anchors
• Emergency braking assist
• Rear door safety locks
• Engine immobilizer

Appearance

The 2012 Subaru Tribeca is definitely a good looking vehicle. It is a little sporty, but not flashy. Many people have expressed their dislike for the grille, but other features, such as chrome door handles, privacy glass, raised roof rails, bright dual exhaust outlets and body colored mirrors more than make up for this.

Comfort

Don’t get too excited over the third row seating because you have to be a child to even fit in the rear row. The front row seats are spacious and comfortable, but other than that, there is not much to get excited about. The third row seat was clearly an afterthought, or not well thought out or executed.

The interior is stylish, with leather trimmed upholstery, a leather wrapped shifter handle and silver metallic trim found on the dashboard. Controls are simple and easy to use, but nothing to get excited about. On the downside, the cabin is noisy; you will never enjoy a quiet ride on the highway.

Cargo

This is a category where Tribeca excels and fails at the same time. With that afterthought third row seat in place, you only get 8.3 cubic feet. What are you supposed to do with that? However, when all seats are folded, you are awarded 74.4 cubic feet, which blows the competition away.