| A Week at the Wheel | Bucks, England | Subaru B9 Tribeca |

Inside & Out:

Subaru's B9 Tribeca is not a small vehicle. While hardly being a full-size SUV in US terms, at 4,857mm long it's a full 190mm longer than the X5. This allows even the seven-seat version to have reasonable luggage space available. All in all, we were pleasantly surprised by the B9 Tribeca. Build quality is more Japan than USA; driving quality is more Europe than USA and although not yet tested by the Euro NCAP, the B9 Tribeca did receive five-star safety awards from the US National Highway Road Safety Administration.

Engine & Transmission:

Unfortunately, there is no diesel option, just a petrol 3.0-litre 245bhp flat-six 'boxer' engine as used in the Legacy range. With maximum power being developed at a heady 6,600rpm and the 219lb.ft maximum torque at a high 4,200rpm, this doesn't on the face of it seem to be an ideal power plant for a big SUV. Initially it feels far too sporty, too in need of engine revs. But somehow it works; the engine is silky smooth and when revved howls like only a flat-six can howl. The five-speed automatic gearbox has well spaced ratios, selectable Sport mode and a sequential manual gear selection option. It complements the engine well.

On road, the B9 Tribeca feels rather lively. A time of 9.3 seconds for 0-60mph doesn't sound that fast, but the free-revving engine and smart take off ensure that anyone wanting to get away from the lights ahead of you is at least going to have to make some effort. The B9 Tribeca cruises on motorways at fast lane speeds with relatively low wind noise for an SUV and makes for a serene mode of transport - and with more than enough performance available for it not to be slowed by hills. On twistier roads roll-free handling allows the driver to press on without inducing nausea amongst the passengers.

Ride & Handling:

The flat-six engine also confers another advantage - a low centre of gravity. In fact, despite sitting some 33mm higher off the ground than a BMW X5, the B9 Tribeca's centre of gravity is actually 39mm lower. This manifests itself in the Tribeca's road behaviour - despite looking (and being) a tall vehicle, roll is well controlled when cornering. It also means that in rollover tests the B9 Tribeca performs like a passenger car allegedly being about half as likely to roll as the average US market SUV.

Subaru's long history of producing four-wheel drive vehicles means that although the premium market segment is new to the company, it does not enter the market as a novice. The four-wheel drive system has a nominal 45/55 front/rear bias for better turn-in and more balanced handling, but the system can equally adjust this in milliseconds to send traction to the end of the vehicle most able to use it. There's plenty of ground clearance so off road the Tribeca proves to be a more worthy performer than the mostly on-road biased competitors.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

So how did the B9 Tribeca come about? For starters, it's not made in Japan - it's made in the US with Saab. The range comprises of three models: the S5 and SE5 (both with five seats) and the seven seat SE7 as pictured here. Prices range from £29,097 up to £34,097 for the SE7 model, which is still cheaper than its rivals. Even so, a leather interior, electric driver's seat with memory, heated seats, sunroof, DVD navigation with reversing camera and rear seat screens with headphones and rear air conditioning (to add to the dual-zone climate control up front) are all standard fitment on this seven-seat model.

Overall:

The Subaru B9 Tribeca is a rare sight, whether this is down to challenging looks or lack of a diesel engine option is debatable. However, it deserves to make anyone's short list and a more aesthetically acceptable version will be launched in the near future.