Good gearbox, too. As it is in the Legacy 3.6R, the manual mode on the Tribeca's transmission is obedient, smooth and very fast to shift in both directions. Unlike virtually all other crossovers, Tribeca's sport-shift gate is actually worth visiting.
All four, all the time
Finally, the AWD system constantly powers all four wheels rather than switching the rear ones on and off in reaction to wheelspin. It works like a charm in virtually every situation, leaving drivers to experience fuss-free traction rather than the wheelspin, torque steer and squirming typical of lesser systems as they get to work.
Added up, Tribeca's drivetrain leaves drivers and their passengers to enjoy even nasty winter travel with an elevated sense of sportiness, confidence and defeat over the elements.
The 7-seat 'Scoobie'
Up to 7 occupants can hop aboard, and the tester offered up features like Bluetooth, a premium audio system, automatic climate control, heated leather and a rear-seat DVD entertainment console to keep everyone comfortable and entertained on the move.
Thanks to a surprisingly tight turning circle (perhaps the smallest of any comparably-sized machine your writer's ever tried), the Tribeca is a cinch for mom and dad to park and move about tight spaces, too.
Materials selection is about average for the Tribeca's market—consisting mainly of hard plastic with a few soft-touch panels and a leather steering wheel for good measure. Most of the dash and doors are nicely assembled, but far from pleasing to the touch.
Good visibility, easy to use
Great to look at, though. A flowing, techy and modern centre console houses some slick audio and climate controls and drew many positive comments from passengers. Best of all, designers have used an uninterrupted front shelf and kept most of the visual action low on the dashboard, which gives drivers a clean and focused view outwards.
Rearward visibility and at-hand storage facilities were adequate, and fully automatic lights and climate control add some ease of use. In all, Tribeca's interior is slightly more interesting to look at and interface with than the norm. No issues to note with entry or exit up front, though third-row passengers above 3 feet will have issues boarding.
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| The manual mode on the Tribeca's transmission is obedient, smooth and very fast to shift in both directions. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |
All four, all the time
Finally, the AWD system constantly powers all four wheels rather than switching the rear ones on and off in reaction to wheelspin. It works like a charm in virtually every situation, leaving drivers to experience fuss-free traction rather than the wheelspin, torque steer and squirming typical of lesser systems as they get to work.
Added up, Tribeca's drivetrain leaves drivers and their passengers to enjoy even nasty winter travel with an elevated sense of sportiness, confidence and defeat over the elements.
The 7-seat 'Scoobie'
Up to 7 occupants can hop aboard, and the tester offered up features like Bluetooth, a premium audio system, automatic climate control, heated leather and a rear-seat DVD entertainment console to keep everyone comfortable and entertained on the move.
Thanks to a surprisingly tight turning circle (perhaps the smallest of any comparably-sized machine your writer's ever tried), the Tribeca is a cinch for mom and dad to park and move about tight spaces, too.
Materials selection is about average for the Tribeca's market—consisting mainly of hard plastic with a few soft-touch panels and a leather steering wheel for good measure. Most of the dash and doors are nicely assembled, but far from pleasing to the touch.
Good visibility, easy to use
Great to look at, though. A flowing, techy and modern centre console houses some slick audio and climate controls and drew many positive comments from passengers. Best of all, designers have used an uninterrupted front shelf and kept most of the visual action low on the dashboard, which gives drivers a clean and focused view outwards.
Rearward visibility and at-hand storage facilities were adequate, and fully automatic lights and climate control add some ease of use. In all, Tribeca's interior is slightly more interesting to look at and interface with than the norm. No issues to note with entry or exit up front, though third-row passengers above 3 feet will have issues boarding.
 |
| A flowing, techy and modern centre console houses some slick audio and climate controls and drew many positive comments from passengers. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |