The Sacramento Bee's view

It created major media buzz at U.S. auto shows early this year and was recently introduced with a glitzy marketing rollout one might have expected for a radically reworked Corvette.

And it’s a …

Subaru.

A Subaru? Is this somebody’s idea of a joke? What’s the punch line?

I like levity as much as anyone, but the serious truth is that the all-new 2006 B9 Tribeca sport-utility vehicle from Subaru is a player in the SUV segment – a distinctive-looking peppy performer that is generously equipped.

The automaker has not been shy about calling the Tribeca “the flagship of the Subaru line,” and those Subaru television commercials showing other vehicles crumbling to dust in Tribeca’s presence are indicative of Subaru’s aggressive attitude toward selling this vehicle.

And rightly so.

At first glance, the Tribeca grabs your attention and holds it like no other Subaru product. A gently sloping roofline becomes a long, sharply curved ski slope at the windshield. Integrated headlights stretch back at a saucy angle and float above a boldly styled grille – horizontal chrome openings with a modified chrome trapezoid in the center. Subaru officials said the grille was inspired by the company’s previous involvement in aircraft development.

That makes sense because the B9 Tribeca looks like it’s ready to take off just sitting in a parking space.

In the tested seven-passenger, all-wheel-drive Limited version – the top tier and most expensive of four trim levels of Tribeca – that visual promise of performance was kept when the vehicle was started up.

The instantly responsive, sophisticated AWD system is paired with a 3-liter, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. Purists like to call this a “boxer-style” engine layout or a “flat six,” but whatever you call it, it’s surprisingly muscular for a 250-horsepower SUV topping 4,200 pounds.

The tester sprinted from standing starts with gusto and handled slalom runs with the nimbleness of a midsize sedan. Hustling freeway merges were a snap, and twisting rural roads were taken with very little body sway. Only at the top of steep Sierra Nevada foothill inclines did the Tribeca start to make noise and labor – but even then, the engine’s complaints were comparatively mild.

Inside, the look is more Lexus than Subaru. It ought to be, given the hefty $37,695 starting price on the tested Limited’s sticker.

Happily, the only fare beyond the manufacturer’s suggested retail price was a $625 destination/delivery charge. For a bottom line of $38,320, the test Tribeca’s extensive standard package included four-wheel, ventilated disc brakes; side-curtain and side-impact air bags; a tire pressure-monitoring system; 18-inch, aluminum-alloy wheels; a touch-screen navigation system; a rear-seat, DVD-based entertainment system; rear-cabin air conditioning; a six-disc CD changer linked to nine speakers; dual-zone climate control; heated mirrors and leather upholstery.

Big-time luxury in a Subaru. What a concept!

In the model as tested, a driver and six other passengers can enjoy these comforts. To which I say, ouch!

Seven passengers is, in my view, two too many in this 190-inch-long vehicle. Personally, I’d opt for the five-passenger Limited version of the B9 Tribeca. You can save hundreds, get the same cargo space and avoid complaints of arm and leg cramps from your passengers.

The Tribeca does pretty well at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, but if you are shying away from SUVs in this time of pricey gasoline you might consider Subaru’s own R version of its Outback wagon. The Tribeca shares significant DNA with the wagon, which starts at about $29,000.

That Subaru wagon does not come close to the B9 Tribeca in the visual-appeal department. The Tribeca is one of those rare SUVs that will draw looks from passers-by who normally might not know one SUV from another. Its look is that unique.

A wagon also lacks the off-road skills of the Tribeca, which easily maneuvered through a mild off-road course an hour’s drive north of Sacramento. Ground clearance is an impressive, rock-avoiding 8.4 inches.

If it has been awhile since you were excited over a Subaru, take a test drive in the Tribeca. It’s an easy-to-operate Subaru surprise – an attractive, moderately sized SUV that adds zip to the automaker’s lineup.

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SUBARU B9 TRIBECA AT A GLANCE

Make/model: 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca Limited.

Vehicle type: Seven-passenger, four-door, all-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicle.

Base price: $37,695 (as tested, 38,320).

Engine: 3-liter, horizontally opposed six-cylinder with 250 horsepower at 6,600 revolutions per minute and 219 foot-pounds of torque at 4,200 rpm.

EPA fuel economy: 18 miles per gallon city; 23 mpg highway.

Transmission: Electronic five-speed automatic with overdrive.

Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion with speed-sensitive feature.

Brakes: Power four-wheel, ventilated discs with electronic brake distribution and anti-lock.

Suspension: Independent, MacPherson strut-type on front; independent, double-wishbone on rear (stabilizer bars front, rear).

Fuel tank: 16.9 gallons.

Interior volume: 141.8 cubic feet.

Cargo volume: 74.4 cubic feet.

Curb weight: 4,225 pounds.

Track: 62.2 inches on front; 62.1 inches on rear.

Ground clearance: 8.4 inches.

Height: 66.5 inches.

Length: 189.8 inches.

Wheelbase: 108.2 inches.

Width: 83.4 inches.

Tires: P255/55R18 all-season radials.

Towing capacity: 3,500 pounds (with specified trailering package).

Final assembly point: Lafayette, Ind.

About the writer: The Bee’s Mark Glover can be reached at (916) 321-1184 or mglover@sacbee.com.