Used 2009 Subaru Tribeca SUV Consumer Reviews
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After three Lexus Rxs This is a real gem
Jim D, 09/09/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
20 of 20 people found this review helpful
Having leased Lexus RX vehicles for seven years, and enjoying all of them. I took advantage of the opportunity to buy a low mileage Tribeca. While it doesn't have all the features (integrated bluetooth/Nav, express up/down windows, power rear hatch release/keyless entry etc.) it is an extraordinary vehicle that I have come to enjoy very much. Multiple trips to the North woods of Wisconsin have become my second hobby because of the Tribeca. Fit & Finish, features, quality of workmanship, power/safety/great 4x4, Ipod connectivity, great seats, and best of all; it has Japanese quality control, but is assembled in Indiana. I love the car, and it may be my last new car purchase.
Enjoyed my Subaru
dowpwr, 04/19/2014
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
33 of 34 people found this review helpful
Had my 2009 Subaru for 5 years and I really enjoyed it. It drove more like a sedan with the horizontally opposed engine which is one of the reasons I bought this car over the Lexus or highlander. Great in snow, and fun to drive. Peppy off the start. Technology was way behind (nav useless). In fact all the tech in the car was below average, but if you don't care about that kind of stuff it's not a deal breaker. Never had any problems with the car. Gas mileage was low. 13 around city. Long trips I'd average 21mpg. Small tank hurt its range. Couldn't get 300 miles without worrying about where the next gas station was.
Great car
scott2s, 08/11/2013
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
I really like this SUV. It drives like a car, handles excellent in the rain and snow and has enough seating for our family. The gas mileage is average for a SUV of this size with AWD but with it would be better. My teen age son prefers to sit in the rear seat and has plenty of space, so not sure why the 3rd row seat gets the bad rap in the Edmonds reviews. This isn't a Suburban and I don't think anyone should expect caverns of storage and lay out seating in a SUV of this size. This is just right for the daily driver and the ocational family road trip. When I need extra storage space I use a $60 hitch mounted storage shelf that I store totes on. Works great to put extra gear.
Sucks gas, eats headlight bulbs and the doors won't unlock
tommymight, 05/15/2011
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Rear Seat DVD, Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
35 of 39 people found this review helpful
I had my 2009 Tribeca Limited for 2 1/2 years and I just traded it on a new non-Subaru vehicle. More negatives than positives for me. Issue #1 is the fuel economy. I got 15 mpg around town in good weather and 12-13 mpg in winter. The car is great in snow, especially with Hakapelitta snow tires. On the highway, it was a miracle to get 21 mpg. The fuel tank is small - 16 gallons and I was filling it up constantly. Navigation system was weak, a $300 Garmin blew it away. This car EATS headlight and brake bulbs. I installed headlight bulbs 3 times in 2 1/2 years and brake bulbs twice. Dealer parts department told me they sold a ton of bulbs. The remote key unlock took 4 clicks to open all doors
Outstanding Vehicle
Len, 10/21/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
Traded in a 2007 Lincoln MKZ on my Tribeca. The Tribeca is superior to the Lincoln in every way. It is extremely roomy (professional reviews notwithstanding). Build quality is superb, no rattles, upscale looking, tons of room for passengers and cargo. I also have a 2008 Outback, and I can say that Subaru has it all together. If you are worried about buying American, note that my Lincoln was assembled in Mexico, both my Subarus assembled in Indiana. Which is the "American" car?????
Fun-to-drive, Safe, Great looks
Ravi, 06/22/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
After owning 3 Subarus since 1988, I bought Subaru's premium model-Tribeca Limited-7 Seats. Subaru's improvement over the years shows in Tribeca-A gorgeous interior design/luxurious feel; sleek exterior lines; ample ground clearance/best AWD in the business; 5-star crash ratings. Pure joy to be in the driver's seat & has a solid feel on the road. We have driven our Tribeca on 1000 mile road trips of open freeways over weekends; winding steep roads and of course the in-town daily commutes/family and grocery hauling - Tribeca does it all with grace - a solid performer when it comes to merging on highways; changing lanes and passing traffic.
Not happy!
kari, 04/21/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I have owned four Subaru Outbacks prior to this 2009 Subaru Tribeca and thanks to this nightmare I will never buy another one! We purchased the car brand new. I wanted another Subaru for sure but thought I would try another model. My station wagons NEVER broke down and drove problem free for years. This car had been in the shop due to " check engine" light on within the first eight months. Only to be told it's a faulty sensor and is fine. Yesterday my car lost power at 55 miles per hour- NO STEERING, NO GAS, check engine light back on and all I could was coast off the road. The car had to be towed. Service found the computer needed to be " updated" and now my car should be fine? NIGHTMARE.
09 Tribeca
Hi, 03/29/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Just traded in my 06 B9 Tribeca and bought an 09. The handling on these SUVs are great and the ride comfort is best in class. The engine has plenty of power and gets 25mpg on the highway. The second row has limo like leg room and can easily handle adults over 6ft tall. And best of all it has Symmetrical AWD which gets me through over a foot of snow with no problem.
2009 Tribeca
evansubi, 12/21/2011
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Rear Seat DVD, Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I purchased this vehicle 2 years ago. At the time I was torn between the Tribeca and the Toyota Highlander. I priced both cars with the same (7seater, fully loaded) extras. Tribeca came to $39,200 and the Highlander $44,700. Then Toyota was willing to cut approx $1500-2000 dollars and Subaru cut $5000! So my final price for my car came to 34,200 dollars compare to 42,700 saved me about 8000... that alone is a great reason... No problems so far.. Fast (8sec 0-60), economy I get is between 18-20mpg mixed. Drove it to new york ave 20.5-22.5 mpg on 65-85mph Only concern is front shock sound.. will check at the dealer.. by the way 15.99 OIL Change is also a plus.!!!
My 2nd Tribeca
Bob, 01/30/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
After 90k on my '06, I just bought an '09. (The '06 is still in the family, and my previous Legacies have made it to the high 200ks with one at 330k - without major repair.) I felt the ride on the '06 was hard & sharp, but the '09 has smoothed that. I feel it is still firm - not soft like the review stated. The driver's seat position has always given me more room than I need (6'1). Although I like the outside "look", I'm one of the few who felt the '06 was original and creative (Alfa-Romeo comes to mind). Now it looks like a Chrysler. As for interior space, if you need more room, buy a "box."
Excellent Vehicle
lamda, 04/25/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My wife and I originally searched for a new Jeep to replace the lease we had. We did our research and looked at the Tribeca and loved the interior among many other things. We ended up buying the 5 passenger SE. It definitely has more interior room than our 06 Jeep Commander. You can't find a comparable vehicle for the price, quality and reliability. The vehicle has great pick-up and drives very smooth. Save your time and go look at the Tribeca. You won't be disappointed.
Very nice SUV
bob jones, 04/29/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
After driving several SUVs, my wife and I narrowed it down to the MDX, Lexus 350, and the Tribeca. We chose the Tribeca Limited. The Tribeca was a good combination of sport and comfort with a reasonable price tag.
good car not good time
subsub, 02/24/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Rear Seat DVD, Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Car is good in upstate NY snow. the steering is corrective, accelerator cuts out when wheels spin, but...car is kind of heavy and doesn't compare to lightweight Forester on snowy roads straight line braking
Love my Tribeca
k mohsen, 03/20/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Rear Seat DVD, Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We got it during the xmas break. Though our winter was not that snowy this year it was great going up and down our street. Major difference from our fwd VW. I love driving it. Kids love the DVD and headsets. I would definitely get another. Mileage has been better than expected. I drove Montreal to Toronto and managed to achieve 27 mpg @ 65 mph. That is 6 mpg more than the rating. Nav system drove me a little nuts. I could not figure out what the little flag meant. It could have simply stated the word "Start".
Love, Love, Love it.
Maxwhite, 11/17/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have been a loyal Honda/Nissan customer for 15 years and my husband turned me on to Subaru. It was time to upgrade from his sporty WRX to something more family functional due to the arrival of our first child. I was leaning toward the Touareg or the Cherokee but space was limited. I have always purchased used cars and the 2009 was the only one on the lot when we went shopping. I was pleasantly surprised when I drove it and 15 minutes later I told them "I'll take it". It's now been 4 months and all the features meet our needs. I have since added bluetooth, auto start and a dual DVD. The space is incredible and hopefully will continue to fit the bill with two babies.
First Subaru/ So far, gold stars
Floyd B, 12/24/2016
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is my first Subaru. I bought this vehicle used with a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty. I have just under 86k on the odometer. Carfax, one owner and it very obvious that this was the family car. Christmas morning of 2016 will mark my first full week in this car. The BAD: I'm experiencing some shaking at low speed(40-50 mph). I have some interior lights that are out as well. The brakes are super soft...it almost feels as if there isn't any brake at all. With that said, I've own bigger SUVs (had a 2002 Ford Expedition)in the past with a better feel to the brake pedal. The Toyota dealership, where I bought this car from said the brakes were find. I do not believe them. I think they are trying to wait out the 30 day warranty so they don't have to pay the cost to repair. Tip: a dealership will prolong any costly repair if they are aware that you have and extended warranty. Keep putting pressure on them and they will fix the issue. The GOOD: everything not mentioned in the bad. Super user friendly. Rides really nice. For its weight, the fuel economy is okay. But, I'm also not heavy footed. It rides and feels like it's mechanical brother, the Subaru Outback and Legacy. It's a very nice place to be (interior), minus the area's were the previous owners children or child has damaged. As I drive the vehicle more, I'll update if I can.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Disappointed
ib76, 05/13/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I was very excited about my new car, but only for 2 weeks. I purchased used car with 12,000 miles. Then problems started- rattles and transmission. My new car didn't accelerate well, made strange noises, took it to the dealer, reflushed transmission and after 3 weeks the same problem came back. Extremely disappointed. Suppose to be fun car to drive but turned out to be a complete disaster. After 3 months I traded in my Tribeca, of course lost a lot of money : (.
Good car, bad mileage
rorypang, 06/16/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought this car, last year before the bad North east winter. I was really pleased with its snow weather handling, it left stuck 4runners, and trailbazers behind. The car is excellent with overall driving, however issues I have are; very bad mileage approx. 16 mpg, for city, small fuel tank, dated design, dated nav system, unrealistic third row, the radio steering controls are not practical, no bluetooth, no ipod controls. I am really thinking of trading it in for the X5 diesel, it gives 26 mpg.
A great pleasure
Chr3s, 04/02/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We searched for a new Jeep to replace the lease we had and because of the economy we found it was not affordable. I did my research and looked at the Tribeca and fell in love with the interior. We purchased the 5 passenger SE. Sorry but it truly has more space than our old Jeep. The crossover look had some time getting used to but it is one sweet car. This one has great pick-up and very quiet. It looks like a car from the future with its dash and design. I just leased a Honda for myself before I found this one....but I know now what my next car will be if they don't try to improve it!
Quality vehicle
drake, 06/11/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Overall excellent fit and finish. Very good comfort and performance. Has nice pickup, great turning radius, very good visibility. First Subaru, previous Toyota owner. Very pleased with the quality, reliability, performance and appearance.
Great bang for our buck
mkscott2, 07/20/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Shopped for a new car for 3 years. We knew we were going to get a Subaru, and settled on the Forester, but ended up with Tribeca because of the size of the back seat (can sit between two large carseats comfortably), and a great deal on this model. Initially was not interested in Tribeca because of the high octane fuel requirement, which apparently changed this MY. Took on its first long road trip, and so far has been extremely comfortable and fun to drive. It has everything we were looking for in a long-distance vehicle. The safety features are certainly a great selling point. There aren't many options/accessories that we feel are missing. Nice, solid vehicle!
Love it
Pete, 01/06/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Rear Seat DVD, Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Awesome compact truck. Has everything you need for your adventures!. Great gas mileage for a truck with AWD. The best handling truck i have ever been in! a TRUE AWD truck beats any 4WD any day, just cannot compare.
Outstanding SUV
Mike, 01/15/2010
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 7-Pass 4dr SUV AWD w/Nav (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is by far the best SUV I drove when trying to decide what to purchase. I didn't know a vehicle could handle this well in the snow. Performance is excellent and the vehicle is definitely comfortable.
09 Tribeca - Solid, fun car
Abbey, 08/15/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Special Edition 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
Overall the car is well designed - interior and exterior. It is a good replacement for my big SUV but will still be able to get around in the snow and ice very well. Love it so far !!!
Not a MiniVan
steveni1234, 06/10/2009
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Pass 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
After test driving CUVs from Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Ford, the Subaru was a very pleasant surprise. The engine is very drivable around town and the ride experience is as luxurious as the premium brands. The Tribeca feels more like a car as opposed to the minivan roots of the Toyota Venza and the Ford Edge. Interior room for five is exceptional and rear storage area is huge. Build quality approaches the luxury brands. If you are in the market for a vehicle in this class, test drive them carefully. My experience did not match up with the reviews on this site. It was almost as if the experts were driving different cars!!!