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SUBARU OUTBACK 3.6L LIMITED – WHITHER THE TRIBECA?

A test drive in a gently used Subaru Tribeca a couple months back didn’t cause me to wonder at its initial debut in Subaru showrooms. No, my curiosity, as it relates to the existence of the Tribeca, piqued as a result of the 2010 Subaru Outback.

New Outbacks are the closest thing to an SUV any Subaru Outback has ever been. In fact, MotorTrend named the Outback its 2010 SUV Of The Year. Where does this leave the Subaru Tribeca? The Numbers below examine the differences – and striking similarities – of Subaru’s two largest vehicles.
This is strictly a comparison of the Subaru Outback 3.6L Limited and the Subaru Tribeca Premium; the two most comparitively priced examples. Keep in mind, the 3.6L Limited is the Outback’s top trim level while the Tribeca Premium is actually the base Tribeca. And as a forewarning to Tribeca fans, very little doesn’t go in the Outback’s direction.

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256 – horsepower generated by the Subaru Outback’s 3.6L boxer-six, along with 247 lb-ft of torque, power which is sent to all four wheels via a 5-speed automatic

256 – horsepower generated by the Subaru Tribeca’s 3.6L boxer-six, along with 247 lb-ft of torque, power which is sent to all four wheels via a 5-speed automatic
188.2 – overall length, measured in inches, of the Subaru Outback
191.5 – overall length, measured in inches, of the Subaru Tribeca
71.7 – width, in inches, of the Subaru Outback

73.9 – width, in inches, of the Subaru Tribeca
65.7 – height, in inches, of the Subaru Outback, less than an inch lower than the Tribeca
8.4 – ground clearance, in inches, of the Subaru Tribeca, three-tenths of an inch less than the Outback possesses
107.9 – wheelbase, measured in inches, of the Subaru Outback, three-tenths of an inch shorter than the Tribeca’s wheelbase
45/55 – front/rear bias of the Subaru Outback’s all-wheel drive, identical to that of the Subaru Tribeca
74.4 – total cargo capacity, measured in cubic feet, of the Subaru Tribeca, 3.3 more cubic feet than can be found behind the front seats of the Subaru Outback
7 – seatbelts inside the Subaru Tribeca, 2 more than in the Subaru Outback
4,120 – curb weight, in pounds, of the Subaru Tribeca
16.1 – pounds per horsepower carried by the Subaru Tribeca
14.3 – pounds per horsepower carried by the Subaru Outback
16 – miles per galon rating attributed to the Subaru Tribeca for city driving by the EPA, 11.2% worse than the Outback’s city mpg figure
30,995 – price, in USD, of the loaded Subaru Outback 3.6L Limited
30,495 – price, in USD, of the basic Subaru Tribeca
5,930 – total Subaru Tribeca sales in the United States in all of 2009, down 46% compared with ’08
8,376 – total Subaru Outback sales in December of 2009, up 106% compared with December of ’08