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Thoughts from the Curb

Car Reviews, News and Random Thoughts from Edmunds.com Automotive Editor James Riswick

Dec 5, 2008 - 2009 Subaru Tribeca: Driving Position Unintended For Humans

This is how it looks when I drive the Subaru Tribeca. Note how the steering wheel is just slightly forward of my knees and just a smidge above them too. Note how its about parallel to the stereo volume knob. Note how my arm is at full lock.

This is just about the worst driving position I've come across. No telescoping column and the bus-like wheel angle have a lot to do with this, but the seat is mounted far too high. The entire interior has a helicopter feel to it, as if I was hovering above it all. Despite the center console being fairly high off the ground, the climate controls still manage to be at my knee level. Then look at the LCD screen -- it's actually a touchscreen, although to touch it you have to lean far forward or be Michael Phelps. I was given the Tribeca for a weekend, but after driving it home on the Friday night, I was back in the office Saturday morning for my Z3 -- I just couldn't drive something so clearly unintended for someone my size.

But it's not like I'm freakishly tall at 6-foot-3 whining either, and 6-foot Josh Sadlier also was quick to complain about the driving position. If a car doesn't fit us, particularly an SUV, that's a problem. The Ford Flex also has no telescoping wheel (which is a problem), but its high-mounted seat isn't an issue and at least its wheel angle is perpandicular like a car.

The rest of the Tribeca's interior is hopelessly overstyled and looks like a concept car (curved silver buttons, fake-looking digital fuel gauge and strange plastic gauge covers that distort the numbers and look like Madonna's cone bra).  This is a pointless vehicle that in no way fits in with the rest of Subaru's line-up. As I said last week, it's like a Buick Rendezvous with a boxer engine and a weirdo cabin...and a crap driving position.

-James Riswick

9:28 am | Categories: car reviews
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Comments
slickersdrip - Dec 5, 2008 10:59 pm
I'm surprised the CD player isn't curved, too, for styling's sake.
SubyTrojan - Dec 5, 2008 10:15 am
Ward's Auto World disagreed. Hehehe I'm sure you're right, though. I've never driven the 'Beca, but I think the dual cockpit design looks cool from afar. http://drive.subaru.com/Fall06_b9.htm The Tribeca's interior was actually the first thing Andreas Zapatinas designed for Subaru after he came from Alfa Romeo. Also, the pig nose that "adorned" the front of the MY2006-2007 B9 Tribeca and Impreza was not the work of Mr. Zapatinas. Michael Jordan wrote this (http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2007/02/2008-subaru-impreza-wrx-sti.html): "Subaru insiders point out that the B11S concept car -- the predecessor to the B9 Tribeca production vehicle -- was the first Subie to incorporate the now-notorious propellor-inspired grille. Subaru designer Kiyoshi Sugimoto led that project, although Barcelona-based Fuore Design Int'l's Erwin Himmer was brought in as a consultant. It seems clear to us, though, that Andreas Zapatinas' work at Alfa Romeo inspired Subaru's conversion to the big grille look and led to his position as Subaru's design director. Ironically, the controversy about the grille led to Zapatinas' departure last summer just as the Impreza -- the car he most influneced as design director -- neared production. Zapatinas was born and raised in Greece, and he first got interested in cars as a kid when he saw the Acropolis Rally, so he was very enthusiastic about the new design for the STI."
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