Car Reviws |
| 2011 Subaru Tribeca Limited, an AW Drivers Log: Posted: 25 Jan 2011 07:00 AM PST  Subaru The 2011 Subaru Tribeca
EXECUTIVE EDITOR--AUTOWEEK.COM BOB GRITZINGER: If your needs run to the largest of all Subarus, the Tribeca is a reasonable option. It provides added cargo room or a tight, third row of seating, along with the usual pluses of a low-center of gravity H6 engine, tried-and-true all-wheel-drive, solid build quality and a few of the little extras that make you happy you own a Subaru (like the center cupholder execution, with spots for various-size/shape items, that closes away under a nice lid). Though the car seems peppy enough, when you punch the pedal from a dead stop or to pass on the highway, the H6 drops its refined act and whines like its being whipped. It does the job, but it could be a little smoother and quieter doing it, especially in a flagship model. Otherwise, I thought the powertrain was strong, and the handling, steering and braking were all steady and solid. The car exhibits little dive or roll, even when packed to the rafters with stuff and people. If there’s a real downside, it’s that even at this extra-large size by Subaru standards, this is still a fairly small utility vehicle. People who need three rows on any regular basis also need a chunk of cargo room to put the stuff those passengers bring along. This car might not be up to the job. But at this price and equipped with a six-cylinder, AWD, navigation and rear-seat entertainment, it seems like a good deal for those families that can make it work. NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: The Tribeca is a solid, understated vehicle with function and some utility, though this tester seems priced a bit lofty--even for a flagship SUV. It stickers for nearly $39,000, and overall it is a pleasant drive. But some of the plastic trim looks and feels a bit underwhelming inside, and some noise does penetrate the cabin, even while cruising at 50 mph on wide-open avenues. The engine, as Bob notes, does indicate more than a bit of whine and seems to strain under the more than two-ton curb weight. Between 3,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm, it offers a kick on the expressway, and launching from standstills is more than adequate. This 3.6-liter boxer is up to the job, but it doesn’t stand out. The transmission is reasonably smooth, and the chassis deserves praise. I cringed after hitting a crater on Interstate 94, but it hardly jostled me. I was more than surprised, to say the least. The outside is elegant yet rather subdued. It’s not a groundbreaking design, but it’s certainly agreeable enough and won’t offend. Very mainstream. The inside does blend colors well, nicely matching the buttery leather in this tester with dark dash components. The center console is a bit strange, with its curving appearance, but it’s more than usable. The seat burners are strong, and the Tribeca is a sure-footed drive on snowy mornings. The navigation and the backup camera are clear, but I’d scrap this option to get the price down. I like the Tribeca--it even has a glitzy name--but it could be a touch more luxurious. COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO-WRIGHT: The Tribeca was a fine ride to have over my vacation. We tasked it with trips hauling people, gifts, food and even the four chairs from our dining-room table to gatherings and more. From the outside, I worried that there might not be enough room to transport everyone and everything--especially when the hubby mentioned as we were headed out the door that we had to take the chairs to his mom’s. But it was all for naught, because the chairs, a large bag of gifts, dishes and more fit in the cargo space with ease. Passengers had no problems getting in and out of the back seats, and they appreciated the legroom and the shoulder room. We thought we were going to need to carry five people to one event an hour or so away but didn’t end up needing to. And good thing, because the third row looked really tight, and there wouldn’t have been much room behind those seats for overnight bags. How did the Tribeca manage in all of these trips? Just fine, thank you. There was good power underhood, but there was some lag in passing and in getting up to expressway speeds. And, as the guys noted, the H6 could get annoyingly buzzy. Otherwise, the Tribeca was strong, steering was balanced and the trucklet never felt overly heavy. Driving the Subie felt like driving a tall car. The center stack was very user-friendly, as was the nav unit, and everyone was toasty over some colder days. And all of the cubbies and cupholders were much appreciated. What didn’t I like? Well, if we had needed to use the third row of seats, cargo space would pretty much have disappeared. Also, I would have liked to be able to position the driver’s seat lower, eliminating the constant need for ducking on entrance and exit. And, this ute eats up gas! I felt like I’d no sooner fill up, we’d travel a ways, and the needle would already be a quarter-tank down. While this Tribeca is a fine package overall, the potential lack of cargo space and the low fuel economy, not to mention a sticker that seems a bit high, might have me looking elsewhere. 2011 Subaru Tribeca Limited Base Price: $33,220 As-Tested Price: $38,720 Drivetrain: 3.6-liter H6; AWD, five-speed automatic Output: 256 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 247 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm Curb Weight: 4,214 lb Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 18/17.9 mpg Options: Option package 17 including power moonroof, navigation and rear-seat entertainment, black roof rails, auto-dimming mirror, rearview camera, nine-inch DVD screen, wireless remote, auxiliary AV input jacks, two wireless headsets, GPS navigation with LCD touch screen ($5,500) |
| 2011 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost, an AW Drivers Log: Posted: 24 Jan 2011 07:16 AM PST      
EXECUTIVE EDITOR--AUTOWEEK.COM BOB GRITZINGER: I'm not sure this MKT is my cup of tea, mostly because of its monstrous weight, odd styling and tough sightlines. It seems like there are a lot of other ways to present this kind of station wagon/crossover functionality in a more pleasing wrapper--wait, Lincoln offers it in the MKX. Now there's a car that doesn't leave you wondering what's in those huge blind spots. Luckily, the rear-camera system is excellent, including bright rearward lighting to show the way when backing out of darkened driveways. That said, this wood-and-leather interior is extremely handsome and comfortable with all the bells and whistles, there's the turbo V6, and the six-speed automatic powertrain pulls steady and strong, despite the car's heft. What I'd like is a lighter-weight version of this wagon, with bolder, more creased styling lifted directly from the heritage this one merely mimics. J Mays and his designers have never been subtle when it comes to grabbing from the past, so why now? Make this baby look like a '64 Continental with a 2011 turbo powertrain, and now we're getting somewhere. EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: As big of a fan as I am of the Ford Flex, I just can't wrap my hands around this thing. Not sure why. It's big, heavy (but only 60 pounds heavier than a Flex we had in the office recently) and not really all that handsome. One could certainly argue that the Flex is not very good-looking, either. There's nothing terribly wrong with how the MKT drives or performs. The cabin is certainly comfortable enough, although I'd like a little more adjustment to the steering wheel. In the snow this morning, the thing was certainly sure-footed, which says something. In comparing price and features, if this were my type of vehicle, I'd opt for the EcoBoost-equipped Flex and pocket the more than $10,000 in savings. EDITOR WES RAYNAL: The reason people would opt for this over the MKX is that this has a third row and the MKX doesn't. Other than that, I agree--just get the X. This is a strange-looking thing, but it drives well enough; in fact, it's fairly composed considering its weight. The turbocharger helps in that regard. You wouldn't necessarily want to go blasting up and down your favorite twisty two-lane strip of pavement, but body motions are semicontrolled and the ride is smooth for the most part--one barely feels the potholes around here in this MKT. It's also really, really quiet out on the freeway. 2011 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost Base Price: $49,995 As-Tested Price: $57,775 Drivetrain: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6; AWD, six-speed automatic Output: 355 hp @ 5,700 rpm, 350 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm Curb Weight: 4,899 lb Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 18/14.1 mpg Options: Rapid spec 201A including voice-activated navigation system, surround sound, blind-spot monitoring, power panoramic vista roof ($4,000); adaptive cruise control with collision warning ($1,295); second-row bucket seats ($995); second-row refrigerator console ($895); active park assist ($595) |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Car Reviws To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment