THE B9 Tribeca moves Subaru into uncharted upmarket territory. Does it have what it takes to compete against some high-powered 4x4s? assesses its chances.

Naming a car after the Triangle Below Canal Street in New York might at first seem a little off target given that it’s a big 4x4 but in many ways, it reflects the typical usage patterns of such vehicles.

This isn’t the time or place to proselytize about the rights and wrongs of the urban 4x4. Instead, we’ll concentrate on how well Subaru’s B9 Tribeca stacks up against some well entrenched rivals.

Rivals like the BMW X5, the Volvo XC90 and the Nissan Murano for instance. The luxury 4x4 class now spans an enormous range, from this bold Subaru (which start at £28,995 on the road) up to something like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (which carries an £80,000+ price tag). Subaru is well aware of the limits of its badge equity and has chosen to attack the affordable end of the luxury 4x4 market.

The B9 Tribeca certainly has a distinctive presence. At least until Alfa Romeo build a 4x4, that front end is unlike any other sports utility vehicle on the road and although our correspondents were split 50/50 as to whether it was a master stroke or a minger, it’s not a car that will pass unnoticed.

That bold grille with the spread-wing design is claimed to celebrate Subaru’s aeronautical heritage, a fact that will be lost on many whose only memories of airborne Subies will be of Colin McRae heading directly to the scene of an accident.

In the same way perhaps as it was lost on Subaru’s marketers that ‘B9’ is the postcode for Solihull, home of Land Rover.

Subaru itself actually originated as "The Aircraft Research Laboratory" in 1917 headed by Chikuhei Nakajima, reorganising after World War Two to build its first motor scooter built from cannibalised aircraft parts. The brand has come a long way since and the Tribeca sees it pushing further upmarket.

Walk round the B9 Tribeca and there’s a lot to take in. The overall silhouette is flowing and cohesive from front to rear, studded with some interesting detailing. The headlights feature three barrel-shaped lenses and a swage line is teased out of a flat panel to create rear shoulders. The rear pillars do appear slightly reminiscent of a Toyota Corolla but otherwise the Tribeca looks a very original piece of penmanship.

Three models are offered to British customers, all featuring the same 3.0-litre petrol engine. This is perhaps the weak link in the Tribeca package, the lack of a diesel counterpart putting a serious dent in this car’s market reach. That said, the petrol engine itself is a cracker, pumping out 242bhp and capable of generating 219lb/ft of torque.

In case you were wondering, it is the same boxer engine used by the Legacy 3.0R spec.B saloon and sports tourer and is matched to a five-speed auto gearbox that features Sportshift, Subaru’s take on a Tiptronic-style sequential ‘manual’ override.

Performance is fairly lively as you’d expect, the B9 getting to a top speed of 121mph and capable of a sprint to 60mph in 9.3 seconds. The Tribeca would doubtless feel quicker were its torque peak not at 4,200rpm.

Laden down with a family and gear, this could become tiresome and respectable progress would blunt economy quite badly. Even as it stands, the Tribeca is no sipper, quaffing fuel at a rate of 23mpg on the combined cycle – a best case scenario.

The car can be specified with five or seven seats. The entry level models, the £28,995 S5 and the £31,995 SE5, both feature five seats with the extra pair of forward facing berths available as a cost option.

Alternatively, customers can go for the range-topping SE7, priced at £33,995, which features the seats as well as a DVD rear seat entertainment system including two sets of headphones, a remote control and rear air conditioning controls.

Even the entry level S5 is well equipped, with a six-disc CD autochanger with MP3 compatibility, nine speakers, leather trim for the steering wheel with remote audio controls, dual zone air conditioning, 18in alloys and stability control.

Opt for the SE5 and that adds leather seats, an electrics pack, a tilt and slide sunroof and DVD navigation with the LCD screen also coupled to a reversing camera.

Measuring 4,857mm long, the B9 Tribeca is comfortably longer than a BMW X5 and marginally lengthier than a Volvo XC90. The interior, while stylishly designed, isn’t particularly capacious and in seven seat guise, both the middle row and back seats can be a squeeze if you’re endowed with both a head and legs.

Even if you opt for the five-seater, the rear seats are in the same position, making them best for youngsters. The upside is that you can carry more gear than you might reasonably assume.

The interior feels a good deal more premium than expected if your abiding memory of a Subaru cabin is spawned by the grating cupholders and Palitoy plastics of an old Impreza. Soft cascade lighting illuminates the footwells and cupholders. There’s a swooping Y-wing design to the dash with nary a straight line in sight.

This alone will be enough to sell the Tribeca to many customers in the same way that dotted lines were signed as soon as many prospects landed their bums in Audi TTs.

The clamshell doors on the centre console are particularly neat, but the twin cowled dials, the acres of metallic finish and the big, easy-to-use controls also help to create a good first impression.

Although the B9 Tribeca is unlikely to be as sporty to drive as its looks, it’s a worthwhile entry into the luxury 4x4 market. Coming from a company with an unimpeachable track record when it comes to all-wheel drive vehicles, here’s one 4x4 that isn’t just a me-too copycat.

It may be more New York than New Forest but it’ll be welcome in my neck of the woods.

FACTFILE

Subaru B9 Tribeca range

PRICES: £28,995-£33,995 - on the road

INSURANCE GROUPS: 17 [est]

CO2 EMISSIONS: 291g/km

PERFORMANCE: Max speed 121mph/ 0-60mph 9.3s

FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 16.5mpg / (extra urban) 29.7mpg / (Combined) 23mpg

STANDARD SAFETY: Dynamics control, rollover sensor, airbags, ABS with EBA