It has been three years since Subaru discontinued the Tribeca. When it was first introduced more than 10 years ago as the B9 Tribeca, it was the Japanese auto manufacturer’s first mid-size SUV. By comparison, Subaru has been selling the Forester, its smaller SUV, for the last 20 years. Built on the Legacy’s platform, the Tribeca, like all Subaru models at the time, was powered by a boxer engine and equipped with all-wheel drive. Unlike the rest of the lineup, however, it simply did not sell. In the United States, the carmaker managed to move less than 80,000 total units from dealership lots. In its final year, less than 1,000 Tribecas were sold.
After scrapping the Tribeca, Subaru is now ready for redemption. Initially previewed at the New York International Auto Show in concept form, the production Ascent will finally be revealed at the end of this month. Made exclusively for the North American market, the Ascent will fill the hole in Subaru’s current offerings. Demand for crossovers has increased in recent years, forcing companies to scramble to meet consumers’ needs.
Details are scarce but the Ascent will be powered by an all-new turbocharged direct injection boxer engine. The engine is rumored to be a 2.4-liter four-cylinder producing 300 horsepower. With the addition of the third row, the Ascent will be able to seat up to seven passengers. For the Ascent’s sake, let’s hope Subaru can fill all of those seats when the car goes on sale next year.
