Suburu unveils new All-Wheel Drive Tribeca at NY Auto Show

Click on the image for Autoblog's gallery of high-res images of the 2008 Subaru Tribeca.

Subaru has taken the wraps off its new Tribeca All-Wheel Drive SUV at the New York Auto Show. Featuring more generic, but easier-on-the-eye looks and a new fully revised interior, the 2008 model's green credentials are all under the hood. Subaru are introducing their largest ever engine to power the Tribeca in the form of a 3.6-litre horizontally opposed six cylinder that produces 190 kW / 255 hp and 334 Nm / 246 ft-lbs of torque.

Despite the increase from the previous 3.0-litre unit, the new, larger engine maintains emission levels and improves fuel economy. Part of the efficiency improvement is due to the introduction of a Dual Active Valve Control System (Dual AVCS) which controls the timing of both the intake and exhaust valves, along with a revised automatic transmission and a weight reduction of the powertrain by 4.4 kg / 9.7 lbs.

Analysis: It's great to see Subaru improve the fuel efficiency of the Tribeca. I would have liked to see what they could have done with a 3.0-litre engine instead of increasing its size to 3.6-litres though. Increasing the power and torque of new models is clearly still an important selling point in the eyes of the auto makers. How much longer will we live in a world where maintaining emissions from generation to generation is considered acceptable?

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[Source: Subaru press release]

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