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The Subaru Tribeca, aka “The Flying Vagina“, aka the car that really got things going for TTAC, is due to die after the 2013 model year.
With Subaru selling a little under 3000 Tribecas every year, the SUV’s death warrant has all but been signed. Subaru will keep selling the car through the 2013 model year, but after that, it may disappear from the lineup.
Between the Outback, Forester and the upcoming XV, the thirsty, 6-cylinder Tribeca is basically redundant. At least it’s no longer ugly. Of course, such an integral part of TTAC lore deserves a fitting send off. Perhaps once the official word rolls around, both the staff and readers can come up with some sort of fitting farewell.
34 Comments on “Subaru’s “Flying Vagina” Has Been Shot Down...”
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Subaru still makes the Tribeca?
Just for giggles, I checked Craigslist to see the resale value. And then I found this:
http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/ctd/3032856481.html
This has to be a joke.
I guess NH didn’t have as many lesbian proms as the original owner thought.. NTTAWWT…
Wow. Just wow.
It’s almost worth the hour’s drive to see that abomination for myself. Gah.
This is a town over from me. I might just need to stop by to see this for myself
Robert Farago.
Paging Robert Farago.
Please report to Subaru ICU STAT!
Yes, the Death Panel needs RF to pull the plug the B9.
While we’re at it, let’s not forget the stillborn Saab 9-6:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/07/the-once-and-future-saab-9-6x/
A shame Subaru never bought Saab it might have worked.
That’s not how you do it…
Farago!
Farago!
Farago!
“a single, flowing, orgasmic shape”, I think it was called. LOL
Wouldn’t it be ironic if the Tribeca is replaced by the Subaru Farago.
Wow, I can’t believe I’ve been reading TTAC since 2005.
I also can’t believe Subaru still sells those things. I have the same reaction when I see a Flying Vagina on the road as I do when I see a Routan. I say “holy f#$%, someone bought a Flying Vagina/Routan”.
I guess selling in Suzuki/Mitsubishi volumes eventually means the end!
Not for Mitsubishi/Suzuki, bafflingly.
It’s been a long time, in hamster/internet years anyway. RF was at the right place at the right time. A lot us saw the downfall (of GM et al) coming. Anyway, I’m sorry to see it go – I liked it, but then I liked the Pacifica too. Nobody seems to want to make grand touring wagons/estates anymore.
Yes I rather liked the orginal Tribeca for it’s interesting and unique face in a sea of blandness
It probably doesn’t help that the Outback is now almost as big as the Tribeca, and they no longer offer a regular Legacy wagon (at least not in the states). And so the circle of crossoverization/bloat continues…
Yes..the new Outback is the Tribeca..the Forrester has bloated up to the size of the Outback and the XV is the new Forrester.
I have to say, I prefer the original flying vagina to the ultra-bland current model. At least it was interesting, if not exactly pretty.
Yep, same here. The first one wasn’t for everyone, but at least it had a personality. The post-op Tribeca was just dreadfully boring. It was the Mediocrity of SUVs.
I completely agree. My neighbor has a loaded Flying Vagina and I kinda like it. Back when it came out, the interior seemed very spacey in a cool way. Had this been updated instead of allowed to languish, it might be selling better (nobody wants stale Vagina)
Count me in as another who prefers the original. The new one looks like every other CUV out there.
Of course, i am biased, I own one as a result of working for Subaru when they were released.
Count me in too. I like the original. I don’t hate vaginas either though.
“Between the Outback, Forester and the upcoming XV, the thirsty, 6-cylinder Tribeca is basically redundant.” How do you conclude that? The primary reason for Subaru deciding to offer the thing in the first place was to be able to offer a three-row vehicle; the two-row version was dropped a few years ago. Also, carving out a little space on its Indiana assembly line to build it was no great sacrifice.
What Subaru should have done was to import the Exiga instead, or build it here. That to me would be a much more desirable three-row vehicle. I suppose they still might.
Even if its first front-end design hadn’t been controversial, the Tribeca was never going to be a sales success because it was so compromised, being built up from the 2005-09 Legacy/Outback design and therefore having an almost uselessly small third row. Moreover, Subaru couldn’t decide on a name and ended up giving it two (it was the “B9 Tribeca” until the facelift), testament to the company’s indecision about whom to target as a customer.
Sadly, the Exiga would have to be jacked up a foot off the ground to have any possibility of succeeding Stateside. Also see: Subaru Legacy Wagon, Volvo V70.
I still like the name “B9 Tribeca”, but the original car was hideous. Resale value on the first model year cars has to be terrible.
You would be surprised. Resale is just as good as any other Subaru.
Wrong pic. That’s not the one with the flyin’ vajayjay grille.
did the reviewer really own a pontiac aztek when he wrote that review??
Silence? really? I guess we can’t find the truth about the founder’s ride here!
While at TTAC Robert Farago owned at various times a Cayenne S, a Carrera4, an Odyssey, a Boxster S, and a Mercedes GL450.
He was going to buy an IS-F but the dealer made him mad so he walked.
The only American cars he ever owned were two Pintos and a Cherokee.
He has never owned any GM vehicle for his entire life.
We just shopped for a family car since we have our 1st kid on the way. My wife’s only prerequisite was AWD. I wanted a used minivan. You know, something practical that actually uses space efficiently. This is a hard combination to find (unless you still think the Astro AWD is cutting edge). For some reason, I thought the B9 was a minivan. Just another dead end. There is no room back there. Why do people buy these? They are like lifted Versa hatchbacks.
We ended up going with a Taurus X AWD btw.
Flight of the Valkyries seems fitting.
On other car sites, the old grille was called a ‘urinal’.
Subaru stylists didn’t study enough history to see Edsel grilles.