The 2008 Subaru Tribeca At Nyias

The all-new 2008 Subaru Tribeca stirred the North American crowd at the recent 2007 New York International Auto Show that took place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. The 2008 Subaru Tribeca "features more style, more power and improved efficiency", according to the Japanese automaker.

For the 2008 model year, Subaru gave the Tribeca a new bold exterior styling with a larger and taller front grille that is now integrated into the vehicle's front bumper. The grille features a chrome spread-wing design and Subaru star cluster badge. The 2008 Subaru Tribeca also comes with a new hood design with raised line, deeper front valance, new headlamps, functional rear three-quarter windows, new larger side-view mirrors, powerful fender flares and wheel form, new rear valance below the tailgate, and a new wider tail lamps.

Inside the 2008 Subaru Tribeca, comes a sophisticated twin cockpit design featuring sculpted dashboard with aluminum-look trim. Interior lighting provides a sophisticated touch and elegant feel including electroluminescent dials illuminating the front and rear footwells, center console, and cup-holders. The vehicle's center console consists of driver controls and information like audio system, clock, fuel economy, outside temperature, and navigation system with a seven-inch touch screen. Moreover, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system is also available as an optional component. As a sport utility vehicle (SUV) model, the 2008 Subaru Tribeca features a comfortable passenger space as well as luggage room. The 2008 Tribeca features a 7-passenger configuration with a standard 50/50 split fold-down third-row seat and auxiliary rear cabin air conditioner to enhance the interior comfort for its occupants.

A host of active and passive safety systems for the 2008 Subaru Tribeca are available as standard equipments. These include a Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame Structure, occupant-sensing, dual-stage driver and passenger airbags, seat-mounted side impact air bags, and standard side curtain air bags for the front and second row seats. The side curtain air bags are activated through a Roll Sensor that detects vehicle rollover. In addition, driver assistance safety systems are also available including standard anti lock brake system (abs) with Brake Assisst (BA), Vehicle Dynamics Control, and standard four-wheel traction control.

Powering the 2008 Subaru Tribeca is a new 3.6-liter boxer engine featuring an increased power and torque output. The engine now pumps out a maximum 256 hp (from 245 hp) and now produces 247 lb.-ft. (from 215 lb.-ft.) amount of peak torque. In spite of the larger engine displacement and increased power output, the 3.6-liter boxer engine maintains its fuel efficiency and lower exhaust emissions, thanks to the engine's Active Valve Control System (AVCS) variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, as well as the standardized timing for all cylinders.

The new 3.6-liter boxer engine is mated to a standard 5-speed automatic gearbox powering the Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system with Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) and four-wheel traction control system (TCS). The clutch parts comes with pressure plates equipped with release bearing similar to Jeep release bearing found on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, one of the Subaru Tribeca's competitor in the mid size SUV market segment.

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Size Does Matter!size Does Matter!

We've all heard the saying: size does matter! We believe that bigger is better and not much can change our perspective in this regard. But do we even always really know what we are talking about?

If you're looking at investing in a new vehicle, you will likely look at a few different brands and models which will in turn have different engine sizes. And no, engines size has nothing to do with the actual height and width of an engine! Small engines for example will not be engines with a dimension of less than 30cm x 30 cm while large engines will be engines with dimensions of larger than 60cm x 60cm! So then what does the engine size actually refer to? What's the difference between a 1.8 liter, 2.5 liter and a V6 engine? And should we look at cars with small engines or cars with big engines? In the end, provided that the engine has all of the required parts that move up and down and in and out, why do we need to care about the rest?
Let's touch on the fundamentals of an engine quickly - The process inside an engine occurs through internal combustion.

Basically this means that a piston will move up or down in a cylinder and by doing that a blend of air and fuel will be compacted until it's ignited by a spark. This spark will then drive the piston back and voila, you've got engine power! The piston chamber consists of two dimensions, the bore (the chamber diameter) and stroke (the distance the piston travels in the chamber) and these two factors determine the actual size of the engine.
If we then take the numbers above and we combine it with the number of cylinders, we would be left with engine displacement which is essentially what we are speaking about when we are bragging about our new 1.6 liter passion wagon with all the features!

The more displacement within the engine, the more "work" is done. The more work, the more power, it's really as simple as that! Remember that not just air is required to carry out this "work", fuel is also a prerequisite - how else would the spark form? For that reason I'm sure that you will agree that the larger the engine, the harder it's working, the more fuel will be required. 1.6 liter cars will quite certainly then not use as much fuel as a 2.5 liter car (this statement is made assuming that both vehicles are standard and in a good working condition. with a handful of performance modifications even a 1.2 liter car can end up quite thirsty!)

Next time when you hear somebody boasting about his V6 monster engine, just give him a polite smile, then turn around and console yourself with the undeniable fact that his fuel thirsty machine is costing him an arm and a leg in travelling cost each month, while small engines may not be as powerful, but they're still getting from point A to point B without a hassle!

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