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The next Tribeca? Exiga Crossover 7?

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16K views 94 replies 16 participants last post by  Wiscon_Mark 
#1 ·
Hi,

As our 2008 Tribeca 5pass LTD was aging and showing its 130k miles (some minor winter neglect - rust above the windshield) - we purchased a brand new 2016 Outback 3.6R Tech Nav EyeSight... and gave the Tribeca (a.k.a Chubecca) to my brother in-law (his VW died, so Chubecca stays in the family!)

Pretty much the same size on the outside, minus cargo volume.

However, we are actively looking for the next gen Tribeca. So I went to the Japanese website of Subaru and found the new Exiga Crossover 7... Maybe in North America one day? http://www.subaru.jp/crossover7/sp/index.php

M!
 
#2 ·
The Exiga 7 is essentially the Tribeca platform & design retooled for the Japanese market. The Exiga 7's dimensions have more of a "wagon" or "minivan" feel to it, but replacing the Tribeca with the current Exiga 7 design would be a lateral move for Subaru, i.e. the Exiga would have the same challenges the Tribeca had in competing with the 7-passenger market because the 3rd row is not full size (even though it may be considered such in Japan where the average person is 3" shorter than in the US and they're much more accommodating to not having a lot of space).

The rumor is that something is in development right now that could be released anytime in the next three years... it might be another Toyota collaboration because Lafayette is going to a single platform for all models, and if Subaru wants to compete in the 7-passenger segment, they need something with significantly more third-row and/or cargo space; either of which would require a different platform.

Wild speculation here... but if I had to guess, I would say the new 7-passenger Subaru will be a longer version of the Exiga 7 and will be built in Princeton on the Sienna platform (as opposed to the Highlander's platform which could cannibalize sales).
 
#3 · (Edited)
Yes, we have beaten this horse quite a bit here and it will be shocking if Subaru goes Tribeca 2.0.

Subaru has long had two vehicles/platforms: Impreza and Legacy. The rest are variations of either theme (except BRZ).

If a "platform" in current Subaru parlance can handle an Impreza/Forester and Legacy/Outback at the same time, it can also handle a new, larger 7 pax. I do not see the issue. The Legacy/OB will be the mid-range with the new 7 pax as much larger as the Impreza is smaller.

I have no clue what they mean by platform, but, whatever it is, it should handle everything they offer. In addition, the rumors of further collaboration with Toyota seem to have subsided, except on the battery front.

My bet is on a smaller H6+Toyota-sourced batteries built on the same "platform" as all others in Indiana. For some reason, I also expect to either love or hate the offering.
 
#4 ·
I think the platform issue is one of dimensional matters, i.e. modern factories are typically setup to assemble a finished product within a certain footprint. So say the assembly footprint in Lafayette is Outback-sized, you can certainly assemble an Impreza because it fits within the footprint. In other words, you can always go smaller, but you can't go larger.

The lengths of the Tribeca, Outback and Legacy are 192, 190 and 189 inches, respectively. By comparison, most of the competition in the 7-pass segment is over 200 inches. If Subaru wants to compete in the 7-pass segment, they need to add at least 8-10 inches to the length, and I am guessing they can't do that in Lafayette without re-configuring (and possibly re-outfitting) the entire factory, and Fuji doesn't have any other facilities in North America. Additionally, Camry assembly is moving out of Lafayette next year, and I think that part of the reason for Subaru going to a single, modular platform is to bring Forester and/or Impreza assembly state-side within the next 2-3 years.

Princeton, on the other hand, is already assembling the Sienna (L=200) and Sequoia (L=205), so they could undoubtedly handle a larger Subie 7-pass.
 
#5 ·
Ok, so you think that when they say that all vehicles will move to a single platform they really mean "all current vehicles?"

It is possible; after all, the vehicle will be US-specific anyway so it won't be that great of an exception to the new global rule. It is also certain that Subaru is no stranger to somewhat bizarre decisions (like the BRZ).

That said, I have not heard any recent rumors about Subaru continuing the Toyota collaboration with respect to a joint Highlander/Tribeca replacement.

I wonder if they have made a decision yet. I would rather have them continue slowly but surely than rush everything (overall production increases, 7 pax, single platform).
 
#6 ·
I personally doubt we will see anything like exiga in the US, main reason is the size. Most people here expect way more room then that third row provides. In other markets it may do much better, given the factors that gas price went down folks are again less concerned with mpg than five years ago, and domestic mammoths are packed with features that most soccer dads want.

I doubt there will be a joint people hauler with toyota, why would they share their piece?
The way i see it is subaru is focused on two groups of people, young and those with kids in college, as it is advertised as outdoor fun recreation type deal. You not going camping with three car seats across, face it you want convenient minivan with lots of storage for the kids and multiple screens so they dont bother you on the way to school, and subaru is all about exactly opposite.

By the way I am 6'4 about 200lbs and can comfortable sit in third row. Grew up in a side car then my parents bought a Vaz 2106 and back seat had much less room then Tribecas third row. Its all about what you are used to.
 
#7 ·
It might not be a JV like the BRZ, but just like Camrys has been assembled in Lafayette, they could assemble a Subaru-specific vehicle in Princeton.
 
#8 ·
From subaru press release/article something something that i saw on nasioc not too long ago is exactly subarus plan.
Right now outback production/assembly is held back by factory capabilities, and they want entire Lafayette to produce only subaru.
Most likely we will see something in-between tribeca and exiga, with longer wheelbase but more wagon form and of course 6 cylinder and possibly hybrid petrol+electric.
 
#9 ·
I'm pretty sure they already discontinued production of the Camry at Lafayette because of Subaru's "volume issue." Even then, Subaru is having trouble meeting demand. Streamlining is good, but they may need to expand the factory or build somewhere else in the country if they're going to be making Imprezas/Foresters here, too.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for posting that. Two things worth of note.

First, the year 2018. All I had heard was 2017-20. Hope 2018 is right. I would like to get it in 2019-20, if it is as appealing to us as the B9 was in 2005.

Second, the engine. The current H6? Hilarious. There is absolutely no way this is the case. Still hoping for a new H6 paired with electric motor(s).
 
#16 ·
Second, the engine. The current H6? Hilarious. There is absolutely no way this is the case. Still hoping for a new H6 paired with electric motor(s).
A few thoughts:

Subaru's new unified platform strategy is designed to do several things:

1. Cut costs in development, increasing profit.
2. Reduce weight. Not sure if they're using high strength steel or some other type of witchcraft, but they've been very clear about reducing weight across all models (which they've done on the Legacy and Impreza in the most recent gens already without this new platform).

If the weight savings were achieved on a new midsize SUV (say 4000-4100lbs vs the Tribecas 4200-4300), I could see using the 3.6 engine if Subaru tunes it up a bit. The EZ36 hasn't received any revisions since it launched and it's probably capable of putting down closer to 300HP if Subaru wants to invest the money into it (Direct Injection would be nice!). Just look at the improvements made to the EZ30 or the EJ25 over the years - it's definitely possible to get a bit more out of the existing engine.

Of course I would love to see a tuned, mildly turbo'd 3.0 instead, personally.
 
#14 ·
Interesting... they are building in Lafayette after all. Barring an engineering marvel, I hope they get the overall length closer to 200"; unless they're getting rid of what little cargo space does exist behind the third row and/or going to buckets in the second row.
 
#17 ·
One of the biggest things in this class of vehicles is Tow ratings, if they build to 5000lbs+ towing ability a lot more folks will be interested in it, otherwise it will sell but they will still be limiting their customer base.
 
#19 ·
The previous Tribeca was based off the much smaller BP/BL Legacy platform. The BN platform would certainly allow for more interior space with its longer wheelbase, so I can't say I object to using that instead. Not sure it'd help save weight though.

As for the towing - the restriction of the Forester probably has more to do with the chassis than the engine/transmission configuration. The 3.6 Outback w/ the same CVT is rated for 3000lbs (and it has a similar power output). Certainly a N/A torquey motor would be less annoying to tow with, but I doubt it has much to do with the rating - that's more on the weight of the vehicle and its brakes/suspension than anything.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Yeah, I am sure the engine will be brand new--and expect a combo with batteries.

This time they should go full in: excellent interior room, good mpg, acceptable towing.

As for myself:

A new, smaller H6+batteries? I will be extremely interested.
A turbo 4 + batteries? Less so, but still interested.

At an expected 40+k, it better check all the boxes, including interior design as appealing as the Beca was in 2006 and an exterior not as terrifyingly bland as the 2008 minivanization.
 
#26 ·
Right. That a dealer saw something on screen does not mean much. What I do believe is that he knows practically nothing--they all say Subaru tells them nothing, which is believable.

If production is supposed to start in 2018 we may not know much till Fall 2017....
 
#28 · (Edited)
Huh? A lot of assumptions about the dealer. Don't know where 2017 and 2018 came from. He told me the date after telling me the car was coming in April. He looked it up to confirm the exact date.

Again, not saying this is truly going to happen, but he was confirming what they had been told by what he was looking up. I don't think it was internet gossip, but email. It was a definitive date.

I'm going to let this all go now. I am not interested in a car with a CVT and have been shopping for a Certified Previously Owned Tribeca with low mileage. It's what I was discussing with him at the time. It's what I prefer. Finding one is difficult.

The newer Tribeca was a VERY poor seller.
This is a quote from Wikipedia, but I've seen similar information all over the internet:

"It was announced in January 2012 that the Subaru Tribeca would stop being sold in the US and Australia, and that its production cycle would come to a stop in December 2012.[7] On October 18, 2013, Autoblog, Jalopnik, and Cars.com all confirmed that Subaru has informed its dealers that production on the Tribeca will end in January 2014 due to slow sales, as Subaru has sold just 78,000 Tribecas since 2005, making it one of the worst-selling vehicles in the US in 2011 and 2012; in 2013, only 1,247 Tribecas were sold in the first nine months,[8][9] and placed seventh among the worst selling vehicles in the United States for the 2013 model year with only 1,598 units sold, down 23% from 2012. The move comes as Subaru is looking at replacing the vehicle with an upscale 7-seat crossover SUV, possibly based on the Subaru Exiga, that would compete against the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder, which had been in the planning stages in an effort to attract new buyers without alienating current ones, since the Tribeca (in its present design) does not fit the description Subaru needs in the crossover SUV segment.[11] On April 16, 2015, Subaru confirmed that the next generation Exiga Crossover 7 that will go on sale in Japan will NOT BE THE REPLACEMENT for the Tribeca in North America because of its size, as Subaru is planning a larger size successor that could be built in the United States."

I believe less than 2,000 sold in 2014 as well AND IT'S A SHAME.

All of that means the replacement must have been being planned as early as January 2012, but definitely was in planning by October 2013.

There was no confirmation that the car is to be built here; only that it could be, and it that it could be does not mean exclusively.

By the way, this is an interesting Wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_Tribeca

That's my last comment about this subject, but I will continue to monitor what others have to say.:D
 
#27 ·
I don't think production can start until the Indiana factory is completed. Currently SIA does not have enough capacity for another vehicle right now.

But the LA Auto show is next week, so maybe Subaru will surprise us with a concept there. And steal some of Mazda's thunder as they debut their new CX-9.
 
#31 ·
It usually helps to rely on authoritative sources rather than notoriously unreliable ones...

...it also helps reading the thread before posting. There are some links that might be of interest :)

As for the CVT, I think that is a given. I still trust my 5 EAT more but that is only because I am one of the few who take a Subaru on 4x4 trails. The so-called high torque CVT on the WRX, FXT, and the new H6 OB is stellar.
 
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