2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca

Let's just say the Subaru Tribeca's styling is, uh...thought provoking. When it came time to vote, grumbling about its homely looks made it difficult to ascertain favorable comments regarding its road-holding abilities and exhaust note. Subaru's first entry into the crossover market is a three-row SUV designed to help Subaru hold onto Outback owners looking to trade up. With 4281 pounds to haul around, the 250-horsepower, 3.0-liter flat-six struggles, but otherwise the Tribeca does a commendable job on paved surfaces of all types, with a chassis and suspension that initially feel surprisingly sorted and well tuned. The body rolls quite a bit for an SUV with as firm a ride as this, however, and the steeply raked hood leaves you with the impression you're actually behind the wheel of a minivan.

Those with a taste for the avant-garde will appreciate the interior, with its cool wraparound dash a stylish highlight. The third row, allegedly the main reason for the Tribeca's size and weight, is a disappointingly tight squeeze for all but the smallest of passengers, although the more-than-accommodating second row moves back and forth on tracks and features one of the biggest stock DVD screens found in a vehicle of this type. Don't take the Tribeca too far off-road, though: The lack of a low-range transfer case and ground clearance and that plunging hood makes it difficult to place it accurately between obstacles.

Is it an all-wheel-drive minivan? A tall wagon with third-row seating? A sport/utility vehicle? There's a curious lack of focus about the Tribeca: You can't help but wonder if Subaru gave in to pressure to build something it could call a midsize sport/utility, when for years it's been known for building terrific SUV alternatives. In doing so, Subaru has created a vehicle that lacks the ingredients that made Subarus so appealing in the first place.