Subaru B9 Tribeca

The Subaru Tribeca is a really rather good large road-biased SUV that was born with two near-insurmountable handicaps. It comes with a petrol engine only, and it looks frightening.

• Comfort

  Many road-biased SUVs have to have a hard ride to keep body roll in check, but the Tribeca's low centre of gravity means that this isn't necessary. So its springs are comfortably supple. It cruises quietly too. But you wouldn't want to be confined to the third-row seats for long.

  

• Performance

  The sweet flat-six engine doesn't have much torque and has to fight against a performance-sapping five-speed autobox. So the Tribeca's performance can't match its soft-road rivals.

  

• Cool

  Subarus have rally cool. But not this one.

  

• Quality

  The cabin isn't beautiful but it's beautifully popped together and Subarus are congenitally incapable of going wrong.

  

• Handling

  As usual for a Subaru, well-balanced thanks to all-wheel-drive with a slight rear bias, and a low centre of gravity. Keener to turn than most SUVs, and it doesn't roll much. You can push hard before the ESP needs to do anything. But the steering is a bit dull.

  

• Practicality

  The occasional sixth and seventh seats on the upper trim levels have their uses obviously, but otherwise the Tribeca conforms pretty closely to the big soft-roader template. Average for its type, nothing more.

  

• Running costs

  Oh blimey, a flat-six petrol engine and autobox. Call the CO2 cops. Combined economy is 11.6L/100km, so you'll be hosing in the fuel while you're crippled for company-car tax. Depreciation might be an issue too. Elsewhere the picture is better: strong service from well-regarded dealers who you won't have to visit often, and a three-year warranty.