January is a month of beginnings. And so we set forth in a 2009 Subaru Tribeca, bags packed, ready to fly to colder pastures. With the message of hope resonating, it feels like a time for togetherness — even here in New York City, generally a beacon for solos. And so it’s an appropriate time to examine moderately-priced family cars. The New York-centric named 2009 Subaru Tribeca is a good starting point for investigation. Automakers must have anticipated this era with the onslaught of compact utilities that are on the market. Okay, so maybe Obama’s presidency wasn’t their inspiration, but what’s resulted in the past two seasons is a lot of vehicles that look, behave and operate in very similar ways. (See Ford Edge and the rest of the gang). Yet, there are slight differentiators in ride, handling, features, cup holders and fuel economy that have left room for discussion, so let’s take it from there and focus on what makes Subaru distinct. Subaru claims their buyers tend to have a high level of education and like to seek out new experiences. Perhaps that’s why they named the CUV for the triangulated area of Manhattan between Broadway and the Hudson River south of Greenwich Village — certainly a hub for these aspirations.

In any case the dust has settled from the 2008 do-over redesign and the fuel frenzy, and Tribeca still seems to be looking for it’s niche. This isn’t to say it’s a bad ride. In fact, this practical grocery-getter is rather sturdy. The 2009 Tribeca comes standard with two rows, with a reclining second row that also slides 8 inches forward and back to stash more cargo or for a little extra legroom. With a nod to it’s rallying siblings, it also comes with standard all-wheel drive and a well-equipped 3.6 liter six cylinder, that blows 256 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 247 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm. (Unfortunately this confident engine churns at a rate of 16 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway in these green days.) Or as Leftlane News puts it: The engine fitted to the Tribeca gains some muscle thanks to more displacement and is the most powerful naturally aspirated powerplant ever fitted by Subaru. Some find the brakes spongy — such as CarGuru.But we found the handling up to par as the Tribeca held it’s own in stop and go of real life Tribeca.

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