If you step out onto the lot at a Subaru dealership, most of the vehicles you will see are designed for five passengers. There might be one or two lingering Tribecas, but for the most part, Subaru doesn't offer a vehicle that can fit seven passengers. However, the company is looking to change that.
Many big families want, or need, a big vehicle. At a certain point, small cars can be too uncomfortable, or dangerous, for larger families, so they look to minivans and large SUVs that can accommodate more people. Subaru wants to design a new vehicle that will fit seven passengers, and get in on this market.
So far Subaru hasn't been able to crack the seven-seat SUV market. The company tried with the Tribeca, but the model was short-lived. It was deemed odd and quirky, and fell way short of sales goals. Initially, Subaru originally planned on selling 36,000 Tribecas annually, but this never happened. Production stopped in 2012, and last year's Tribeca sales didn't make it out of triple digits. But Subaru isn’t giving up on a larger crossover SUV.
So the question isn't whether or not Subaru will make a new vehicle that can seat seven, it's how to put seven seats in a new vehicle. It's already been established that the new Subaru will have more interior room than the Tribeca and come with three rows of seats; however, how the seats should be arranged is still up in the air.
There's been talk of a Grand Outback. This would basically super-size the already popular outback to fit a sixth and seventh passenger. An upsized Outback would stay true to the outdoor styling people have come to identify Subaru with.The other option is designing a completely new model of Subaru. One that is distinguishable from the Outback, or any other model in the lineup. Of course, the trick is to make it distinct from the Tribeca as well.
Either way, the big new Subaru is being designed specifically for the U.S. and will be manufactured at the Subaru plant in Indiana. The company is hoping to have the new vehicle ready in two years.
