How Does the a Subaru Tribeca Sport Shift Work?

The Tribeca is a mid-size crossover SUV sold since 2005 by Japanese automobile manufacturer Subaru. The name "Tribeca" derives from the TriBeCa neighborhood of New York City. It is built on the Subaru Legacy platform and sold in five- and seven-seat configurations and features a unique sport shift mechanism.

What Is Sport Shift For?

The Subaru Tribeca comes equipped with a sport shift mode. This gives the driver the ability to work the SUV as a manual transmission without the aid of a clutch. It also allows the driver to shift gears to gain more power and pep or help them maneuver up or down a steep hill. Because the Tribeca uses an automatic transmission and the vehicle shifts the gears itself, it is not considered a manual transmission. However, the sport shift technology does provide an added sense of control that is similar to the feel of driving a stick shift, only without the need for a clutch.

How Do You Use Sport Shift?

Using the Tribeca sport shift feature is as easy as placing the shifter into sport mode. Once this is done, you may continue driving your Tribeca as normal, paying attention to the indicator lights provided in the cabin. As explained in the driver's manual, when you move the shifter into sport mode, the sport light will turn on informing you that the proper shift is activated. The selector gear position indicator will then show the current gear position. Also note that there is an upshift/downshift indicator that will inform you of the necessary shift action needed, based on the road condition or incline/decline angle. The up arrow indicates an upshift while the down arrow indicates a downshift.