Disappointing then that the rest of Subaru's new baby is a little more Jabba The Hutt than it is Princess Leia: big, bold, imposing and clever{hellip} but not particularly pretty to look at.
From the front the Tribeca looks a little bit like a Seat Leon on steroids, with, I'm sorry to say, just a touch of the Porsche Cayenne's ugly duckling about it.
From the back it is ridged in such a way that it looks vaguely how you might expect a car sandwich to look: two slices of black polished metal surrounding a filling consisting of the same polished black metal. But at least we can be certain that the biggest Subaru ever to hit these shores is going to attract more attention than Revenge Of The Sith.
TriBeCa - as it is written when describing a region of New York - refers not to a galaxy far, far away but to the Triangle Below Canal Street. Those who enjoy Manchester's social whirl will be aware that the city is home to a bar which carries the same name and is also to be found in a triangle within the vicinity of Canal Street.
Life-style
This car, manufactured in Indiana and already on sale in the US, is therefore clearly designed to be as much a life-style statement as it is a means of transport.
Disappointingly, the mystique is spoiled by the B9 in its name, a widget-like internal reference number which means nothing in particular. The Tribeca is intended as a soft-roading alternative for people who might otherwise choose a more expensive BMW X5, Volvo XC90 and Nissan Murano.
It may cast a shadow bigger than the Millennium Falcon but it's fair to say that it boasts car-like characteristics on the open road. It definitely isn't designed for proper off-road use.
Tribeca is presently powered only by a screaming boxer 245PS 3.0litre petrol engine also seen in the new Legacy. A more frugal diesel engine is desperately needed - my leisurely if occasionally lead-footed drive around the Cheshire countryside resulted in the laughable economy level of just 24.5 miles per gallon.
Transmission is five-speed automatic with a Sportshift setting.
There are three models in the range, starting at £28,995 on-the-road for the 3litre S5 and peaking at £33,995 for the seven-seater SE7 which I tested.
If you're looking for power, prowess and cabin refinement in a relatively rare package (only 850 Tribecas will be sold here next year), then this car might be worth a look. A case of "Use the force, Luke . . . shame about the looks!"
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