Facelifted Subaru Forester to miss out on turbo

A significant update is coming for the 2021 Subaru Forester and it’s set to bring a raft of advanced new driver assist safety systems, chassis modifications and styling revisions designed to improve the position of the Japanese brand’s top-selling model in Australia.

But there will be no Subaru Forester Turbo as part of the new range.

Subaru Australia has confirmed to carsales that the mid-life overhaul for the medium SUV will launch Down Under around mid-year (three years after the fifth generation was launched) with both petrol and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains – but still no turbo engine.

Asked whether a turbocharged petrol model would return to the range, local general manager Blair Read was clear: “Not at this point.”

When pressed on the calls made by Subaru fans for a replacement for the previous-generation (S4) Subaru Forester XT, which packed in a 177kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol boxer, Read said: “We hear the calls from customers in the market around some of those aspects, and we’re doing our best to make sure the model range in Australia meets the needs of our customers.

“We’re always exploring customer feedback and the options that may bring.”

But it’s no dice for a force-fed Forester in Australia for now, mainly because the Subaru Forester Turbo that recently hit the Japanese market is fitted with a 130kW 1.8-litre direct-injection four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that is less powerful than the natural-breathing 136kW 2.5-litre that powers all non-hybrid versions in this market.

The 1.8 turbo has more grunt, producing 300Nm of torque compared to the 239Nm in the 2.5 atmo, but that’s apparently not enough mumbo to warrant homologation for Australia as local executives instead push for right-hand drive applications of the new 2.4-litre turbo flat four deployed overseas, which can muster 195kW/375Nm.

Subaru Australia is hopeful this new FA24 engine will be made available in the just-launched 2021 Subaru Outback, and higher-tuned versions are also set to propel the forthcoming new Subaru WRX and Subaru Levorg that will launch later this year.

And, apart from powertrain, it’s the Levorg we should really be looking to for answers on the incoming 2021 Subaru Forester.

That’s because a variety of sources indicate that top-end versions of the new Forester will get the same new-generation EyeSight driver assist safety suite as seen on the Levorg, which offers 360-degree sensing with a newly-developed stereo camera with wider viewing angle and four radars (two each in the front and rear bumpers).

Known as EyeSight X and achieving a 94 per cent take-up rate from Levorg buyers in Japan, Subaru says the new system expands the range of pre-collision braking operation to cover crossing and turning at an intersection where there’s low visibility.

In Japan at least, EyeSight X also uses high-definition mapping and vehicle tracking via sat-nav that assists with highway driving, with Subaru highlighting its ability to “reduce speed before going into a curve and assist hands-free driving in traffic congestion”.

In another first for Subaru in its home market, the latest tech suite also brings connected services dubbed Advanced Automatic Collision Notification, which automatically sends an alert to an operator who will in turn contact emergency services.

The system will also assist drivers who need urgent medical attention. 

Elsewhere, the Forester, which is based on the same Subaru Global Platform as the Levorg (and Outback, XV and Impreza), could benefit from electronically-controlled dampers for the first time, along with a Drive Mode Select system which alters engine, steering, damping and AWD characteristics.

Minor mechanical improvements are expected for the 2.5-litre engine and CVT auto transmission, while recent spy shots of the new Forester (pictured here) point to a bolder front-end design based on Subaru’s ‘Dynamic x Solid’ philosophy.

Further down the track, a new Wilderness variant is also expected as Subaru looks to broaden the appeal and capability of its SUVs.

Read said Subaru Australia would be in a position to confirm details on the upcoming Forester early in the second quarter of 2021, which he described as “exciting updates” for the facelifted series.

“We also look forward to realising greater potential from our hybrid model XV and Forester that were impacted by the events of 2020 shortly after launch,” he added.

“Notwithstanding this, we did achieve over 1000 sales of hybrid models for 3.5 per cent of Subaru volume; a steady start.

“SUVs will dominate sales throughout the market and we are well positioned. Outback will make a strong impact – its technology and spec are extremely great value – [and] the recently updated XV and the upcoming facelift for Forester will drive really important volume as well.”

Subaru sold 12,300 examples of the Forester in Australia last year, which was down 18.5 per cent on 2019, but its volume in recent months has been strong with an average of around 1400 units.

This places it as potentially a top-three contender in the segment this year, challenging the Nissan X-TRAIL and Hyundai Tucson for a podium position, while the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 remain the leading players.

Subaru Forester pricing currently ranges between $35,190 and $46,490 plus on-road costs.