Subaru Forester facelift leaked – to be unveiled on June 14



The fifth-generation Subaru Forester, despite its many good qualities, is frequently cast aside for more popular choices such as the Honda CR-V, primarily due to its unremarkable looks – and that’s putting it lightly. It’s no wonder Subaru is essentially fast-tracking the facelift update for the Forester, rumoured to be launched in Japan on June 14!

As reported by Japanese publication Creative Trend, the new update will come with a refreshed exterior design, along with a few upgrades to its tech equipment – specifically the EyeSight advanced driver assistance suite. And thanks to a leaked image of what seems to be the cover page of a promotional brochure, we already have a pretty good idea of how the Subaru Forester facelift will look like!

Up front, the changes are largely reserved for the headlights, which now gets a more three-dimensional angular design, in line with Subaru’s latest models such as the Levorg. The Japanese publication also reported that the entire headlight unit – including turn indicators – is now LED illuminated.

Other changes on the front fascia include a slightly reprofiled front bumper with a sleeker lower intake area, and a new foglight housing on the corners. The front grille though, looks unchanged from before, aside from a new horizontal trim piece across the entire grille.

No other photos have been leaked on the car aside from this, so unfortunately we still don’t know how the rest of the car will look like. But as usual on a facelift exercise, expect to see a reworked rear bumper, new alloy wheels, and possibly a new tail light design – if Subaru really wants to change the looks (and public perception) of the Forester.

Next up on the list of upgrades is the Subaru EyeSight advanced driver assistance features. Although it’s not the EyeSight X 360-degree system found on the Levorg, the new EyeSight Plus system should still provide an improved performance thanks to a wider field of view on its stereoscopic camera.

The Japan-exclusive 1.8-litre turbocharged Forester Sport

As for powertrain, the existing 2.0-litre boxer engine will likely remain unchanged on the new Subaru Forester facelift. The naturally-aspirated mill makes 156 hp and 196 Nm, with power sent to all four wheels via the Lineartronic CVT and Subaru’s famed Symmetrical All-wheel Drive system.

Over in Japan, the Subaru Forester is also available in a new Sport variant, which inherits the Levorg’s 1.8-litre turbocharged flat-four engine that’s good for 177 hp and 300 Nm of torque. This should also most likely remain on the new Subaru Forester facelift, alongside the e-Boxer hybrid powertrain.

The report says that the new Subaru Forester facelift will be launched in Japan on the 14th of June, which is just a short three days away from now. But before that, what would you like to see on the new Forester? Let us know in the comments below!