Subaru Forester facelift revealed in Japan – what happened to those “eyes”?



As reported by a scoop in Japan last week, the order books for the new Subaru Forester have open in Japan before officially going on sale in August.  

While the earlier scoop hinted at ‘Big Minor Change’ in Japanese lingo which usually involve changes of the front body panels and interior, the Subaru Forester for 2021 is merely a simple facelift.

The full-LED headlamps have been restyled to be slimmer and more angular while the front bumper sees a reduction in unpainted plastic moulding for a more upmarket look. A new grille pattern surrounded by gloss black completes the new front look.

Three new colours consisting of Cascade Green, Autumn Green and Brilliant Bronze will join the palette.

One major update in the driver assistance system is the new generation “EyeSight” system. According to translated text, Subaru says this new stereo camera’s capability in collision avoidance has been expanded allowing for monitoring even at intersections.

For the interior, the page for order taking only mention new colours and materials for the seats.

Similar to the current line-up, four variants of the facelift Forester are available including one turbocharged range-topping variant called Sport. The e-Boxer naturally-aspirated mill makes 145 hp and 188 Nm, with a 13 hp / 65 Nm assistance from an electric motor placed within the Lineartronic CVT transmission.

The new Subaru Forester facelift’s unveiling is only for order booking purposes in Japan and the company intends to fully unveil and launch the vehicle in August.

Beyond the subjective looks, whether it’s the drive, comfort, cabin quality or insulation or even off-road capabilities, the Forester is no doubt on par and in very specific aspects, more superior as well! Watch our video review above to understand why the Subaru Forester punches its weight a lot better than the rest.

In Malaysia, the fully-imported Subaru Forester GT Lite Edition is priced at RM163,788 on the road and the model continues to be one of the most underrated SUVs out there.


GALLERY