2013 Subaru Forester: first images of new mid-sized SUV | CarAdvice

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2013 Subaru Forester: first images of new mid-sized SUV

SUBARU FORESTER
By Tim Beissmann
FIND DEALS

The 2013 Subaru Forester has been revealed for the first time in a series of leaked brochure images.

Published by enthusiast website Carscoop, the images confirm the all-new fourth-generation Forester SUV will share much in common with the Subaru Impreza hatch with which it shares its basic underpinnings.

Like the Impreza which launched in Australia earlier this year, the new Subaru Forester features aggressive ‘hawk-eye’ headlights and a bold upright grille, along with chunky proportions and boxy tail-lights at the rear. Aiding front visibility is a new small window at the base of the A-pillar near the side mirrors.

The images reveal two distinct variants, the luxury-focused 2.0i-L (in red) and the hotter turbocharged 2.0XT (in silver), the latter scoring a unique front bumper with large side air intakes, sporty alloy wheels, roof rails and chrome side skirts.

The cabin appears almost identical to the new Impreza, featuring an information screen high on the centre stack, a satellite navigation screen in high-grade models and a simple multi-function three-spoke steering wheel. Silver trim highlights offset the otherwise dark grey interior.

The new Subaru Forester goes on sale in Japan in November and will roll out across Europe and the US in early 2013.

Subaru Australia’s David Rowley confirmed the 2013 Subaru Forester will launch locally early in the first quarter of 2013, either in January or February.

The leaked brochure content confirms the new Forester will be 4595mm long, 1795mm wide, 1695mm tall and will ride on a 2640mm wheelbase – making it 15-35mm larger in all directions.

Boot capacity will grow from 450 litres to 488-505 litres, depending on the variant.

Carscoop reports the Forester will launch in Japan with two 2.0-litre four-cylinder Boxer petrol engines: a naturally aspirated unit shared with the Impreza producing 110kW, and a turbocharged powerplant churning out a heftier 206kW.

The entry-level engine will be available with a six-speed manual transmission and a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the turbo model will be teamed exclusively with the CVT.

A 2.5-litre petrol engine and a 2.0-litre diesel are also expected to be offered in other markets, likely including Australia.

The brochure also confirms high-grade Forester variants will be equipped with the company’s EyeSight safety technology, incorporating adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, lane departure warning and vehicle sway warning, among other functions.

Like the Impreza, all variants are also set to feature seven airbags and a reversing camera.

More details on the new 2013 Subaru Forester will be revealed closer to the car’s overseas launch in the coming weeks.


 

  • Ben

    Definitely not class changing [design-wise], but sufficient to keep it looking modern IMO. Already prefer it over the current model, not that it’s terribly ugly or anything…

    • Zaccy16

      Yeah me too! i still think that the current model and this new model are behind the model before the current model for looks and quality! current subarus have gone more value focused unfortunately which means more cost cutting

    • I like it

      Never mind the looks, it should have excellent driver’s visibility all around, I would appreciate that feature on my car.

  • Dmcke3

    Why no manual for the turbo???

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=819007766 facebook-819007766

    Looks like a massaged version of the current model. Was somewhat surprised to read this was an entirely new model, rather than a facelift of the ongoing model.

    Grill looks severely out of place with far too much fussiness around the front fascia overall.

  • Anon

    Another good car downgraded with the stupid CVT gearbox. Prefer the old 4 speed auto

    • Hithere

      I prefer the CVT – its not unlike a ZF 6 speed in behavior.

      • Ozedude

        Are you kidding?  Seriously?

    • davie

      4 speed auto in Subaru is terrible. Ratios are a mile apart. Finally has been consigned to history.

      Am yet to try CVT but it does get good reviews and would surely be better than the aforementioned 80′s tech 4 speeder.

      • JamesB

        Anyone who prefers 4-speed auto over CVT needs to have their head examined. But it’s stupid not to have a manual in the turbo version.

  • Pauly

    Will the 2.0L Turbo unit be put into the BRZ?

    • JamesB

      Maybe in the 86 in the future. I read that the BRZ will only be in a limited run then everything will be Toyota.

      • scooby

        Interesting! Link?

  • Wile E Coyote

    Looks like it has been bent in the middle

    • rdrnr

      Probably because the brochure wasn’t lying flat when they took the picture.

  • guest

    what’s going on, japan?!

  • Able

    XT, WHY YOU NOT HAVE BONNET SCOOP?

    • Sumpguard

      Why do you shout?

        At least it ain’t as ugly as the Liberty!

      • Able

        How is it not as ugly as the Liberty? That rear end is hideous! The interior is identical to the Impreza; higher quality yes but the Forester used to be such a nice car !

        • Legnab

          TOO true, poor old suabaru have lost their way , i blame toyota they have dumbed it down .

        • Zaccy16

          Yeah your right! this is on par with the liberty, they both look hideous compared to the previous generations

        • davie

           Forester has always shared interior with Impreza ever since 1998 model Impreza took the foresters dash

          • Able

            The 03-08 models most certainly didn’t have the Impreza’s dashboard…

    • scooby

      This!!!

    • Chevrons

      I don’t think it needs a bonnet scoop – to ‘doof doof’ and they look aweful. The euro’s (ex Mini) seem to release their turbo models without them.

  • Waggaclint

    Looks pretty good IMO, ill be updating my current 2011XT to one of these next year..

    • SLORE

      You obviously have low standards you kent

    • Michael

      You need your eyes gouged out Wagga

    • Henry F

      I also think it looks pretty good Waggaclint, and might be trading in for one of these next year. It’s well sized, practical for the family & reckon the turbo would be a good drive.

  • http://twitter.com/klowik klowik

    I like the current XV but want something bigger. This is probably one of my favorites. This obviously looks much better than the current one.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=687966531 Steven Hambleton

    It needs three things for me to consider it -

    1. More front seat adjustment (tilt to support longer legs) and longer seat cushions.
    2. More left foot space. Only an issue for taller drivers.
    3. Diesel + Automatic

  • Zoomzoom

    Bland and boring.  Nothing to get excited about.

  • pixxxels

    Looks alright, nothing revolutionary. Design cues from the Impreza, XV and Liberty all over the place.

    exclusive CVT for the turbo…. would not buy.

  • MisterZed

    Forester isn’t mid-size, it’s compact. B9 Tribeca is mid-size.

    • JamesB

      These SUVs like Forester, RAV, etc. are hardly compact these days. I would laugh if they classify the XV as subcompact.

      • MisterZed

        Compared to the original 1997 Forester, the 2012 Forester is only 3cm longer, and 6cm wider. That’s not enough to move it up into the mid-size category, in my books.

  • BIGones

    too bad the rav4 V6 will smoke the turbo forester 

    • Zaccy16

      Yes but not for long because the idiots at Toyota are getting rid of the v6 for the new rav 4! The v6 was the only model that showed a glimpse of character from the whole rav 4 range!

      • Golfschwein

        At the expense of controllability, according to some critics, Zaccy. Eager puppy syndrome, too much power for chassis. So it’s said, anyway. I haven’t driven it. Not likely to. :)

        • Zaccy16

          Yeah your right! ive heard that too! that is why they have abit of character!

      • F1orce

        I know right? But to be fair the majority of the V6 Rav4 i see are doing 20 below the limit! 

  • Bobo

    No manual transmissions for turbo? no sale…

    • Able

      That’s for Japan; wait until our specs are released. Just saying, it better be a 6-speed manual…

  • http://twitter.com/SamMoss8191 Sam Moss

    Pretty ugly, but I guess it will sell well regardless of how it looks.

    • F1orce

      Yeah nobody here cares about your very vague, below average & aleatoric opinion.

      Go back into your white-supremacist hole. ;)

      • Able

        That is the most ironic comment I have ever read on this website. What he said about this car is true, it will sell well, despite being horrible to look at. Some of us don’t have time to write long and dim-witted comments (like yours…); other things, like Uni thesis’, are to be written.

        White supremacist hole…

        • http://twitter.com/SamMoss8191 Sam Moss

          As a matter of fact I am currently writing a uni thesis. Comments from the likes of F1orce never cease to keep me entertained!

      • Homer

        Idiot.

      • Stumpy

        Could you explain how his comment is aleatoric? I can’t see the connection to chance or random elements in his expression. Perhaps you really don’t know the meaning and thought you would just through in some big words. As for you your last sentence, that is just bizarre.

  • Basil Exposition

    Yawn… More rice burner committe styling… Will sell well though.

  • Anthony

    Looks like they have applied the heat gun onto the old model and bent it in the middle…….. Subaru and Honda have lost the plot!!

    • Andrew

      You don’t think it’s the curve of the brochure paper??

  • 12INCHER

    1990′s Interior…

  • Jiminy Cricket

    Such a beautiful blend of ugly and boring crafted into one craptacular body shape. Nice work Subaru. I used to have respect for your company a few years ago. 

    • Basil Exposition

      So did I, I wont be replacing my current Liberty with another Subaru. A raft of quality and reliability issues, woefully thin sheet metal and a service schedule that looks like its from the 80s. Also, Subaru’s warranty does not warrant squeaks and rattles after 12 months. Overrated and now ugly as well.

  • Rightindicators

    This is a scanned image, warping the styling a bit. Looks a bit bloated and more in the league of the big guys aka Toyota Landcruiser. It should look nimble and agile, seems like its gain a lot of weight by the images.

  • Fembot

    What is it with Subaru? I have owned several and they are great cars, reliable, never let you down but who signs off on the styling, a bus full of window lickers is more attractive. The starting blocks of the parolympics 100m freestyle is easier to look at. Oh well guess I better look for a new car

  • Blitzkrieg

    Tim,do you know if Subaru will be displaying this model
    at the Sydney motor show?
    cheers

    • aware

      I emailed Subaru about this. They won’t confirm that these pictures are correct, and there is no intention to display the car at the motor show.  The only bit of information that I have is that the vehicle has an anticipated launch of Q1 next year.  Considering we are in the last quarter of the year I would have expected the car to be at the motor show.  

      Coming from a MY05 and MY09 Forester I’m undecided about this new model. (Owning a Skoda Superb as well I’m more interested in the product range from Skoda at the moment)

  • Wr1te2me

    I have a current model XT in manual form. Looks like Subaru doesn’t want me to upgrade. I refuse to own an automatic…

  • Nathalia

    I saw this in the flesh and it’s really nice, the photos dont do it justice, it goes back to the old sporty style of Suburu. I love it and would buy one instead of upgrading my 3 year old Rav 4 V Cruiser L. Very nice Suburu. This is the kind of look us Soccer mums/ dad are looking for! Now just come up with a more sporty 6/ 7 seater! If the Tribeca looked like this I would buy that for sure.