Next Subaru Forester could be first to adopt Toyota hybrid tech

The ink has barely dried on an agreement that will see Subaru adopt Toyota's industry-leading hybrid technology on its future vehicles from the middle of the decade – and there is already speculation about which model would be first to take advantage of the new deal.

Last week, Subaru announced it would move to Toyota hybrid technology from 2025 – after previously indicating the roll-out would begin from the "mid 2020s".

The announcement comes less than two years after Subaru's in-house hybrid system has been roundly criticised over its negligible fuel-savings.

While the technology tie-up is too late for the just-released Subaru Crosstrek – which carries over the flawed system from the previous Subaru XV – and the related Subaru Impreza due later this year, the most likely candidate to adopt the fuel-saving technology is the next-generation Subaru Forester, due some time in 2024.

When asked how quickly Toyota's hybrid technology could be rolled out on future Subaru models, the boss of Subaru Australia Blair Read told Drive: "Let's call it the evolution of the hybrid system, or the next-generation hybrid.

"We're still working through time-frames, but the Forester – after Impreza at the end of this year – is the next cab off the rank for a major model-year change.

"Given it's our number-one selling model, you would want to bring your best foot forward with the new Subaru Forester.

"Whether it's there at launch or soon after, we're working through a few of those timings. But you'll see it in the market pretty soon."

When asked if Subaru was effectively taking Toyota's hybrid technology "off the shelf" to deliver genuine fuel-savings, or if it was an adaptation of Toyota's hybrid system, Mr Read said: "There is some sharing of technology between the two brands."