The Subaru Forester STI is back… sort of

Subaru has taken the wraps off its new 2022 Subaru Forester STI Sport in Japan – but an Australian launch looks unlikely.

According to Subaru's Japanese arm, the new Forester variant is intended exclusively for the Japanese domestic market, and was created to suit "the needs of customers who demand sportier and higher quality driving while being an SUV."

Upgrades over the standard Subaru Forester include STI-tuned suspension package, 'Bordeaux' red-over-black nappa leather interior trim, STI badging front and rear, and 18-inch "super black high lustre" wheels.

If you're hoping for a turbocharged 2.4-litre flat-four engine, or even clutching at straws for a six-speed manual like the old Subaru Forester STI, tough luck.

The 2022 Subaru Forester STI Sport is a vanity-skewed product that offers no more performance than the regular car – and uses the same 130kW/300Nm 1.8-litre turbo engine as standard Forester variants in Japan.

This engine isn't offered in Australia; instead, the standard option locally is a 136kW/239Nm 2.5-litre non-turbo flat-four, alongside the hybrid that's also offered on certain grades in Japan.

Although the 2022 Subaru Forester STI Sport is not coming Down Under, Subaru Australia has said it is "working closely with the factory on upcoming Special Edition options for the Australian market".