Subaru Forester

Long awaited, Subaru’s latest offering (2025), the all-new Subaru Forester (sixth-generation), officially launched in Malaysia.

The C-segment (full-size SUV) runner underpins the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) architecture with an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrain.

Fully imported (CBU – Japan), available via Motor Image Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. is one variant (Forester 2.5i-S EyeSight – RM222,689).

Price (OTR, w/o insurance) includes a vehicle warranty (five years/100,000 km) and a service package (free: five years).

Exterior (single-tone) colours (Crystal White Pearl, Ice Silver Metallic, Magnetite Grey Metallic, Crystal Black Silica, Daybreak Blue Pearl, Sapphire Blue Pearl, Autumn Green Metallic, Cashmere Gold Opal, Brilliant Bronze Metallic, River Rock Pearl, Crimson Red Pearl).

Interior (single-tone – dual-tone) colour (Black – Black-Brown).

The all-new Forester gets an angularly chunky dashboard, linked to a low-rising centre console (armrest, wireless charger, storage).

Soft-/hard-touched (dash, steering wheel, centre console, doors – leatherette, panels), it sees one colour scheme (single-tone: Black) with contrast stitching (Brown) and trims (Brown, Gloss Black, parametric-wood décor).

Equipped are the driver/central displays (instrument cluster, infotainment) and air-conditioning system (vents: angular – control panel: infotainment embedded buttons).

Inclusively, the layout is ergonomic (functional) with accessibilities purposefully arranged (driver-centric, passenger-oriented).

Installed is a semi-analogue driver display (instrument cluster) with a 4.2-inch colour TFT LCD (Thin-Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display) Multi-Information Display (MID).

Features are vehicle telematics, Bluetooth and voice recognition.

Comfortable, the interior sees leather-microfibre upholstery in two colour schemes (single-tone: Black – dual-tone: Black-Brown) with contrast stitching (Brown).

The front gets electronic-powered (driver-passenger-multi-way-adjust, driver-lumbar, driver-memory) ergonomic seats. The rear gets a manual-operated (back rest recline, 60:40 split-fold) bolstered bench (three-seater).

Included are headrests (adjustable: front, rear) and armrests (front: centre console – rear: centre seat fold-out).

A five-seater (full-size SUV), the cabin offers generous space, providing comfortable seatings with ample interior mobility for the occupants (front, rear).

Sufficient head, shoulder and leg rooms.

Mounted is a three-spoke-round steering wheel. Leatherette (single-tone: Black) with contrast trims (Gloss Black) and stitching (Brown).

Features are multi-switches (Bluetooth, media, voice recognition, vehicle telematics), column adjustments (tilt, telescopic) and paddle shifters.

Drive is aided by an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system (turning radius: 5.4 m).

Practical storage spaces. E.g., glove box, centre console spaces (partitioned, caverned), pockets (seat backs, side doors) and a hidden boot space (under-boot floor).

Provided are four cup holders (two – front, rear) and four bottle holders (one – side doors).

Equipped are four USB ports (two: front, rear), one 12 V socket (front) and one wireless charger (front).

Accessing the boot’s electronic-powered (contactless: remote/key fob, interior button, tailgate button, kick-sensor) tailgate, opens to 496 litres (rear seats up) and 1,719 litres (rear seats down) of load capacities.

Weighing in at 1,643 kg, the all-new Forester stands at 4,655 mm long, 1,830 mm wide, 1,730 mm tall and with a wheelbase spanning 2,670 mm.

Solidly utilitarian, it exudes a dynamically bold exterior, emphasised by roundly sculpted and angularly cut contours.

The front-end sees a formed bonnet (centre bulged), muscular quarter panels (flared fenders, wheel arch extensions, vent) and a sculpted bumper (grille: horizontal slats, bar trim, Subaru emblem – vents: lower-centre).

Accentuations, body clad (Black: bumper, wheel arch extensions, side sills), body trims (Black: grille, vents, B-pillars, side mirrors, window surrounds, roof rails – body-colour: bumper, fenders, door handles – Chrome: grille bar – Chrome-Blue: Subaru emblem).

Robustly solid, it continues the dynamically bold profile, emphasised by roundly angular and horizontally symmetrical surfaces.

The rear-end sees a straight cut roofline (roof-edge spoiler, shark fin antenna), muscular quarter panels (flared fenders, wheel arch extensions), a broad tailgate (middle bar trim, Subaru emblem, Forester script) and a covered bumper (corner exhaust).

Accentuations, body clad (Black: bumper, wheel arch extensions, side sills), body trims (Black: B/C-pillars, window surrounds, tailgate middle bar, roof-edge spoiler, shark fin antenna, roof rails – body-colour: roof-edge spoiler, bumper, fenders, door handles – Chrome: Forester script – Chrome-Blue: Subaru emblem).

Seamlessly embedded, the two-tier headlamps (split DRLs) are housed slim and sleek. Installed are full LED (projectors) units.

Features are automatic On/Off/cornering/low-/high-beam/levelling, High Beam Assist (HBA), Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH), Daytime Running Lights (DRL – LED), welcome/leaving lights and sequential turn signals (LED).

Angular, the tail lamps are framed slim with boxy wrapped-around edges. Installed are combination (bulb, LED) units.

Features are automatic On/Off, welcome/leaving lights and sequential turn signals (LED). Included is a high-mounted stop light (spoiler integrated).

The side mirrors (Black) are electronic-powered (auto-fold, adjust), with turn signals (LED), blind-spot indicators (Blind Spot Detection: BSD), auto-tilt (reverse, parking), memory (driver side) and heating.

Fitted is a set of 18-inch (five-twin-spoke – Black-Silver) aluminium alloy rims, wrapped in 225/55 R18 (front, rear) Falken Ziex ZE001A A/S tyres.

The all-new Forester is equipped with Subaru’s ‘EyeSight 4.0’ suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

Grouped are Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop/Go (ACC-S/G), Autonomous Emergency Steering (AES), Pre-Collision Braking System (PCBS), Pre-Collision Throttle Management (PCTM), High Beam Assist (HBA), Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH), Lane Centring Control (LCC), Preceding Vehicle Adaptive Steering Control (PVASC), Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), Lead Vehicle Start Alert (LVSA), Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB), Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection (SRVD) and Driver Monitoring System (DMS).

Other systems include Surround View Camera (SVC: 360-degree), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Vehicle Dynamics Control System (VDCS), Hill Hold Control (HHC), Active Torque Vectoring (ATV), Emergency Driving Stop System (EDSS), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold.

Passive safety includes eight (driver-passenger, driver-knee, front passenger seat, front sides, front-rear curtains) airbags, seat belts (reminders, pre-tensioners, anchors), ISOFIX (two: outer-rear seats), parking sensors (four: rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), rear-view mirrors (exterior: BSD – interior: day-night-manual-dimming), automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic windows (anti-pinch, one-touch up/down), automatic headlamps (On/Off/cornering/low-/high-beam/levelling), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), impact beams and anti-theft system (security alarm, immobiliser).

Enabled is the Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) programme (standard: NORMAL, SPORT, INTELLIGENT – Dual-Function X-Mode: SNOW, DIRT, DEEP SNOW, DEEP MUD).

Installed is an 11.6-inch HD touchscreen central display (infotainment).

Features are Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wireless), AM/FM radio, USB, Bluetooth, media, voice recognition and vehicle telematics.

The all-new Forester underpins an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrain.

Nestled is a (FB25: Subaru Boxer engine) 2.5-litre, inline four-cylinder 16-valve, naturally aspirated direct injection (NA-DI) with variable valve timing (VVT) DOHC petrol engine (185 PS/136 kW, 247 Nm).

Churning the setup is (TR58) Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with an eight-speed manual mode (paddle shifters).

Power is rooted to all wheels, via Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (S-AWD) system. Included is Active Torque Vectoring (ATV).

0 to 100 km/h is done in 9.7 seconds, and top speed is electronically capped at 205 km/h.

Fuel tank capacity is 63 litres, and the fuel consumption reads at 7.9 l/100 km.

The all-new Forester features these conveniences.

E.g., Smart Entry system (keyless entry, engine Start/Stop button), electronic-powered (contactless: remote/key fob, interior button, tailgate button, kick-sensor) tailgate, electronic-powered (driver-passenger-multi-way-adjust, driver-lumbar, driver-memory) ergonomic seats (front), headrests (adjustable: front, rear), armrests (front: centre console – rear: centre seat fold-out), dual-zone automatic climate control (rear air vents) system, interior storages (centre console: partitioned, caverned – pockets: seat backs, side doors), steering wheel (multi-function, column adjustments, paddle shifters, EPS), charging ports (USBs, power socket, wireless charger), interior illumination (LED: cabin, boot), parking sensors (four: rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), rear-view mirrors (exterior: BSD – interior: day-night-manual-dimming), automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic windows (anti-pinch, one-touch up/down), automatic headlamps (On/Off/cornering/low-/high-beam/levelling), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Installed is a dual-zone automatic climate control (rear air vents) system.

The all-new Subaru Forester is built with a solidly dynamic appeal, offering appearance, space and practicality.

Curvaceously muscular and sculpted, its exterior is well-designed with roundly angular lines donating to a powerful overall character.

Inside and out, the quality of the equipment installed is impressive with clean and minimalistic detailing.

Ultimately, the all-new Forester bargains more than just good looks, as it also offers plenty of other amenities at the price it comes with.