Launched: Subaru Forester Facelift – 4 Variants, EyeSight 4.0, From RM173K

TC Subaru Sdn Bhd, the official distributor of Subaru cars in Malaysia, has launched the facelifted 2023 Subaru Forester SUV. All four variants of this C-segment fighter from Subaru now come standard with the brand’s latest ADAS suite, dubbed as the Subaru EyeSight 4.0.

All four variants of the Forester are powered by the same 2.0-litre 4-cyl nat-asp ‘Boxer’ engine that outputs 154 HP and 196 NM. Power is then sent to all four wheels via Subaru’s proprietary Symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD) system with active torque-splitting, facilitated by the Lineartronic CVT automatic gearbox.

This setup grants the Forester a 0-100 KM/H sprint time in 10.3 seconds, en route to its V-max of 193 KM/H.

In terms of design, the Forester now sports a sharper headlights design at front, with C-shaped LED DRLs. Said headlights are flanking the newly-designed front grille, now finished in gloss black instead of chrome in the pre-facelift model. At the rear, the facelifted C-SUV also sports a new taillights design that  follows the same design cue as the front, featuring C-shaped styling.

Special for the two GT specs – the GT Lite and GT Edition –  are the inclusion of sporty GT body kits, consisting of the silver-hued front and rear lip extensions, side skirts, as well as roof-mounted spoiler, with the latter finished in black. Apart from that, all GT variants ride on a set of exclusive 18-inch GT wheels with multi-spoke design, finished in two-tone silver and black.

On board, the facelifted Forester is primed with a slew of tech amenities, starting with the 8-inch HD infotainment display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, as well as 360-degree camera view system. On top of that, both front passenger and driver will get power-adjustable seats with 8-way adjustments and heated functionality.

Aside from powered seats, drivers will also get Subaru’s signature X-Mode, which features selectable driving modes depending on the road surfaces like Mud, Snow, Dirt, and many more.

Topping off the Forester’s cabin equipment list are the dual-zone climate control, as well as keyless entry and ignition button – making it on par with segment rivals like Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5.

In terms of safety, the latest Subaru EyeSight 4.0 ADAS suite grants the facelifted Forester a bevy of new ADAS features. This includes Pre-Collision Braking (PCB), High-Beam Assist (HBA), Autonomous Emergency Steering, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Lane Centering Function (LCF), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), with the latter three being new functions added to this latest version of EyeSight.

Aside from the four variants, customers get to choose from up to seven exterior colourways for the Forester, namely Cascade Green Silica, Magnetite Gray Metallic, Brilliant Bronze Metallic, Crystal White, Ice Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Silica, and Horizon Blue Pearl.

Fully-imported (CBU) from Thailand, the 2023 Subaru Forester facelift is now available for booking, with pricing starts at RM173,500 for the baseline 2.0 i-L variant, while the mid-spec 2.0 i-S variant commands a RM183,500 price tag. Both the GT specs – the 2.0 i-L GT Lite and 2.0 i-S GT Edition – command a price tag of RM179,500 and RM195,500 respectively. All prices are inclusive of Subaru’s 5-year of 100,000 KM vehicle warranty, whichever comes first.

So folks, what are your thoughts on the facelifted Subaru Forester SUV? Would you take this over its segment rivals like the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX5, or even the Proton X70? For those who want to have a closer look at this latest C-SUV, you can visit Subaru Malaysia’s booth at the ongoing Malaysia Autoshow 2023, located at Hall A in MAEPS, Selangor.