- 2023 Subaru Forester Exterior
- Subaru Forester Wilderness
- Interior & Safety
- Hybrid variant
- In the U.S.
- 2023 Subaru Forester FAQs
- What is the 2023 Subaru Forester release date?
- What is the 2023 Subaru Forester price?
- Will the Subaru Forester Hybrid be launched in the U.S.?
The Subaru Forester Hybrid version has been available in several markets globally since 2018, but the U.S. isn’t one of them. That didn’t change with the facelift for MY2022 (launched last year), and we don’t expect powertrain changes with the MY2023 update either.
Here are our expectations from the 2023 Subaru Forester Hybrid:
2023 Subaru Forester Exterior
Subaru tried improving the Forester with a new aggressive look in 2021. As it is fresh, the company will carry this design to the 2023 model year.
Just to recap the changes brought with the 2022 model year update, the hexagonal radiator grille has strongly defined angles and new inserts for a bold look. The headlights have adopted a partly vertical orientation, with the main light having a U-shape and the daytime running light a C-shape. The new headlights and grille succeed in making the front fascia sophisticated.
The 2023 Subaru Forester will likely be available in six trims in the U.S., namely Base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring. Image Source: Subaru
A new ladder-type roof rail design has improved the dynamic load capacity from 176 pounds to 220 pounds and the static load limit from 700 pounds to 800 pounds. The fog lights and alloy wheels are new, and their design varies as per the trim. Speaking of trims, there are six choices now: Base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness (new), Limited, and Touring. Subaru has improved the Forester’s windshield washer system with additional single-nozzle, dual spray in the lower windshield cowl area.
Subaru Forester Wilderness
The Subaru Outback received its Wilderness variant in March 2021, and the Subaru Forester welcomed the same with the MY2022 update. Don’t expect Subaru to introduce major changes for the Forester Wilderness with the MY2023 update.
The Subaru Forester Wilderness comes with 9.2 inches of ground clearance – a half-inch more than the regular model, longer coil springs and shock absorbers that provide added road clearance, and special tuning ensuring the increased clearance doesn’t affect the ride and handling performance.
Exclusive 17-inch matte black alloy wheels shod with Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires, which provide increased traction on muddy and gravel roads, and a full-size spare tire are standard.
The Wilderness packs exclusive styling features to communicate its greater off-road capabilities. In addition to the Subaru Wilderness badge, it has a matte black anti-glare hood decal, front skid plate, larger wheel arch cladding, and unique hexagonal LED fog lights. Water-resistant StarTex seating surfaces also make this trim more suitable for adventures.
Interior & Safety
The 2023 Subaru Forester should have the same interior design as the current model. Subaru didn’t overhaul the Forester’s interior during the mid-cycle refresh for MY2022 either. However, it made the cabin safer by introducing a new version of EyeSight, including new Automatic Emergency Steering. The new feature works with the Pre-collision Braking System and helps avoid a collision at 50 mph or lower speeds.
The 2023 Subaru Forester is unlikely to feature a different interior design, with an overhaul unlikely to come until the next-gen model. Image Source: Subaru
Specifications
Hybrid variant
Internationally, the Subaru Forester Hybrid employs the FB20 2.0-liter gasoline engine and the MA1 electric motor that feeds off a 118.4 V, 4.8 Ah (0.6 kWh) lithium-ion battery pack in the Forester Hybrid. The engine produces 107 kW (145 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 188 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. In addition, the motor generates 10 kW (13.6 PS) and 65 Nm of torque. The fuel economy rating (WTLC) is 14.0 km/l or 32.9 mpg.
In Australia, where the Subaru Forester Hybrid is available, Subaru said that the facelifted model provides a more comfortable ride, improved steering responsiveness, and better handling, as it features retuned front suspension coil springs and dampers with the MY2022 update. Noise and vibrations are lower, thanks to a new aluminum engine mount bracket. Subaru revised X-Mode and Hill Descent Control. The former can automatically re-engage once the speed of the SUV reduces to 35 km/h (22 mph) or less, while the latter improves vehicle control speed. On June 17, 2022, the 2023 Subaru Forester Hybrid was announced without any such revisions in Australia.
In the U.S.
As stated earlier, we don’t expect a 2023 Subaru Forester Hybrid in the U.S. The Japanese company is unlikely to offer its direct competitor to Toyota’s best-selling hybrid model in the country, the RAV4 Hybrid, which has superior fuel efficiency (41 mpg city/38 mpg highway/40 mpg combined).
The U.S.-spec Subaru Forester should retain the 2.5-liter BOXER engine for MY2023. This naturally aspirated direct-injection gasoline mill produces 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 176 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. It works with the Lineartronic CVT and the Symmetrical AWD system. The Lineartronic CVT comes with a 7-speed manual mode in all the trims, except the new Wilderness trim, which gets another version with an 8-speed manual mode.
With the MY2022 update, Subaru equipped the Forester with a new electronically controlled power-assisted dual diagonal brake system for improved braking performance. The Premium trim received 12.4-inch brake rotors as a replacement for the 11.6-inch brake rotors in MY2021. These revisions should carry forward into the 2023 model.
Price
The prices of the 2023 Subaru Forester could start at around USD 26,500 and go up to around USD 36,500. We should see the car by Q4 2022 at the dealers.
Introduced in March 2018, the fifth-gen Forester is experiencing turbulence in North America. Sales are weakening in the U.S., where deliveries declined by 12.6% year-over-year to 154,723 units in 2021. In the first half of 2022, shipments nearly halved year-over-year (46.9%), dropping to 50,937 units. The numbers aren’t close to the segment’s best-seller, the Toyota RAV4. Toyota put 407,739 units of the RAV4 into the American market in 2021 and 200,885 units in the first half of 2022.
For those wishing for an electrified Subaru in the same size class, the Subaru Solterra has been announced as the company’s first all-electric vehicle, with limited availability. It competes with compact electric SUVs like the Toyota bZ4X, Nissan Ariya, VW ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6.
2023 Subaru Forester FAQs
What is the 2023 Subaru Forester release date?
The 2023 Subaru Forester could go on sale in the United States in Q4 2022.
What is the 2023 Subaru Forester price?
Subaru may price the 2023 Forester from around USD 26,500.
Will the Subaru Forester Hybrid be launched in the U.S.?
The Forester Hybrid is unlikely to be launched in the U.S. The fully-electrified Subaru Solterra is a worthy alternative.
Featured Image Source: Subaru
Sagar Parikh Web Editor
With a Master’s Degree in Business Management & Administration, I’ve been working as an International Automotive News Editor since 2014, and have gained a wealth of knowledge and insight into hybrid and electric vehicles.
Keyword: 2023 Subaru Forester unlikely to gain Hybrid in the U.S.