Subaru has updated the Forester for Japan: a new affordable turbo trim and minor improvements
A little over a year after introducing the sixth-generation Forester in its home market, Subaru has released an update for its popular SUV in Japan. The main news is the debut of a more affordable trim called Touring.
While buyers in North America associate the Touring trim with premium features and a leather interior, the Japanese version has a completely different purpose. It serves as a new entry point into the turbo engine lineup, cutting standard equipment to lower the price.
Exterior and interior of the Subaru Forester Touring
Externally, the Forester Touring gets unpainted black front and rear bumpers, as well as matching side cladding. The SUV rides on 18-inch aluminum wheels with the same five-spoke design as the Sport and X-Break trims, but with a two-tone diamond finish.
Inside, the cabin features fabric upholstery with a choice of black or gray-platinum themes. Additionally, the seats have blue stitching, and the gear selector has a silver finish.
Unlike the base trim in the US, which gets a 7-inch display, the Japanese equivalent comes standard with an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system. However, the digital instrument cluster has given way to analog gauges with a 4.2-inch display in the center. The Touring also gets a 10-way power driver’s seat with memory function, an 8-way power front passenger seat, heated front and rear outboard seats, and power-folding side mirrors.
Those wanting more can upgrade to the Touring EX trim, which adds a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Eyesight X ADAS technology, not found on the base Touring.
The rest of the Japanese lineup includes the Sport EX with bronze accents, the dark-themed Sport EX Black Selection, the off-road-oriented X-Break, and the flagship Premium EX (which resembles the American Touring). Note that Japanese buyers do not have access to the Forester Wilderness.
Gasoline and hybrid options
The mechanical specs remain unchanged. The Touring, Touring EX, Sport, and Sport EX trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder boxer engine producing 174 hp (130 kW / 177 PS) and 300 Nm of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a CVT and Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.
The X-Break, X-Break EX, and Premium EX trims are offered exclusively with a self-charging hybrid system (S:HEV). It combines a 2.5-liter e-Boxer engine producing 158 hp (118 kW / 160 PS) with a traction electric motor producing 118 hp (88 kW / 120 PS) and a 1.1 kWh lithium-ion battery.
In addition to the new trims, the Forester receives a Smart Rearview Mirror with higher resolution, as well as faster wireless smartphone charging. Furthermore, all hybrid models come standard with a 100-volt AC outlet rated at 1500 watts.
Pricing and availability
The updated Forester is already available for order in Japan, with Subaru planning to sell 2,200 units per month. The cheapest Touring version starts at ¥3,850,000 ($24,200), while the Touring EX costs ¥3,993,000 ($25,100). At the other end of the spectrum, the flagship Premium S:HEV EX costs ¥4,642,000 ($29,200).
In the US market, the base Forester Base starts at $29,995, but comes standard with Eyesight. The American Forester Touring Hybrid is the most expensive model in the local lineup, starting at $41,545 excluding delivery, taxes, and registration fees.
Interestingly, Subaru uses the name “Touring” for different purposes in different markets. In North America, it’s a premium version, while in Japan, it’s the opposite—a way to make the turbo engine more accessible. This strategy allows the company to flexibly adapt its model lineup to the needs of specific markets, offering buyers a wider choice. It’s also worth noting that the Japanese market did not receive the Wilderness version, which is popular in the US, instead having its own off-road version, the X-Break.