The 6th generation Subaru Forester gets the long-awaited hybrid model and a Wilderness model in the USA.
Subaru may have lost some steam in Malaysia, but in many other parts of the world, including the USA, the company is on a roll. In late 2023, they showed a 6th generation Forester SUV model mere months after we got the facelift to the 5th generation model. Now in the USA the brand has moved forward with a long-awaited hybrid version of the 6th generation model along side a ‘Wilderness’ package for the petrol version.
Subaru Forester Hybrid
This is the first-ever Forester Hybrid for the US market and it comes next-generation Subaru series-parallel hybrid system with technology from Toyota. Subaru’s legendary 2.5L boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive are still core to this system, but the electrification improves fuel efficiency by 40%. The petrol engine is capable of running both the Atkinson and Miller cycle. It has a total system output of 194 horsepower. Pricing in the US starts at under US$35,000. In terms of looks, there a new exclusive Daybreak Blue Pearl colour with a contrasting Crystal Black Silica roof option. HYBRID badging adorns the fenders and tailgate. StarTex upholstery will be available on certain trim levels.
Will this eventually come to Malaysia? Perhaps, but even if it does, it will come late and it may be more expensive than one would expect. That is unless the company decides to conduct CKD operations again and if the government will allow for favourable hybrid tax incentives. It feels as if Subaru in Southeast Asia is ready for another go with a new strategy. The question remains: how aggressive will the be and with which products will the do battle here?
Subaru Forester Wilderness
If you think the ‘Wilderness’ moniker sounds familiar, you’d be right. Subaru have had multiple ‘Wilderness’ versions of their SUVs since at least 2021 including the Outlander, the previous Forester and the Crosstrek – all for the US market. This new 6th generation Forester Wilderness will likely not be bound for Malaysia in any shape or form.
This model has more ground clearance at 9.3″ and is paired to the standard 180hp 2.5L boxer petrol engine. All the off-roading bells and whistles are present including symmetrical all-wheel drive, and X-MODE Dual Mode System. To add to its appeal, the Wilderness version gets upgraded tyres, enhanced suspension and better cooling. Specifically, the tyres are Yokohama Geolanders which wrap the exclusive 17″ anthracite-painted wheels. The suspension gets longer coil springs and shock absorbers. The added height improves approach, departure and breakover angles. The transmission cooler improvements include a rear differential temperature sensor and improves the car’s towing capacity to just under 1,600kg.
In terms of styling, the Subaru Forester Wilderness includes roof rails (which are functional), LED hexagonal fog lights, underbody protection, and anodized copper-finish exterior pieces plus rear bumper tow hook covers. those copper-finish peices are also found on the interior and you’ll also find exclusive Wilderness graphics on the digital gauge cluster.
