Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the manufacturer of Subaru cars has announced that the company and TC Subaru Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tan Chong International Limited, have started CKD (Completely Knocked Down) production of the Subaru Forester at the Tan Chong’s plant in Segambut, Malaysia.
The Forester is Subaru’s second model to be assembled at this plant, following the Subaru XV crossover that has been produced there since December 2012. TCS plans to assemble approximately 10,000 units of the Forester annually.
The locally-assembled Forester will go on sale by around mid-year in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia through the Subaru dealer network operated by Tan Chong International.
The facelifted Subaru Forester was unveiled for the Japan market in October last year at the Tokyo Motor Show. The model features a number of upgrades to the styling, interior, and equipment including EyeSight, an Advanced Safety Package incorporating newly developed Adaptive Driving Beam headlights, and Subaru’s first LED high & low beam lights and Steering Responsive Headlights.
The exterior features a redesigned front fascia, which has been restyled to give it a “sturdier, more SUV-like appearance”, while a more comfortable and quiet interior space was achieved by increasing door glass thickness, strengthening the sealing, and improving Lineartronic transmission.
For improved driving stability, the steering response has been made more linear by modifying the steering-gear ratio, giving the driver a greater feeling of direct control over vehicle movement. Suspension settings were optimized to offer a smooth and solid ride with quality feel.
For the Japan market, the Subaru Forester is offered in naturally aspirated 2.0 -litre 4-cylinder DOHC engine and a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder DOHC, direct injection turbo engine. All models are mated to a Lineartronic CVT except for the basic model, paired to a 6-speed manual, which sends power to a permanent all-wheel drive system.
However, we have yet to confirm if any of these improvements will be applied to the version we’ll be getting here.
