The Malaysian-built Subaru Forester is expected to make its official debut at the 37th Bangkok International Motor Show, following the start of production in February this year. It is assembled at the Tan Chong’s plant in Segambut, Malaysia.
Following its official debut, the locally-assembled Forester will then go on sale in the 2nd quarter of this year in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia through the Subaru dealer network operated by Tan Chong International.
The facelifted Subaru Forester which was unveiled for the Japan market in October last year 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.
We have yet to confirm if any of these improvements will be applied to the version we’ll be getting here but since the motor show will open its doors next week, it won’t be that long until we find out. So, stay tuned!
