Subaru Forester gets tweaks and new safety aids for 2022
The MY22 Subaru Forester gains better Eyesight and a raft of new safety and convenience features
11 January 2022 - 13:38
byPhuti Mpyane
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Two different looks for different personalities are on offer with the refreshed Subaru Forester. Picture: Supplied
Subaru SA has given its Forester range a midlife update for 2022. This year also marks Subaru Southern Africa’s 30th year in SA.
Changes to the SUV are headlined by a redesigned front fascia, which now features a larger hexagonal grille and squinter headlights with an array of LED bulbs, for improved night vision through adaptive high beam assist.
Further tweaks include mirror caps finished in a geometric textured material on the Forester Sport model, which also gains all-black 18-inch multi-spoke wheels. The Premium specification gets a new five-spoke, dual-tone design alloy and chromed mirror covers. The base model also makes do with new style 17-inch alloy wheels.
Cascade Green Silica is a new addition to the colour palette in place of the Jasper Green Metallic and the rest, crimson red pearl; crystal black silica; crystal white pearl; horizon blue pearl; ice silver metallic; magnetite grey metallic; sepia bronze metallic for the Premium derivatives remain.
While still on the colours, on the MY22 Subaru Forester Sport the orange and black theme has been tweaked with the removal of the orange splashes on the air vent surrounds but the citrus colour remains as seat contrast stitching on the dark grey seats.
For added practicality the Subaru Forester roof rails have also been strengthened and redesigned to allow for a higher load capacity for safe use of rooftop tents for instance. Additional tie-down locations have also been integrated into the rails as have two additional utility hooks been added to the roof of the rear cargo area.
Mechanical changes are only to improved steering responses, coil springs and dampers reworked for more refinement while a tweaked front suspension and new aluminium engine mount brackets bring improved noise, vibration and harshness levels. There’s no change to engines and the Subaru symmetrical all-wheel drive system.
Enhanced digital displays now also show extra detail while maintaining the look an feel of sophistication. Picture: Supplied
However X-Mode, Subaru’s all-terrain mode selector has been updated with improved hill descent control speed management, and now with manual acceleration on descent. It re-engages when the driver stops accelerating and at speeds of 35km/h or below to minimise driver re-engagement for convenience.
The MY22 Forester also gets EyeSight 4.0, a more advanced version of the sensor-led safety and convenience system. It now features a new and wider angle view dual camera, better software and faster and more intuitive reactions. It works to improve the equipped adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warning and Subaru says the system now works with better efficiency at intersections, where accidents frequently occur.
Also offered with EyeSight 4.0 are three new technologies that employ active steering inputs. Active Lane Centering ensures the vehicle remains in the centre of the lane with adaptive cruise control with tracking display on the digital driver’s display. Lane departure prevention corrects the lane keeping by actively steering back into the correct path.
Autonomous Emergency Steering is another new addition that avoids accidents by steering the vehicle out of a collision path with obstructions, be it a pedestrian, another vehicle or a cyclist. It also works in conjunction with the emergency braking function but it can also work when the system deems emergency braking is not adequate to reduce the severity of a collision.
EyeSight-equipped Foresters also get blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and reverse automatic braking as standard fitment. The latter detect objects when reversing and can automatically stop the vehicle if the driver does not take evasive action in time.
The 2022 Subaru Forester will be offered in four derivatives in 115kW/196 NM 2.0l and 136kW/239Nm 2.5l variants of the Boxer engines all mated to CVT automatic gearboxes. The new Subaru Forester is sold with a three-year/75,000km maintenance plan and a five-year/150,000km warranty. These are extendable, with various plans available to Subaru customers.
The new range is available in local dealers from January 2022.
Pricing
Subaru Forester 2.0i CVT — R486,000
Subaru Forester 2.0i-S ES CVT — R564,000
Subaru Forester 2.5i-Sport ES CVT — R599,000
Subaru Forester 2.5i-S ES CVT — R649,000
Part of the MY22 enhancements are new style alloy wheels and this Cascade Green Silica. Picture: SUPPLIED
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Local Launch
Subaru Forester gets tweaks and new safety aids for 2022
The MY22 Subaru Forester gains better Eyesight and a raft of new safety and convenience features
Subaru SA has given its Forester range a midlife update for 2022. This year also marks Subaru Southern Africa’s 30th year in SA.
Changes to the SUV are headlined by a redesigned front fascia, which now features a larger hexagonal grille and squinter headlights with an array of LED bulbs, for improved night vision through adaptive high beam assist.
Further tweaks include mirror caps finished in a geometric textured material on the Forester Sport model, which also gains all-black 18-inch multi-spoke wheels. The Premium specification gets a new five-spoke, dual-tone design alloy and chromed mirror covers. The base model also makes do with new style 17-inch alloy wheels.
Cascade Green Silica is a new addition to the colour palette in place of the Jasper Green Metallic and the rest, crimson red pearl; crystal black silica; crystal white pearl; horizon blue pearl; ice silver metallic; magnetite grey metallic; sepia bronze metallic for the Premium derivatives remain.
While still on the colours, on the MY22 Subaru Forester Sport the orange and black theme has been tweaked with the removal of the orange splashes on the air vent surrounds but the citrus colour remains as seat contrast stitching on the dark grey seats.
For added practicality the Subaru Forester roof rails have also been strengthened and redesigned to allow for a higher load capacity for safe use of rooftop tents for instance. Additional tie-down locations have also been integrated into the rails as have two additional utility hooks been added to the roof of the rear cargo area.
Mechanical changes are only to improved steering responses, coil springs and dampers reworked for more refinement while a tweaked front suspension and new aluminium engine mount brackets bring improved noise, vibration and harshness levels. There’s no change to engines and the Subaru symmetrical all-wheel drive system.
However X-Mode, Subaru’s all-terrain mode selector has been updated with improved hill descent control speed management, and now with manual acceleration on descent. It re-engages when the driver stops accelerating and at speeds of 35km/h or below to minimise driver re-engagement for convenience.
The MY22 Forester also gets EyeSight 4.0, a more advanced version of the sensor-led safety and convenience system. It now features a new and wider angle view dual camera, better software and faster and more intuitive reactions. It works to improve the equipped adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warning and Subaru says the system now works with better efficiency at intersections, where accidents frequently occur.
Also offered with EyeSight 4.0 are three new technologies that employ active steering inputs. Active Lane Centering ensures the vehicle remains in the centre of the lane with adaptive cruise control with tracking display on the digital driver’s display. Lane departure prevention corrects the lane keeping by actively steering back into the correct path.
Autonomous Emergency Steering is another new addition that avoids accidents by steering the vehicle out of a collision path with obstructions, be it a pedestrian, another vehicle or a cyclist. It also works in conjunction with the emergency braking function but it can also work when the system deems emergency braking is not adequate to reduce the severity of a collision.
EyeSight-equipped Foresters also get blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and reverse automatic braking as standard fitment. The latter detect objects when reversing and can automatically stop the vehicle if the driver does not take evasive action in time.
The 2022 Subaru Forester will be offered in four derivatives in 115kW/196 NM 2.0l and 136kW/239Nm 2.5l variants of the Boxer engines all mated to CVT automatic gearboxes. The new Subaru Forester is sold with a three-year/75,000km maintenance plan and a five-year/150,000km warranty. These are extendable, with various plans available to Subaru customers.
The new range is available in local dealers from January 2022.
Pricing
Subaru Forester 2.0i CVT — R486,000
Subaru Forester 2.0i-S ES CVT — R564,000
Subaru Forester 2.5i-Sport ES CVT — R599,000
Subaru Forester 2.5i-S ES CVT — R649,000
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