Way back in 2017, the Subaru Forester e-Boxer had a good chance of coming to the Philippines. It even reached a point wherein we drove it in Singapore for some driving impressions. But weeks turned into months, and eventually, into years. Eventually, we never heard electrification plans from the local Subaru distributor again.
It’s a bit of a shame, if we’re being honest. Subaru could have been the pioneering brand for hybrid crossovers in the country. In the end, it was Toyota that paved the way with the RAV4 HEV.
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These days, Subaru has not a single electrified model in the local lineup. Literally all the Forester’s rivals offer a hybrid save for Mazda. But now, the company has a chance to rectify that as the all-new Forester Hybrid has been revealed, along with full specifications.
Subaru’s hybrid system has come a long way since our first encounter with it. Thanks to advances in technology, it makes far more power than before, along with the promise of even greater efficiency.
The redesigned Forester Hybrid uses a 2.5-liter boxer engine instead of a 2.0-liter. It’s then paired to two compact electric motors and a 0.7kWh battery. Combined output is rated at 194hp while the electric motors push out 270Nm. For comparison, the 2.0-liter we have locally makes 148hp and 200Nm. A bit of a no-brainer choice if we had to pick between the current option and the hybrid.
This being a hybrid, the company is keen to point out the fuel economy benefits of the Forester hybrid. Per estimates, it’s about 40% better compared to the non-hybrid model with an efficiency rating of up to 14.8km/L in city driving. The standard 2.0 we get here is lucky enough to get 8km/L in similar driving conditions. Claimed range is up to 935km. Try doing that in the 2.0-liter version.
As it’s a Subaru, it comes with brand’s signature Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. On top of that, there’s Dual X-Mode that should give it more off-road capabilities compared to its rivals, along with active torque vectoring. Subaru is also proud of the fact that it has 221mm of ground clearance, far more than most competitors.
Of course, EyeSight is fitted as standard, so there’s a barrage of advanced driver assist systems in place. It’s one of the best-performing in the market, as tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. As for the interior and features, there’s a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster with navigation and Apple Maps compatibility. It’s then complemented by an 11.6-inch multimedia navigation system.
With specs like that, we say the new Subaru Forester Hybrid deserves a place in local showrooms.
