The 2022 Subaru Forester e-Boxer (Hybrid) was launched in Britain and European markets in January 2022, following its reveal in its home market in Japan last year. Having sold over 357,000 units of the Forester in Europe over the last 25 years, with global production having crossed over 4.5 million units, the 2022 Forester builds on its predecessor’s success and offers incremental updates. Here are five things to know about the refreshed hybrid SUV.
Bolder exterior design
Subaru says that the 2022 Forester adopts its “DYNAMIC X SOLID” design, making it look more powerful and improving its road presence. The hybrid SUV gets newly designed headlamps with C-shaped LED daytime running light. The headlamps come with pop-up washers, and the turn signals and foglights also feature LED technology. There are no other changes to the exterior of the Forester.
New colour choices
The 2022 Subaru Forester e-Boxer can be had in three new colours: Cascade Green Silica, Brilliant Bronze Metallic and Autumn Green Metallic. These are in addition to the seven existing colours the Forester was already available in for the UK market.
New Safety tech
As standard, all variants of the 2022 Subaru Forester in the EU and the UK get the company’s 4th generation EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. In its new generation, the system offers a wider field of view. It gets 11 safety functions, of which three are brand new: Automatic Emergency Steering, Adaptive Cruise control with Lane Centering and Lane Departure Prevention (the system can also recognize dividing lines in the road and road edges).
In addition, the Pre-Collision braking system now supports collision avoidance at intersections too. All variants also get a new driver monitoring system with facial technology that alerts the driver of fatigue and automatically adjusts driver settings for the seat position, door mirrors, air conditioning preferences while also enabling hand gesture control to raise or lower the temperature of the automatic climate control.
Changes to the way it drives
On the 2022 Subaru Forester, the company said it had made changes to improve the steering feel and has improved the coil springs and dampers of the front and rear suspension for more refined ride quality.
In addition, the driver-selectable mode (SI-DRIVE), which allows for changing the throttle’s characteristics between ‘Intelligent’ and ‘Sport’, is now linked to the e-Active Shift Control, which automatically activates when in Sport mode. This uses the Forester’s G-Meters to sense if the vehicle is on a winding road and avoids an upshift to give the driver a sportier feel.
The X-Mode offers improved functions on the 2022 Forester in the off-roading department. When selected, and when the speed drops below 35 km/h (22 mph), the X-Mode can automatically re-engage without the driver having to switch it back on. The Hill Descent Control gets an update where if the accelerator is pressed, the brake is automatically released. The brake is automatically applied again to maintain the pre-set speed downhill when released.
Powertrain
There are no changes to the powertrain of the 2022 Forester for the EU and UK markets. All variants are powered by the 2.0-litre flat-four engine with assistance from a 16.7 hp electric motor.
The 2022 Forester operates as ‘Engine driving’, ‘EV driving’ or ‘Motor Assist’ driving depending on the speed. At low speeds, the electric motor alone powers the SUV and can do so for about 1 mile (1.6 km) continuously with speeds up to 25 mph (40 km/h). At medium speeds, the motor assists the engine, while at high speeds, the engine powers the Forester while also recharging the battery.
| Item | Specification |
| Engine | 2L horizontally opposed, 4-cylinder petrol with direct injection |
| Electric motor | Permanent magnet AC synchronous motor, 16.7 hp (12.3 kW) |
| Battery | Lithium-ion battery, 13.5 kWh |
| System Output | 150 hp (110 kW) between 5,600 – 6,000 rpm & 194 Nm at 4,000 rpm |
| Performance | Top speed of 117.5 mph (188 km/h); 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 11.8s |
| Fuel consumption | Combined figure of 8.1L/100 km (approx. 35 MPG). Not WLTP figures |
| Drivetrain | Active Torque Split AWD |
| Dimensions | 4,640×1,815×1,730 (LxWxH in mm); wheelbase of 2,670 mm |
| Cargo volume | 509 litres expandable to 1,779 litres (as measured under VDA guidelines) |
| Towing capacity | 4,122 lbs (1,870 kg) |
The 2022 Forester is not the most efficient in its class, with rivals like the Mazda CX-5 and Skoda Karoq bettering it on the efficiency front. By 2030, Subaru intends to make at least 40 per cent of the global sales with electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and its first EV, the Solterra, will launch in the UK this year.
2022 Subaru Forester e-Boxer Prices
Prices for the 2022 Forester in the UK are GBP 36,360 for the base Lineartronic, GBP 38,610 for the mid-spec Sport and GBP 39,360 for the top-end Premium.
Featured Image – Subaru
