New 2014 Subaru Forester Sneak Peak

Subaru has not yet given any indication of when (or where) the new 2014 Forester will debut, but there have been some glimpses of it on the road testing recently. In fact, there are even a few photos available, although for the most part it has only been seen under cover of the usual heavy camouflage. In fact, this model (the fourth generation model now) was seen running with both a Ford Edge and a Honda CR-V. Benchmark competitors, we presume. Whatever else may still be a mystery, it is clear that there are very strong and high expectations for this new crossover.

Forester is Important to Subaru

Subaru has long been known for making wagons, but in recent years the brand seems to have been taking their knocks as more and more manufacturers tried to enter this space. The Forester has long been one of their best selling vehicles; an attempt to update it to remain competitive with other brands is key to their future. It will be interesting to see if Subaru can update such a vehicle while staying true to their core values and attributes. Certainly we have come to expect a number of things from Subaru and do not want them to get away from these. Of course, what we really want them to do is come out fighting and show these new guys a thing or two about how to make a good crossover.

This may be quite a challenge for the company, given the number of competitors who are currently in this field and the fact that Subaru is relatively small as a car maker, despite being a part of the huge Fuji Heavy Industries conglomerate. Rivals will include the Honda’s new CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 to pick two names out of the hat.

What To Expect

While it is still too early to really know for sure, we can make a few educated guesses about how the new Forester is likely to shape up. For example, it is likely to have a platform very similar to the Impreza, possibly with some interesting adaptations. The vehicle may also be a bit wider and longer to keep pace with other models in its class. The framed windows which are on the current Forester model should likely carry through to the 2014. Given the single interior photo that has been obtained by Car and Driver, it looks like there will be a sleek new LCD screen for the infotainment system and the familiar three-knob HVAC controls.

Most likely the powertrain will have the current naturally aspirated 2.5 liter FB-series Flat Four. However, it would be reasonable to expect something along the lines of direct injection. Hopefully, we will see a turbo charged model as well, maybe with a bit smaller displacement. With other manufacturers developing hybrid and EV technologies, it will be interesting to see whether Subaru bring any new ideas to the table when the Forester makes its debut. The transmission options will probably also continue to offer a manual, but the automatic will likely be replaced with something that does not hamper fuel economy quite as much — something along the lines of a CVT.

All in all, the new 2014 Subaru Forester should be an interesting one to wait (and watch) for and it will be a crucial model for Subaru’s success and survival. It should probably sell for $22,000 or so in the US (which is about a thousand more than where the current model starts).