New exterior and Outback-like interior for brand’s mid-sized sports utility.

LOCAL release in 2024 has been confirmed for a Subaru whose images have hit the internet ahead of official unveiling.

However, aside from confirming that the sixth-generation Forester is coming to us, Subaru New Zealand’s boss today said he is unable to provide any information about the car ahead of its international debut, in North America on Friday (NZ time).

Subaru NZ managing director Wallis Dumper said he and another local high-up got to see the new model during a very recent visit to Japan. 

He said more information about will come out on its unveil, at the Los Angele motor show.

Subaru often reveals new product in America, and commonly cites the US as being a priority recipient, to point where it sometimes achieves a a year’s head start with a new model. That has happened with the Outback.

Dumper said there is no indication the same will occur with the Forester. 

His operation has been told when it can expect to take the car; that will be in 2024. But he cannot be more precise than that.

Images of the car in what seem to be its Sport and Touring editions here hit the internet at the weekend. 

What appear to be staged official shots, rather than grabs, came after Subaru North America last week released teaser image of a wheel styling identical to that seen on one of the cars since shown in its entirety.

Subaru said then it was preparing to reveal a new mid-size SUV that was "an all-new fully redesigned vehicle", though could be expected to ride on familiar Global Platform underpinnings.

The images show that the car has evolutionary styling with cues from the latest Outback, Crosstrek and WX, as well as previous Foresters.

The updated front end brings a wider grille, new headlights with a slimmer DRL signature, more plastic cladding for the lower bumper, and slender triangular fog lamps.

The car also sports body cladding similar to the WRX and Crosstrek, and a prominent D-pillar line with ‘symmetrical AWD’ badging.

The brand’s lobster claw-shaped tail-light design – debuted in the current Forester and spread across the Subaru line-up – has been replaced with a new look, connected by a black strip running across the tailgate.

The interior is as per those in the Outback, WRX and Crosstrek. the big feature is a portrait-orientated infotainment system ut it also has fewer physical controls, USB-C charge ports and what appears to be a wireless phone charger.

The existing 2.5-litre petrol flat-four is expected to maintain in the new line, along with a “stronger”, more powerful version of the 2.0-litre petrol-hybrid flat-four, hopefully improving acceleration and efficiency.

There is talk this will be followed by a turbo-petrol Forester XT – expected to share the Outback’s 183kW/350Nm 2.4-litre turbo – and off-road-focused Forester Wilderness variants.