Some new changes are coming up in the SUV game, 2023 Subaru Forester STI is about to happen. The Japanese manufacturer decided to release its fifth iteration of one of the most popular SUV crossovers. Subaru might be most known for their work with rally cars and having great success with it.
One of the badges that those cars carry is the STI mark. This stands for Subaru Tecnica International which is the cornerstone of Subaru motorsports. They started their work in 1988 and have worked on fine-tuning and improving championship-winning cars. Word on the street is that Subaru wants to put an STI mark on their Forester SUV.
This comes as great news because everything that has the STI badge goes fast, drives beautifully, and is a force to be reckoned with. Design-wise, we can expect some changes. However they won’t have drastic changes, those should come with the 2024 year model. For now, we will focus on the 2023 Subaru Forester STI and all the goodies that come with it.
Read along to find out more about the upcoming refreshment of an SUV that has been around for more than two decades.
What’s New Inside?
The all-new 2023 Subaru Forester STI is not just an offroading SUV. It is so much more than that. It offers great comfort and decent style so it can be used for your everyday commute to work for example. Seats are properly padded and cushioned to not sacrifice comfort while going over some serious obstacles or bumps. This ensures a comfortable ride no matter how long you are in that seat. A feature we would like to see Subaru introduce is heated and ventilated seats. We all know how during hot summers seats get sweaty and sticky, well ventilating them would negate this issue.
The cabin has great sound isolation, inside you almost don’t hear the revving and outside noise. The driver’s seat is quite tall when compared to its competitors. This is done to ensure good visibility while off-roading. It has automatic climate control so you don’t even have to pay attention to it. The computer will simply adjust the temperature for you. The gadgets and technology are updated which is amazing. We can of course control said air conditioning with a standard dual-zone controller. You can control heated seats as well. Seats can be adjusted with a 10-way positioning.
Great Technologies
There is a central infotainment system in the middle. It has Starlink multimedia with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The standard size is 8 inches but it can probably be changed on different trims that Forester offers. You can choose different driving modes with a single knob. It has Xmode, Snow/Dirt mode, and Deep Snow/Mud mode. This will ensure the best traction and quickly get you out of tight spots.
There are safety measures in place as well. Subaru Starlink has advanced collision notification which is automatic software that warns you of incoming danger. It has SOS emergency assistance as well as some other goodies. There is also a strong LED light inside the cabin above the head. This can help you scroll through your maps and find your way while outland. There is EyeSight driver assist technology.
Some of its features are Vehicle Dynamic Control and Anti Lock brakes. It also calibrates the whole SUV to adjust to its environment, for example, bumpy wilderness. Upholstery is durable StarTex which is water repellent and we also receive all-weather floor mats as standard. The back row of seats can be felt to give you some extra cargo space. There are some fine copper accents along with the cabin which adds to some luxury. We can see buttons on the steering wheel which adds to the safety aspect of the SUV. That way you won’t have to take your eyes off the road at any time to change a setting.
Will the 2023 Subaru Forester STI Be Redesigned?
There are some tweaks on the outside of the 2023 Subaru Forester STI. The SUV kept its tall ride height, this is because it will be visiting off-road paths quite often. No one likes things getting stuck under their vehicle with no help anywhere close. There are 180-degree cameras on the front, you can survey the path ahead with this and the infotainment unit inside the cabin. That way you know how difficult it might be to get over an obstacle. We get LED multi-element fog lights for better visibility.
On the top, we have stronger rails that support up to 800 pounds of weight. This also helps if you have a rooftop tent. The refreshed 2023 Subaru Forester STI can also tow up to 3000 pounds. There are some paints exclusive with certain trims, for example, Geyser Blue is available with Wilderness models only. There is a full-size spare tire just in case. But the tires are already off-roading ones and they are beefy. So don’t expect them to go down easily. Ground clearance is 9.2 inches to go fast over wild paths. On the front and back, we have newly designed bumpers that are placed at certain angles to give the best possible approach to obstacles.
Engine Options
The new 2023 Subaru Forester STI will get a new 2.4-liter turbo engine. This engine is also available under the Outback model. There is also a 2.5-liter engine. We expect all powertrain options to be all-wheel drive. This engine produces 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. More than enough for every off-roading situation.
There are also rumors about a hybrid version of the Forester. This would be great for fuel economy because adding small electric motors does wonder for saving money on gas. And it also packs a punch for short bursts of power.
Release Date and Price
We should see the new 2023 Subaru Forester STI on the road in late 2022 or early 2023. Prices differ from trim to trim.
Standard Forester STI stands at $25,195, Forester Premium is $28,195, Sport trim costs $29,765. Wilderness Forester costs $32,820 while Limited is $31,875 and lastly Forester Touring trim will cost you $35,295.