This is our first look at the all-new 2019 Subaru Forester.
Riding on the Japanese automaker’s new Subaru Global Platform, the 2019 Subaru Forester appears to be taking design cues from the new three-row Ascent crossover. The current Subaru Impreza rides on the new architecture, which has improved overall performance for the sports sedan. It’s expected the Forester crossover will benefit similarly, helping it stay competitive in what’s become a crowded segment.
SEE ALSO: 2017 Subaru Forester Limited Review
According to Subaru, the new platform increases rigidity throughout the body and chassis, helping reduce noise and vibration while increasing the comfort level of the vehicle thanks to better absorption of the suspension. More importantly however, the platform can be adapted to use electrified powertrains. It’s possible that in order for Subaru to comply with U.S. zero emission vehicle (ZEV) regulations, the Forester could be offered with a plug-in hybrid variant once it’s launched. Expect to see downsized turbocharged engines under the hood once the new Forester debuts sometime next year.
Our spy photographers said the 2019 Subaru Forester prototype was being benchmarked alongside a Honda CR-V and Volkswagen Tiguan. There was also a Honda Pilot there as a support vehicle, which actually tried to run interference to shield the Forester from the photographers.
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