Subaru launches new Forester & all-new BRZ @ MIAS 2022

Launching both the new 2022 Forester and all-new Subaru BRZ

Motor Image Pilipinas, the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the Philippines, proudly announces the launch of the new 2022 Forester and the 2022 Subaru BRZ at the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS 2022).

The extraordinary SUV Forester is now equipped with EyeSight 4.0, Driver Monitoring System, and improved X-MODE with Hill Descent Control, while the second generation of the true-blue Japanese sports coupe BRZ is even sportier, even sleeker, and even more enjoyable for petrolheads who love thrills behind the wheel.

Said Mr Glenn Tan, Deputy Chairman and Managing Director, Tan Chong International Limited, “The 2022 Forester comes equipped with EyeSight 4.0, so owners of this new Forester can live larger and go on larger adventures with their families, thanks to its largest improvements to date. We are also excited to introduce the all-new BRZ which levels up the driving game with greater power and performance than its predecessor. Driving enthusiasts can experience pure driving pleasure in this second-generation Japanese sports coupe, with safety and style.” 

THE NEW SUBARU FORESTER

This state-of-the-art fifth-generation Forester, renowned for its safety features and driving dynamics, is built on the same cutting-edge Subaru Global Platform, and comes with Subaru’s most sophisticated driver assist safety system to date. 

IMPROVED SAFETY FEATURES

EyeSight 4.0 Driver Assist Technology

Subaru’s award-winning preventive safety system, EyeSight, is now more intuitive than ever. Boasting innovative stereo cameras, EyeSight gets an upgrade with new features. 

EyeSight 4.0’s Pre-Collision Braking now covers even more traffic scenarios at intersections, thanks to its improved stereo cameras with coverage that has almost doubled laterally (from left to right) as well as vertically. 

It is now able to help the driver look left and right, to detect obstacles and help prevent potential collisions, not only at its own lane, but at neighbouring lanes as well (e.g., vehicles travelling in the opposite direction and pedestrians crossing the road at left- or right-turn junctions).

EyeSight 4.0 now includes nine features, of which three are new, Autonomous Emergency Steering, Lane Centering Function and Lane Departure Prevention, while Pre-Collision Braking and Adaptive Cruise Control have been improved.  

• Autonomous Emergency Steering helps steer the Forester away from a vehicle or obstacle in front to avoid an accident (up to 80km/h)
• The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system now has a Lane Centering Function. This helps to steer the Forester, keeping it in the middle of the lane, whether the road is straight or slightly curved. This is in addition to the existing feature of the ACC that helps drivers in highway traffic, by keeping the new Forester at a safe distance from the vehicle in front, helping the driver to slow down or speed up automatically. 
• EyeSight 4.0’s Lane Departure Warning includes Lane Departure Prevention. This nudges the steering wheel slightly towards the inside of the Forester’s lane when it detects that the driver is about to cross the line/lane markings while travelling at 60km/h or more.

Driver Monitoring System (DMS)

Uses an infra-red camera and facial recognition technology to monitor the driver’s eyes and alerts the driver when the system detects that he/she is distracted or falling asleep. It also remembers the unique settings of up to five drivers for their seat and door mirror positions and climate control settings. It automatically adjusts them for each upon facial recognition. 

The new Forester now features DMS gesture control for the climate control system. A simple hand gesture adjusts the set temperature, making it easier and safer for the driver to do so.

Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection System (SRVD)

Radar sensors check for traffic approaching from behind the vehicle to warn the driver during lane changes and while reversing or backing up from a parking lot.

Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB)

The vehicle automatically engages the brakes when it detects the risk of a collision while reversing.

High Beam Assist (HBA)

Allows drivers to keep their high beams on all the time as the system switches automatically to low beam when the EyeSight system detects oncoming traffic.

Improved X-MODE: Intuitive Safety, Manoeuvrability and Convenience 

Helping drivers tackle the Philippines’ rough and challenging roads with the touch of a button, the improved X-MODE complements Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system to allow Forester owners to drive more confidently, especially on uneven surfaces or challenging inclines. Drivers can select between ‘Snow/Dirt’ and ‘Deep Snow/Mud’ to suit the driving situation. 

The improved X-MODE Auto Restore switches to ‘standby’ when the speed exceeds 40km/h, and subsequently comes back on when the speed drops below 35km/h. Previously, X-MODE would deactivate at 40km/h and had to be reactivated manually if needed. This improvement keeps the driver’s eyes on the road.

X-MODE’s Hill Descent Control empowers drivers, helping them maintain a controlled and constant speed even on slippery downhills in some areas of the Philippines, which provides greater peace of mind and allows drivers to concentrate on steering. 

It now operates more smoothly when the driver decides to accelerate during a gradual descent with X-MODE activated. There is no longer a delay between the driver’s accelerator input and Hill Descent Control’s auto modulation of the brakes in X-MODE when driving slowly down a slope (20km/h or less).

In an urban setting, winding down the Philippines’ multi-storey carparks will no longer be a tedious chore in the new Forester. 

What’s New – Inside and Out

The new Forester boasts a brand new dynamic exterior with a more aggressive front grille, redesigned lamps and restyled 18-inch wheels, fuelling the inspiration for greater adventure.
The new Forester’s suspension has been retuned to make the ride even smoother and the handling even better.

The 2022 Forester comes in three new colors, namely Brilliant Bronze Metallic, Autumn Green Metallic and Cascade Green Silica, in addition to perennial favorites such as Crystal Black Silica, Horizon Blue Pearl, Magnetite Gray Metallic, Ice Silver Metallic, Crystal White Pearl and Crimson Red Pearl. 

Interior improvements include: 

• LED main cabin light: Providing brighter illumination while consuming less power.
• Rear upper cargo hooks in the boot: Adding practicality and convenience, in addition to four rear lower cargo hooks (perfect for families on adventures!)

Outstanding Driveability and Technology

With the four hallmark Subaru Core Technologies, the new Forester boasts numerous improvements over its predecessor, which contribute towards optimised handling, maximum comfort and enhanced safety. 

The four Subaru Core Technologies are: 

• Subaru Global Platform  
• Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
• Boxer Engine
• EyeSight Driver Assist Technology

The new Forester is built on the Subaru Global Platform, which underpins the refinement, comfort, stability and safety of the car.

The brand’s iconic Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive delivers power to each wheel to provide maximum stability and control, allowing drivers to safely travel across challenging terrain and road conditions.

The 2.0-litre direct-injection Boxer engine boasts horizontally-opposed pistons that offer a low centre of gravity, excellent balance and minimal vibration. The Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) with seven-speed manual mode optimises power delivery, acceleration and fuel efficiency.

EyeSight is Subaru’s state-of-the-art driving support system, with stereo cameras that work like a second pair of eyes for the road ahead to assist the driver and help prevent accidents.

THE ALL-NEW SUBARU BRZ

The all-new Subaru BRZ (Boxer, Rear-wheel drive, Zenith) delivers a fun drive in the spirit of the first-generation model, but with more power, greater performance, sportier handling, a sleeker design, and extra peace of mind on the road with Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist Technology (for new BRZ automatic variant). The second-generation sports coupe has been crowned by Edmunds as the Top Rated Sports Car for 2022 and it is also a podium finalist in the Japan Car of the Year 2021 competition. In addition, the all-new BRZ is in the top 10 list for 2022 World Car of the Year. 

POWERFUL PERFORMANCE IN A SLEEK DESIGN

Powerful performance

The all-new BRZ is a classic front-engine, rear-drive sports coupe with a smooth, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed boxer engine, producing 237 PS of power at 7,000 rpm and 250 Nm of torque at 3,700 rpm.

The 6-speed automatic transmission is quicker than before and has an improved Sport mode for a more exciting drive. In addition, the electronic throttle has been tuned to make the engine respond to the accelerator more progressively at high rpm levels, making it easier for the driver to control the flow of power when exiting a corner, for instance.

The two-door body is only slightly heavier than before (+10 kg), so the BRZ boxer’s bigger output dramatically improves the coupe’s power-to-weight ratio for much punchier acceleration. The new 6-speed manual BRZ is able to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds, while the 6-speed automatic BRZ can do it in 6.8 seconds.

The new BRZ also achieves a shorter braking distance from 100 km/h to a complete stop, even sharper handling through a slalom, even less body roll while cornering and superior traction when exiting a corner promptly. 

Sleek design

The all-new BRZ sports a completely fresh design which is low, lean and mean. Looking more muscular and with an aggressive ducktail spoiler that is integrated into the boot lid, the new BRZ’s bold design is as impressive as its handling abilities. 

The proportions are even more purposeful now, thanks to a coupe body that is longer and lower (+25 mm and –10 mm respectively), while the stance looks even more planted than before, thanks to a marginally longer wheelbase (+5 mm) with a widened rear track (+10 mm) and larger wheels (upsized from 17-inch to 18-inch).  

Helping the BRZ to cut through the air are front bumper ducts, front wheel-arch slits and rear wheel-arch fins, along with less obvious aerodynamic elements that manage the airflow underneath the vehicle for optimal stability on the move. 

Completing the well-engineered aero package are side sill spoilers, small vortex-generating fins at the leading edges of the tail-lamps, and a boot lid shaped like a ducktail to reduce drag.

Moreover, the twin exhaust tailpipes and gunmetal gray alloy wheels, along with the hexagonal grille, would satisfy loyal Subaru customers and sports car fans as well.

Sporty cockpit

The all-new BRZ is designed to be a happy place for the enthusiastic driver. The interior layout is as straightforward as in the previous BRZ, but with a more advanced feature set, a little more practicality and just enough gizmos for the modern motorist. 

The best seats in the BRZ’s 2+2 cabin are in the front – easily adjustable, extremely supportive, clad in genuine leather and Ultrasuede^® upholstery. The red double-stitching on the seats, gearshift boot, handbrake and door panels set the tone for sporty driving, while the leather that covers the steering, gear knob and handbrake is exactly what the sporty driver ordered. The BRZ’s driving position promises to be “sport” on, too.

The tachometer is front and centre in the instrument cluster, which uses a 7-inch TFT colour LCD to display essential driving information, plus different infographics for the various drive modes. It can also be programmed by the driver to show specific data such as g-force, power/torque curves and fuel consumption.

Infotainment is provided by an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen, which offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and USB ports in the console box. Audio output is from six speakers.

Enhanced safety with Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist Technology

The new BRZ is not only sporty, but also safe. It is built with a stronger body utilising a larger amount of high-tensile steels and enhanced passenger protection systems. Its standard safety features include: 

• Seven airbags
• Ring-shaped Reinforcement Frame
• Sport-tuned Vehicle Stability Control
• Steering Responsive Headlights
• Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection –
  Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Reverse Automatic Braking (for auto BRZ)

The all-new auto BRZ also adds, for the first time in Subaru’s signature sports coupe, EyeSight Driver Assist Technology version 3.0, which has six functions, similar to our Forester and XV:

• Pre-Collision Braking
• Pre-Collision Throttle Management
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Sway Warning
• Lead Vehicle Start Alert

Specifications: Subaru BRZ 2.4

• Engine: 2,387 cc Boxer Engine
• Maximum power: 237 PS at 7,000 rpm
• Maximum torque: 250 Nm at 3,700 rpm
• Top speed: 226 km/h (6-speed manual); 216 km/h (6-speed auto)
• Dimensions (length x width x height): 4,265 mm x 1,775 mm x 1,310 mm
• Wheelbase: 2,575 mm
• Ground clearance: 130 mm
• Kerb weight: 1,289kg (6-speed manual); 1,310kg (6-speed auto) 

The all-new BRZ is available in two variants – the BRZ Manual and BRZ Automatic EyeSight. They will be available in seven colors: Ignition Red, Magnetite Gray Metallic, Sapphire Blue Pearl, WR Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica, Crystal White Pearl, and Ice Silver Metallic.

THE NEW FORESTER AND ALL-NEW BRZ AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW

Both the new Forester and BRZ are now on display and ready for test drives across all Subaru showrooms nationwide.

NEW FORESTER COLORS AND PRICES

The new Forester is available in a sole variant – Forester 2.0i-S EyeSight. It will be available in nine colors, including three new ones: Brilliant Bronze Metallic, Autumn Green Metallic, Cascade Green Silica. Crystal, White Pearl, Ice Silver Metallic, Magnetite Gray Metallic, Crystal Black Silica, Crimson Red Pearl, and Horizon Blue Pearl. 

• Subaru Forester 2.0i-S EyeSight with SRP of PHP 2,068,000 

ALL-NEW BRZ COLORS AND PRICES

The all-new BRZ is available in two variants – the BRZ Manual and BRZ Automatic EyeSight. They will be available in seven colors: Ignition Red, Magnetite Gray Metallic, Sapphire Blue Pearl, WR Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica, Crystal White Pearl, and Ice Silver Metallic.

• Subaru BRZ 2.4 MT with SRP of PHP 2,399,000 

• Subaru BRZ 2.4 Automatic EyeSight with SRP of PHP 2,499,000 

Customers can also find out more about the 2022 Forester at https://www.subaru.asia/ph/en/vehicles/forester/ and the 2022 BRZ at https://www.subaru.asia/brz/.

For more details please call +63 2 8-8809898.