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2026 Subaru Forester: Early Australian details for petrol, hybrid RAV4 rival
8 Months Ago
The new Subaru Forester is a small SUV offered in a 5D SUV body style. Available in Australia from $30,990 (MLRP, excl. on-roads) for the X variant and topping out at $50,990 for the S-edition.
There are 9 variants of the Forester available in Australia and this generation went on sale in March of 2008.
Engine options include 2.5L multi-point injection (126kW/229Nm), 2.5L turbo multi-point injection (169kW/320Nm) and 2.0L turbo diesel common rail (108kW/350Nm). Available with 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions. All variants feature four-wheel drive.
The new 2012 Forester is offered with a 3 year, unlimited km warranty.
Quickly see how this car stacks up against its competition. Select any benchmark to see more details.
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| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.5L, 5-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $30,990 |
| 2.5L, 4-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $32,990 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.5L, 4-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $34,990 |
| 2.5L, 5-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $32,990 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.5L, 5-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $34,990 |
| 2.5L, 4-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $36,990 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $36,490 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.5L, 5-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $38,490 |
| 2.5L, 4-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $40,490 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.5L, 5-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $39,990 |
| 2.5L, 4-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $41,990 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $40,990 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.5L, 4-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $47,490 |
| 2.5L, 5-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $45,490 |
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.5L, 5-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $50,990 |
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See our comprehensive details for the Subaru Forester
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2012 Subaru Forester DimensionsWhere expert car reviews meet expert car buying – CarExpert gives you trusted advice, personalised service and real savings on your next new car.
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the Subaru Forester


There are 3 different fuel economy figures for the Subaru Forester
The most fuel efficient Subaru Forester is the Base with a 6-speed Manual which is powered by a 2.0L Turbo Diesel Common Rail and uses 6L of Diesel per 100km on the combined cycle.
The Subaru Forester that uses the most amount of fuel is the S-Edition with a 5-speed Automatic which is powered by a 2.5L Turbo Multi-Point Injection and uses 10.5L of Premium Unleaded per 100km on the combined rural and urban test cycle.
| Subaru Forester | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5L, 5-speed manual, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | Unleaded | 9.3 L/100km |
| 2.5L, 4-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | Unleaded | 9.3 L/100km |
What is the warranty on a Subaru Forester?
The Subaru Forester offers a 3 year unlimited km warranty. This is separate to the warranty on offer under Australian Consumer Law which can be greater for certain parts based on what is deemed as a reasonable period of time.
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The cheapest Subaru Forester is the X that starts from $30,990.
The most expensive Subaru Forester is the S-Edition that starts from $50,990.
The best towing capacity of a Subaru Forester is 1600 kg offered by the following variants: Base, XT, Premium, Xt Premium and S-Edition.
The largest Subaru Forester is the Base which measures 1795mm wide, 4560mm in length and sits 1700mm tall.
The most powerful Subaru Forester is the S-Edition which has 193kW of power from its 2.5L Turbo Multi-Point Injection engine.
The Subaru Forester is built in Japan and shipped to Australia.
The heaviest Subaru Forester is the S-Edition which weighs null kg (kerb weight).
The Subaru Forester may use different fuel/energy types based on the variant which includes Premium Unleaded, Unleaded or Diesel.