Subaru has just launched an updated version of its best-selling SUV, the 2021 Subaru Forester. The fifth-gen Forester was launched in 2018, so a minor update is pretty much due for the SUV.

As we had previously speculated, the turbocharged engine returns in this update on the newly added Sport variant. The fifth-gen Forester has seen the iconic turbocharged engine being dropped in favour of a naturally-aspirated one.

In this update, the 1.8-litre turbocharged boxer engine is similar to the one used in the all-new Levorg which produces 177 PS and 300 Nm.

While its output figures are lower than the previous-generation Forester XT’s output (240 PS/350 Nm), it is still more than the NA Forester (156 PS/196 Nm).

In addition to the turbocharged Sport, the updated JDM Forester has 3 other variants which are the Touring, X-Break, and Advance variants. These are powered by a 2.0-litre e-Boxer hybrid engine which produces a combined output of 145 PS and 188 Nm.

All variants of the updated Forester are mated to Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT gearbox which powers the Symmetrical AWD system.

Subaru Malaysia has yet to announce the arrival of the turbocharged Forester into Malaysia, but we are quite impressed with the way the NA Forester drives according to our review.