The sixth-generation Subaru Forester has just been tweaked for Japan, but don’t worry, at least some of the changes are expected to reach the U.S.-spec model. The compact crossover’s biggest update is that a more affordable Touring trim has been added to the JDM Forester, but it’s not like the Touring sold here in America, though that’s nothing new. While our Touring is more premium, Japan’s is more basic, and it removes certain features to make a more attractive price possible, but given the practical nature of the Forester, the changes fit the crossover well. Let’s take a closer look.
Cheaper Subaru Forester Touring Simplifies the Crossover
The JDM Forester Touring gets unpainted black bumper guards fitted front and rear with matching side mildings, and 18-inch two-tone diamond-cut wheels appear in a similar design to the Sport and X-Break trims. Inside, the barebones approach continues with cloth upholstery in plain black or gray and platinum, but it’s not as sparse as you might expect. While the base Forester in the U.S. loses out on the 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment display in favor of a cheaper 7-inch screen, this does not. But the script is flipped with the driver display, though that may not be a bad thing. The JDM Forester Touring doesn’t have a 12.3-inch digital cluster behind the steering wheel, instead featuring a relatively old-school set of analog gauges with a 4.2-inch display between them. Other notable attributes of the JDM Forester Touring are a 10-way power driver’s seat with memory, an 8-way passenger seat, heated front and outboard rear seats, and power folding mirrors. Step up to the Touring EX, and the large digital driver display returns, and you get Eyesight X ADAS driver aids, which come standard on all U.S.-spec Foresters.
Other Updates to the 2026 JDM Forester
The rest of the Forester range in Japan includes the bronze-accented Sport EX, the black-accented Sport EX Black Selection, the more rugged X-Break and X-Break EX, and the top-of-the-range Premium EX, which is more like America’s Touring. Subaru has also improved the resolution of the digital rearview mirror, added faster wireless smartphone charging, and included a 100-volt AC power outlet with 1,500 watts of power on all hybrid models.
In terms of powertrains, the Touring, Touring EX, Sport, and Sport EX get a turbocharged 1.8-liter boxer-four with 174 horsepower and 221 lb-t of torque, sent to all four corners through a CVT. The other trims (X-Break, X-Break EX, and Premium EX) are only available with the self-charging hybrid (S:HEV) powertrain, which marries a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated e-Boxer engine making 158 hp to a traction electric motor with 118 hp. Pricing starts at ¥3,850,000 ($24,200). Expect to see mild trim updates and things like a better digital rearview mirror and faster smartphone charging when the Forester is revised for North America. After prices went up in the U.S. for 2026, a more affordable option might be just what buyers need right now.
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