It could share its powertrain with the Toyota Rav4 Prime
The all-wheel drive system could retain a mechanical connection
No release date has been announced yet
Subaru has recently announced modifications to its Forester SUV for the 2022 model year, but rumours are already talking about the next generation of the vehicle.
Those rumours come from Japan, and they claim a plug-in hybrid version could be offered on the next generation of Forester.
Currently, Subaru is a bit behind the competition in terms of electrification, since its only electrified offering is the Crosstrek PHEV and its first full EV is still about a year away.
Because of the company’s partnership with Toyota, many believe the Forester PHEV will share its drivetrain, or at least some of it, with the Toyota RAV4 Prime.
Unlike the Solterra and the BRZ which are almost carbon copies of their Toyota equivalent, the Forester would reportedly have unique styling by Subaru and only the mechanicals would be shared between the brands.
To differentiate it even further, it is possible Subaru will decide to give the Forester PHEV a mechanical connection between the front and rear axles in order to keep its acclaimed Symmetrical AWD system, as opposed to the RAV4 Prime which has electric motors on the rear axle to provide traction at all four wheels.
Subaru currently sells a traditional hybrid version of the Forester in Japan, but it only has an electric range of 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) and its effect on the fuel consumption is apparently minimal. The PHEV model is not expected to keep the same technology.
No release date has been announced yet, and since the Forester received a mid-cycle refresh for 2022, the next generation might still be a couple of years away.
