The New Subaru Forester STI Sport - You Want One But Can’t Have It

Subaru and Subaru Tecnica International (STI) have partnered again to bring a unique 2023 Forester STI Sport, but it’s only available in Japan. Subaru Corporation announced the new Forester STI Sport with suspension upgrades and a turbocharged Boxer engine.

Subaru has previously offered the Forester STI to customers in Japan, and customers in the U.S. can only look and not touch it. Here is what the newly-announced Japan-spec Forester STI Sport offers.

The 2023 Forester STI Sport is powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged direct-injection (DIT) four-cylinder, lean combustion Boxer engine. It produces 175 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque.

Subaru says the new Forester gets improved driving performance and handling with its new STI tuning damper. The Forester STI Sport comes equipped with suspension tuning developed by STI with a Hitachi Astemo Sensitive Frequency Response front Damper (SFRD).

Forester STI Sport also has custom black 18-inch aluminum wheels, a multi-information dash display, black Nappa leather seats with red stitching, and STI badging on the front and rear.

The Forester STI Sport

Forester fans would like to see Subaru and Subaru Tecnica International take the new Forester STI even further and build an actual STI performance model with a turbocharged engine to go along with the STI badging. The 2023 Forester STI Sport needs the FA24 2.4-liter Boxer turbocharged engine under the hood.

The current 2022 Forester Sport trim you can buy in the U.S. comes with the standard 2.5-liter producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. We’ve talked about the Forester getting a 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer engine with 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Subaru uses the turbocharged engine in the 2023 Outback Onyx XT and Legacy Sport trims, but why not the Forester Sport?

Subaru of America could hit a sweet spot with customers if they brought a new 2023 Forester model to its U.S. customers. Many customers would buy the 2023 Forester STI Sport with comfortable seats, an upscale leather interior, and 260 horsepower. Many customers would jump on a new 2023 Subaru Forester STI Sport trim level.

Since Subaru dropped the Forester XT, U.S. driving enthusiasts have asked for a new Forester STI with a turbocharged engine. Let Subaru of America know in the comments below if you would buy a 2023 Forester STI Sport and what upgrades it should feature.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru