The compact SUV, while a practical choice, needs a refresh to keep it abreast with its segment competitors. Thankfully, Filipino buyers won’t have to wait that long.

Shown already in Japan last August (and September in North America in the off-road Wilderness trim), the refreshed Forester incorporates a much more aggressive front end. Aesthetic changes include the upright front bumper and grille, and headlights with a pronounced cutout. A re-designed roof rail completes the changes.

Motor Image Pilipinas says it will reveal more details on the 2022 Forester closer to launch, but a quick look at Motor Image Taiwan’s website shows what the Philippines could get.

In Taiwan, the 2022 Forester is available in two variants—the 2.0i-L EyeSight and the 2.0i-S EyeSight. As their model names imply, Subaru is carrying over the normally-aspirated direct-injected 2.0-liter flat-4 making 156 horsepower and 196 Nm of torque (sorry, no turbo). Also carried over is the Lineartronic CVT.

While the drivetrain has been carried over, engineers did tweak the suspension for a better ride and added handling precision. Further adding to its off-road prowess, the X-MODE system has been enhanced with a dual mode setting adding Deep Snow/Mud to the usual Snow/Dirt.

The biggest differentiator for the 2022 Forester is the addition of the latest version of Subaru EyeSight. Already found in the Outback, EyeSight 4.0 enables the Subaru compact SUV to conform to Level 2 semi-autonomous driving technology. It adds automatic lane centering and evasive steering assist on top of current functionalities such as autonomous emergency braking, and all-speed adaptive cruise control.

The Taiwan-spec model also offers gesture controls as well as personalized smart facial recognition and driver fatigue detection thanks to an infrared and a driver-facing camera.

Key standard features include leather seats, power adjustment for the front seats, automatic headlights, and rain-sensing wipers across the line-up. The 2.0i-S EyeSight is differentiated by its unique exterior elements (including larger 18-inch wheels), aluminum sport pedals, and a power tailgate.