Subaru Forester
SF5Stock varies — page stays liveThe first-generation Forester (SF) debuted in 1997, combining a passenger car's comfort with an SUV's elevated driving position. The SF5 chassis featured the EJ20 engine in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms.
Engine
EJ20 2.0L SOHC/DOHC Turbo/NA
Displacement
1,994 cc
Drive
4WD
Gearbox
4AT / 5MT
Fuel
Petrol
Body
SUV
Subaru Forester — representative 1st gen (SF) imageChassis variants of the Forester
ChassisEngineDisplacementDriveGearbox
SF5EJ20 2.0L SOHC/DOHC Turbo/NA1,994 cc4WD4AT / 5MT
SG5EJ20 2.0L SOHC/DOHC NA/Turbo1,994 cc4WD4AT / 5MTSH5EJ20 2.0L DOHC NA/Turbo1,994 cc4WD4AT / 5MTSHJFB20 2.0L DOHC NA1,995 cc4WD4AT / 5MTSJ5FB20 2.0L DOHC NA1,995 cc4WDCVT / 6MTDimensions & shipping volume
Length
4,450 mm
Width
1,735 mm
Height
1,580 mm
Weight
1,320 kg
Shipping volume
12.2 M³
Manufacture year vs. registration year
Japanese paperwork shows the first registration date, but African customs count age from the month of manufacture. Verify with the chassis serial before purchase:
Serial prefixProduction periodSeries
SF5-1XXXXXXFeb 1997 – Jan 2000Pre-facelift (Type A-C)
SF5-2XXXXXXJan 2000 – Jan 2002Facelift (Type D)
Import eligibility by country
Age limits are counted from the month of manufacture, not first registration. This SF5 was produced 1997–2002; the statuses below are checked against Jul 2026.
KenyaNot eligible
8-year limit from manufacture — all units now exceed it.UgandaNot eligible
15-year limit from manufacture — all units now exceed it.TanzaniaEligible
No age ban; vehicles over 10 years pay additional excise duty.ZambiaEligible
No age limit; surtax applies to vehicles older than 5 years.MalawiEligible
No age limit; duty calculated on cc and age band.Common questions about the SF5
What engine options were available for the SF5?
The SF5 predominantly used various versions of the 2.0-liter EJ20 horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, including naturally aspirated SOHC/DOHC and turbocharged variants.