CBA-SH5 · DBA-SH5
Subaru Forester SH5 specs
SH5 is the model code of the Subaru Forester / Legacy. Japan’s transport ministry lists it in its fuel economy lists from 2009–2013 under 2 model types CBA-SH5, DBA-SH5. A genuine car’s chassis number starts SH5-.
SH5 at a glance
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Forester, Legacy
- Model code
- SH5
- Model types
- CBA-SH5, DBA-SH5
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2009–2013
- Engines
- EJ20 1,994 cc petrol
- Gearboxes
- 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual
- Drive
- four-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 1,430–1,560 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 12.2–14 km/L (34–40 mpg)
Fuel economy is from Japan’s official tests and is usually better than you’ll see on UK roads. MLIT doesn’t list power or torque.
CBA-SH5
Listed 2009–2010. The CBA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2005 emissions rules, 50% below their limits. Check CBA-SH5 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,480–1,550 kg | 5 | 12.2–13 km/L34–37 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2009–2010 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 1,460–1,530 kg | 5 | 12.2–13 km/L34–37 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2009–2010 |
DBA-SH5
Listed 2009–2013. The DBA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2005 emissions rules, 75% below their limits. Check DBA-SH5 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 4-speed automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,450–1,560 kg | 5 | 12.2–13.8 km/L34–39 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2009–2013 |
| EJ201,994 cc petrol | 5-speed manual | four-wheel drive | 1,430–1,530 kg | 5 | 12.2–14 km/L34–40 mpg, Japanese 10-15 mode test | 2009–2013 |
Each row is one version as MLIT lists it. A version can appear twice when MLIT gave figures on two tests that year. Low-emission stars and trim names aren’t shown. MLIT gives fuel economy in km/L; the mpg figures are our conversion to UK gallons. Japanese tests are gentler than real UK driving, so expect less.
Check an SH5 before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start SH5-, and the engine and gearbox should match one of the versions above. Our free check reads the UK MOT history and compares it with the chassis code.
Other Subaru Forester model codes
Questions
What engine does the SH5 have?
MLIT lists the Subaru Forester / Legacy SH5 with EJ20 1,994 cc petrol.
What fuel economy does the SH5 get?
Officially between 12.2 and 14 km/L (about 34–40 mpg), depending on the version, on Japan’s own tests. Real-world figures are usually lower, especially against the older 10-15 mode test.
How heavy is the SH5?
Between 1,430 and 1,560 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is CBA-SH5 the same as SH5?
Yes. CBA-SH5 is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and SH5 is the model code. The chassis number starts with SH5-.
About these figures
The model types, engine codes, capacities, gearboxes, drive, weights, seats and km/L figures are copied from MLIT’s yearly lists of cars on sale in Japan each March, so “listed” years are list years, not exact production dates. The English model names, mpg conversions, emissions code explanations and chassis number matching are ours. Lists before 2013 were printed as PDFs that we read by machine; where an older list gives an engine code that doesn’t match its capacity, we’ve used the figure the same model type has in other years. Check anything that matters against the car’s own papers. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected]. All Subaru model codes.
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, fuel economy lists 2004–2026, used under the Public Data License 1.0. Edited and translated by JDM History.