3BA-SL5
Subaru Forester SL5 specs
SL5 is the model code of the Subaru Forester. Japan’s transport ministry lists it in its fuel economy lists from 2026 under the model type 3BA-SL5. A genuine car’s chassis number starts SL5-.
SL5 at a glance
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Forester
- Model code
- SL5
- Model types
- 3BA-SL5
- In MLIT’s lists
- 2026
- Engines
- CB18 1,795 cc petrol
- Gearboxes
- CVT automatic
- Drive
- four-wheel drive
- Kerb weight
- 1,640–1,660 kg
- Official fuel economy
- 13.5–15.5 km/L (38–44 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.
3BA-SL5
Listed 2026. The 3BA prefix (our explanation, not MLIT’s) means petrol passenger car certified to Japan’s 2018 emissions rules. Check 3BA-SL5 against ULEZ and clean air zones.
| Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Weight | Seats | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB181,795 cc petrol | CVT automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,640–1,660 kg | 5 | 15.2–15.5 km/L43–44 mpg, Japanese JC08 test | 2026 |
| CB181,795 cc petrol | CVT automatic | four-wheel drive | 1,640–1,660 kg | 5 | 13.5–13.6 km/L38 mpg, WLTC test | 2026 |
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.
SL5 build year by chassis number
Japan’s carmakers list the chassis numbers each code was built with every year from 2015. Find the serial below, or use the build year finder.
| Built | Chassis numbers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | SL5-002007 to 010092SL5-010094 to 010094 |
From the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year. JAMA calls them reference information, not a certificate.
Check an SL5 before you buy
Make sure the car is what the advert says: the chassis number on the V5C should start SL5-, 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 SL5 have?
MLIT lists the Subaru Forester SL5 with CB18 1,795 cc petrol.
What fuel economy does the SL5 get?
Officially between 13.5 and 15.5 km/L (about 38–44 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 SL5?
Between 1,640 and 1,660 kg kerb weight, depending on the version.
Is 3BA-SL5 the same as SL5?
Yes. 3BA-SL5 is the full model type: the letters before the hyphen are Japan’s emissions code, which changed as the rules were tightened, and SL5 is the model code. The chassis number starts with SL5-.
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.