6th Generation Offers More Modern Design; Hybrid Coming
The 2025 Forester, making its debut this past week (November 16, 2023) at the 116th Los Angeles Auto Show, will be on-sale in dealers in the spring of 2024. Subaru gave members of the automotive media a first-look earlier in November in Santa Barbara where we spoke with team members that have been working on the all-new Forester for the past several years. One of the biggest pieces of news they dropped on us at the very end of the presentation was the Forester will be offered with a hybrid system at some point. No estimated date was revealed but we would expect it to be for the 2026 model year.
The current fifth generation Subaru Forester, all-new in 2019, has been one of Subaru’s best-selling models. So any redesign had better be spot-on by offering a fresh look while not straying too far from what will sit well with loyal (and they are very loyal!) Subaru owners.
With a redesigned, more modern exterior, increased body stiffness to meet new more stringent crash standards, additional sound insulation, improved seat comfort, a more contoured dash and doors, upgraded connectivity and improved driver safety systems, the 2025 Subaru Forester should remain one of its best-selling models. No reason messing-up a good thing! Here’s a quick look.
Clean Fleet Report will get behind the wheel of the 2025 Forester sometime early next year at which point we will give a full review of its features, performance, ride comfort and pricing.
2025 Subaru Forester Details
Trims
- Base
- Premium
- Sport
- Limited
- Touring
- *Wilderness was hinted but not confirmed*
Powertrain
- 5-liter 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated, boxer engine
- 180 horsepower
- 178 pound-feet of torque
- Direct injection with electronic throttle control
- 87 octane gasoline
Transmission
- Lineartronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)
- Eight preset ‘gear’ ratios
- Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters
Handling and Suspension
- Symmetrical all-wheel drive
- 4-wheel independent suspension
- Front: McPherson-type struts, coil springs, stabilizer bar, lower L-arms
- Rear: Double wishbone, coil springs, stabilizer bar
- Active torque vectoring
- Electronic Traction Control
- Dual-pinion electronic power steering rack
- Electronically controlled power-assisted 4-wheel anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution
Tires with Alloy Wheels
- Base and Premium: 17-inch
- Limited: 18-inch
- Sport and Touring: 19-inch
Off-Road
- 7-inch ground clearance
- Subaru Symmetrical all-wheel drive system
- Premium trim: Single X-Mode with hill descent control and incline start assist
- Sport, Limited and Touring trims: Dual-function X-Mode and incline start assist
Exterior
- All-new design with smoother lines and door panels
- Larger fenders and wheel arches for off-road driving
- Front, side and rear under guards
- Deeper and wider front grille integrating the LED headlights
- Larger, wrap-around LED taillights
- Abundant glass area ensures good visibility
- Standard roof rails
- Stiffer unibody, increased use of structural adhesives for reduced squeaks and rattles
- Increased insulation in roof and front seat areas
Interior
- New design with a seamless contour from the instrument panel and dash onto the doors
- Five adult seating
- Front seat support has been increased to enhance comfort and reduce fatigue
- All-weather package includes: wireless phone charger, heated seats, mirrors and wipers
- Dual-zone climate system designed to focus on occupied seats versus the cabin space
- Base: 7.0-inch high-resolution color touchscreen
- Limited, Sport and Touring: Tablet-style 11.6-inch vertical, high-resolution color touchscreen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- AM/FM HD Radio and SiriusXM
- Bluetooth for hands-free phone and audio streaming
- Starlink, Tom Tom and SiriusXM Travel Link navigation system with voice activation
- Rear vision camera
- USB A and C ports and power outlets
- Heavy-duty utility hooks in rear cargo area: 3 on each side wall and two on the rear gate
- Kick-sensor hands-free power lift gate
- 60:40 split rear folding seat back
Safety
- Starlink safety and security connected services include SOS emergency assistance, enhanced roadside assistance, automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle recovery service and vehicle security alarm notification, remote lock/unlock, remote horn and lights and remote vehicle locator
- Rear seat reminder alerting driver to check the rear seat for passengers or pets
- Top safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA for the 2024 Forester (same expected for the all-new 2025 Forester)
- An available 360º Surround View monitor combining images from four cameras to create a bird’s-eye view
- Standard on all 2025 Forester trims: EyeSight Driver Assist Technology
- Standard on the Touring trim: The Driver Focus Distraction Mitigation System utilizes a camera angled at the driver’s face and facial recognition software to monitor fatigue or lack of attention
- Available automatic emergency steering, blind-spot detection with lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert and reverse automatic braking
On-Sale Date and Pricing
- On-sale in the spring of 2024
- Pricing for all five trim levels, options, packages and the mandatory delivery fee will be revealed just prior to going on sale
Observations: 2025 Subaru Forester
As we said at the outset, a redesigned, more modern exterior and interior, beefed up body and NVH (noise-vibration-harshness), upgraded connectivity, and improved advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), Subaru is clearly planning on the Forester remaining one of its best-selling models.
But what about a Wilderness package that would make it the most rugged and trail-capable of all the Forester models? Stay tuned. A hybrid is coming and that’s good news!
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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Subaru
Our past Subaru Forester experience:
Flash Drive: 2022 Subaru Forester
Road Test: 2019 Subary Forester
Road Test: 2014 Subaru Forester
