No pricing data available at this time. 2025 Subaru Forester Overview In 2025, the Forester has been given a whole new look. I updated the cabin’s look and feel and added some new technology. The off-road-focused Wilderness trim is still based on the Forester from the previous model. The sixth generation of the Foresters has begun. Along with the larger Outback and smaller Crosstrek, the Subaru Forester is one of the brand’s most popular SUVs. It’s also brand new for 2025. Well, it’s mostly new. The off-road-capable Wilderness grade is still built on the old model, and the engine is the same. The rest of the sixth-generation Forester models have more aggressive exteriors, with grilles that look like Ford Explorers and bigger trunk flares. Overall, the new Forester is not a big step forward; instead, it is more of an improvement over the previous model. The 2025 Forester’s speed and fuel economy are about the same as the last model because it uses the same engine. It has about the same amount of room for people and the same size footprint, but it can hold a little more luggage, from 26.9 cubic feet to 27.5 cubes. The dashboard inside is less curved than before, and you can get a big infotainment touchscreen with climate settings at the bottom. Since the market for small SUVs is very competitive, these changes aren’t as big as we would expect from something that’s being called a “total overhaul.” In the small crossover market, there are a lot of well-known cars with roomy interiors, fuel-efficient engines, and sometimes thrilling speed. The Mazda CX-50 is one of our favorites. It comes with three engine choices, including a strong four-cylinder turbocharged engine and a Toyota hybrid. The Honda CR-V is a good choice if you need a little more space, and the Kia Sportage is a great deal. The Forester has always been ahead of more standard SUVs because it can go off-road better, but rivals have noticed that more and more people want off-road versions of their cars. There are more exciting features in the Nissan Rogue Rock Creek, Sportage X-Pro, and CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition than in other cars in their classes. Pros vs Cons Pros The seats are nice and soft. Roomy inside. A lot of common safety steps have been made stronger. Cons Lackluster speeding up. The ride quality isn’t very good. Compared to top-tier competitors, the cargo area is significantly less. This Forester is not as good as the last one. Performance What about how the Forester is driven? We tried a Forester trim level that was called “Sporty,” but it was anything but that. Every Forester has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that only makes 180 horsepower, which is not enough power. It took 9.2 seconds for the Forester to reach 60 mph, and even when our test driver put the pedal to the metal, it couldn’t reach 85 mph in the quarter-mile. Merging onto LA’s roads was a lot more painful than it needed to be, and many editors across town complained about how slowly the drivetrain responded and sped up. I know SUVs don’t have to be fast, but the Forester always feels too slow. Although it’s only average, the driving and stopping power aren’t too bad because there’s enough grip and power for emergency stops. We wouldn’t pick an SUV for a long, curvy, beautiful trip. The Forester will do better than most of the competition on unpaved roads, but other small SUVs are starting to catch up to Subaru’s off-road skills. Comfort How cozy does the Forester feel? The front seats of the Forester are very soft, which draws attention to the inside. They’re well-padded, well-designed, and good for a range of body types. But since our Forester Sport test car had a terrible ride, those seats have to do a lot of work. People inside the Forester were often bumped into, and it felt too stiff on less-than-ideal city streets. But the amount of pitching forward and backward that happens when you slow down or speed up wasn’t right for the busy ride. This is how the Forester feels about not being educated. The vents provide enough airflow, and the mostly digital climate settings are always easy to see. The Forester has a boxy shape, but road noise and wind noise are not much worse than in other small SUVs of the same size. The engine noise isn’t very loud most of the time, but it gets loud and harsh when you need to speed up, like when you’re getting onto a freeway. Interior How is the inside? People who just bought a Subaru will feel right at home in the Forester. Its 11.6-inch tablet-style screen takes up most of its internal room. The large icons and high-quality images make it easier to read and use than other systems. The Forester is easy to get in and out of because the doors open wide, and the seats are at a good height. To get inside, you won’t have to bend over or climb. Because the Forester is boxy and has big windows, it’s easy to see out of, and the upright driving position also helps. To make things even better, we wish that the top trim level didn’t have to have a surround-view camera system. Technology How does the tech work? The Forester’s technology is pretty simple and easy to understand, but it’s not as exciting or cutting-edge as that in cars like the Kia Sportage. It is definitely worth the extra money to get the Harman Kardon sound system. Subaru’s EyeSight brand has many high-tech tools that help the driver. We were unhappy with how some things worked, though. The Forester’s lane-centering system made it bounce around in its lane instead of staying on a straight path, and its adaptive cruise control was too careful and took too long to respond. The alarms and sirens that many of these devices make may get annoying after a while. Storage How are things with the storage? Even though the Forester doesn’t have as much space as cars like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Kia Sportage, it’s still a useful car because it looks boxy and straight. The storage space is easier to use because there aren’t any unique curves or slopes, and the Forester can easily fit bigger items because its ceiling is higher. The back seats also fold flat, making a flat floor for longer things in the trunk. The Forester doesn’t have as many storage bins and boxes inside as some of its competitors. The door pockets aren’t very good, and there isn’t much space in the center armrest. However, the back doors open wide, and there is a lot of space, so it should be easy to load a car seat. If you choose to pull, be careful not to put too much weight on the Forester—1,500 pounds is the most it can hold. The Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4 have towing capacities of 2,500 and 3,500 pounds, respectively. Fuel Economy How much fuel does it use? The Forester Sport was the car we tried. The EPA says it gets 28 mpg on the highway and in the city together. After our time in the Forester, those numbers are either too good to be true or that you need to go very slowly and lightly. When we had to keep up with heavy city traffic or even faster traffic on the highway, the Forester’s gas mileage dropped sharply. We rarely saw anything above 25 mpg. The Forester has a big gas tank that lets it go on long road trips, which is helpful. Additionally, the Forester does not need expensive fuel; 87 octane is enough. Value Should you buy the Forester? The Forester is a good value for the money thanks to its standard all-wheel drive and other options. The Forester does not quite live up to expectations in other areas, such as speed, efficiency, and style. For about the same price, most other SUVs in the same class offer more features, more space, and all-wheel drive. Subaru comes with a normal warranty. Coverage for the powertrain lasts for five years or 60,000 miles, and coverage for the whole car for three years, or 36,000 miles. You can get roadside help for three years and 36,000 miles. There is no such thing as free upkeep. Wildcard Other automakers have made a lot of progress in styling and infotainment technology, but the Forester has stayed steadfastly—or stubbornly—predictable. The Forester might be a better choice for people who live in areas with a lot of snow or who like to take risks because it has a boxy shape, standard all-wheel drive, and higher ground clearance. The Forester, on the other hand, can only do so much. Most of its rivals have better technology, feel more high-end, and offer all-wheel drive. The Forester is comfortable and effective when it’s in good shape, but it’s dull and out of date to drive overall. What is Invoice Pricing 's Recommendation? If you like excitement as much as Subaru does, the Sport trim is a good deal for the extra features it comes with. We’d also consider adding the extra option package, which includes high-quality music, a hands-free power liftgate, and automatic braking for reverse. Even though it doesn’t have the newest features, the Wilderness trim from the last generation is still the best choice for longer hikes. 2025 Subaru Forester Video Review
