Subaru is known for producing vehicles that are as at home off-road as they are on pavement, and with the addition of a Forester Hybrid model, you can add fuel efficiency to its credentials.
2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid
The Subaru Forester was all-new for the 2025 model year, with a brawnier look and a smarter use of technology. We would have been perfectly happy with that on its own, but Subaru made it even more appealing with the addition of a new hybrid model. That's a first for the Forester, at least in the US. A hybrid variant called the e-Boxer was offered in the last generation, but it never made it stateside. This new Forester Hybrid retains all the capability of its conventionally powered sibling while promising significantly improved fuel economy. That's a win-win result in our book.
Design
The Subaru Forester received a full redesign for the 2025 model year, ushering in a more substantial-looking sixth generation. This time around, it has a boxier and more upright shape, with a hexagonal grille that could easily be mistaken for a Ford Explorer. Besides a few Hybrid badges, there aren't any distinguishing accents to tell it apart from the standard Forester. There is a Daybreak Blue paint choice that is exclusive to the Forester Hybrid, and it can be combined with an available contrasting black roof.
Compared to other compact SUVs, the Forester Hybrid has a more rugged personality, with flared fenders and a taller 8.7-inch ride height that gives it legitimate off-road abilities. There's also a forthcoming Wilderness model that further enhances the Forester's all-terrain credentials, but it won't be offered with the hybrid powertrain-at least for now.
Powertrain
The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder horizontally opposed (boxer) engine with two electric motors that are fed by a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery. Combined, they produce 194 horsepower, beating the non-hybrid Forester's 180 hp. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) sends that power to all four wheels, and Subaru enlisted the help of Toyota in the development of the powerplant. Unlike some Toyota hybrids, however, the Forester has a more traditional drivetrain.
Rather than mount an electric motor to the rear axle, the way the Toyota RAV does, the Forester Hybrid uses a mechanically coupled system with a driveshaft. It's not as efficient as the Toyota, but it is more responsive and predictable in off-road situations. That said, Subaru hopes it will return up to 40% better fuel economy in city driving and is targeting an improvement of 25% combined. That would be a sizable improvement over the non-hybrid's 29 mpg combined.
Interior
Much like its exterior, the new Forester Hybrid's interior isn't all that different from the standard model's. You have a section of the digital instrument panel that illustrates the power flow between the engine, electric motors, battery, and wheels, similar to what you'd see in a Toyota Prius. There's also a small EV mode button tucked below the dashboard, but that's where the differences end.
Since Subarus are designed with outdoor adventures in mind, the interiors feature more durable materials. These include harder plastics in place of soft-touch surfaces that you'd find in more conventional SUVs. The graining and surface textures blend well with other materials and help to keep the cabin from looking too industrial or utilitarian. Subaru's StarTex synthetic leather upholstery will also be available, offering shoppers an animal-free alternative.
Technology
The Forester Hybrid comes standard with a large 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen that controls almost every feature. We've had mixed reactions to screen-only cockpits, with the most common complaint related to how distracting the interface can be when driving. Subaru largely solves that issue by consistently anchoring climate controls to the bottom of the display, where they're almost able to be operated without looking. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included and offer full-screen displays.
Safety
The 2025 Forester Hybrid comes with the latest version of Subaru's EyeSight suite of safety features. These include frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse automatic braking. While these features aren't new, they have been improved to deliver quicker alerts and operate in more challenging conditions than before. Also included is an Emergency Stop Assist system that detects if the driver is incapacitated, then activates the hazard lights, brings the vehicle to a stop, and summons help via Subaru's Starlink connected services.
Pricing and Release Date
Altogether, the Hybrid variant is a welcome addition to the Forester lineup. At least with the information available thus far, it looks as though it will deliver all of the adventures that other Subarus are capable of, while also saving owners money at the gas pump. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but we should have details closer to the spring on-sale date.