Looking for a compact yet roomy crossover offering above-average off-road capabilities built upon a uni-body, car-like frame rather than a heavier, bouncier body-on-frame truck platform? Subaru answers that query with the five-door Forester.
Forester slides into the five-door crossover spot above the smaller Crosstrek and mid-sized Outback all with starting prices below $30,000. Forester debuted in the 1998 model year and the current 2025 incarnation reflects a refreshing all-new sixth-generation effort.
While overall dimensions remain relatively unchanged from Generation 5, Forester updates with modern amenities such as an available hands-free power liftgate and available 11.5-inch portrait-style multi-function center screen. Many changes are ones not visually apparent, including structural updates delivering 10 percent stiffer torsion rigidity from the outgoing model creating a quieter in-cabin experience. Forester now bases underpinnings upon the latest Subaru Global Platform with evolutionary rather than revolutionary next-generation niceties.
Five 2025 trim levels include Base, Premium, Sport, Limited and Touring with Base pricing staring at $29,695. In the 2023 calendar year, Forester sales reached 152,566 units, up a healthy 33.7 percent from the previous 12-month cycle, ranking third in total sales behind the midsize Outback and relatively new Crosstrek.
Forester and most every Subaru are fertile ground for permanent, Symmetrical all-wheel drive, always active and integrated into the transmission, sending a balanced distribution of power to all wheels at the same time, eliminating under and over steer. Many rival all-wheel drive systems pitch a simpler part-time design, also known as on demand or slip-and-grip where the vehicle defaults to two-wheel drive until slippage gets detected, only then is torque transferred and all-wheel drive engaged. It's a set-it-and-forget-it design optimally designed for the snowy upper Midwest and greater Chicagoland.
Included with symmetrical AWD, Subaru s Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) enhancing road grip and handling. When sensers detect a loss of traction in a particular wheel, engine output gets distributed to the wheel s maintaining the most traction keeping Outback on course.
All Subarus also enjoy variations of Symmetrical all-wheel drive technology with the exception of the 12-year-old BRZ, which checks in as a niche small two-door coupe and a kissing cousin of Toyota s GR86. It's the odd-ball of the family as the only coupe in a lineup consisting largely of five-door hatchbacks and a smattering of sedans. Subaru also takes a cautious approach to the emerging electric vehicle revolution. Forester remains sans of an EV twin, with the sole EV in the Subaru line up represented by the mid-size Solterra crossover (which also proudly features symmetrical all-wheel drive). Subaru has hinted at plans to introduce gas-electric hybrid powertrains to its lineup relatively soon.
Subaru's all-wheel drive starts its design with the horizontally opposed, longitudinal-mounted engine with pistons lying flat at 180 degrees positioned low in the underbelly (a Boxer design or Flat 4 ) providing superior weight balance and low center of gravity. The straight line, or symmetrical format continues rearward towards the rear differential and tweaks slightly depending upon the transmission utilized (i.e. manual, conventional automatic or CVT type) which sits behind the front axle. Acceleration and road grip improve significantly with all-wheel drive compared with rear or front wheel drive.
Forester s CVT transmission includes an infinite number of forward gear rations rather than a set number of forward gears (usually seven or eight). A CVT improves fuel economy ever so slightly with minimal upshift/downshift gear hunting felt sometimes with automatics. It s a smoother experience but almost never the performance choice.
Four-cylinder engines power all Subaru models. Our 2025 Forester returns with an enhanced 2.5-liter four-cylinder cranking out 180 horsepower making more of its power at lower revolutions per minute delivering a quicker experience at lower speeds. Regular, 87-octane fuel fills the rather large 16.6-gallon tank. All-wheel drive economy numbers check in at a respectable 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. Permanent all-wheel drive historically knocks down fuel economy a mile or two in each category compared with two-wheel drive.
Engine start/stop technology calms the powertrain down at prolonged stops before snapping back at attention once the gas pedal gets deployed to minimize exhaust gases and tweak up fuel economy numbers. For those wishing to disengage this process, an icon within the bottom portion of the center screen accomplishes such wishes when engaged.
Forester many not win any zero-to-60 mph straight line races among other compact crossovers, but when venturing off-road, few rivals provide the hardware to handle the muddy trek. All trims sans the base choice include multiple choice X-mode settings via the multifunction center screen including snow/dirt and deep snow/dirt. Hill decent control slows the vehicle down to a crawl during off-road declines without the need of the brake pedal and builds into X-mode.
While dimensions return relatively unchanged, sleeker exterior styling now adorns Forester. Exterior sides include a relatively low belt line increasing the size of side windows. Strap-like grab handles adorn all side doors. Flared wheel wells enjoy a squarish rather than circular design and frame with a black composite material also found framing lower side doors and front/rear low fender regions.
All trims feature a roof spoiler on top and steering responsive headlights upfront. These move in time with steering wheel maneuvers providing a larger swath of illumination. All trims sans base include a panoramic power moonroof.
Subaru simplifies the buying process with minimal options packages and trims adding more standard content when traveling up the trim ladder. Base and top-dog Touring trims offer no factory option packages while Sport, Premium and Limited offer one a piece.
Our 2025 model year Crystal White Pearl mid-trim Forester Sport included a $34,495 starting price with $1,700 in factory options (rear power liftgate, upgraded sound system and Si-Drive engine performance management). With the $1,395 destination charge, the bottom line reached $37,590.
With a somewhat elevated 8.7 inches of ground clearance, Forester enjoys a higher seating position compared to most sedans and many rival crossovers, high but not to the nose-bleed level. It s a breeze wiggling in with gentle sit down motion that s easy on the hips while delivering enough clearance for many off-road trails. At the same time, Forester provides more than ample headroom in all five seating positions. Sport trims include a bi-color palate with golden/brown stitching on dark seats, doors and the steering wheel with larger swaths highlighting doors and the region above the glove box. Golden brown hints adorn the exterior framing the exhaust pipes, inside black composite lower-level framing and hub caps.
The portrait style multi-function Starlink multimedia center touch screen measures 11.6 inches between a pair of vertical-style air vents. Swipe functioning helps guide drivers through screen commands and icons in a relatively intuitive fashion. A couple old-school items were happily on board; an on/off twist-push knob on the frame's left and selection knob framing the right side. Both USB Type-A and USB type-C ports enjoy an upfront presence, a nice turn of events as some automakers have dropped the Type-A ports from vehicles entirely.
Most climate control functions operate within the bottom frame of the screen with a constant presence following touch sensitive commands. A home button/icon also resides in this nook for a quick return to the home icon screen. A front defroster button frames one side of the screen below the on/off knob while a quick-find rear defroster button resides on the screen's opposite side below the black station select orb.
The easy-glace instrument panel limits animation-type graphics promoting a rather old-school highly analog yet very effective three-section palate with a right-side speedometer and quarter-circle fuel gauge insert and left-side tachometer. Smack in the middle resides a digital window displaying the current gear, temperature and multiple window selections controlled by a steering wheel tab rotating between music selection, miles to empty and several other choices.
The push-button electric start/stop button resides on the lower dash right of the manually adjusting steering column. The mechanical shifting CVT transmission slots in a vertical arrangement with a tall, easy-grab slide grab handle. Dual beverage holders reside in diagonal fashion between the gear shifter and arm/rest storage bin.
Back seat rests include a 60/40 spilt and manually fold forward with the pull of a top-side circular pull tab. Two riders enjoy maximum comfort with three permittable in a pinch. Our Sport trim is the sole beneficiary of Star-Tex water repellent upholstery cleaning up with a simple swipe of a cloth. Upper two trims promote leather trimmed upholstery.
Subaru may not be the largest legacy automaker on auto row, but its philanthropic streak runs deep. Every year at the Chicago Auto Show and other events around the country, four-pawed furry friends entertain crowds as part of the Subaru Loves Pets initiative partnering with the ASPCA. Not to mention a noted sponsor of the annual Puppy Bowl, competition amounting to creative counterprograming during the Big Football Game in February.
Subaru's huge sensory auto show displays incorporate a deep woods, pine smelling aura reflecting its status as the largest corporate downer to the National Park Foundation. Both dovetail into the Corporate Share the Love initiative donating more than $288 million to area charities during the past 16 years.
At A Glance
2025 Subaru Forester
Price as tested: $37,590
Engine: 2.5-liter four-cylinder
Horsepower: 180
Wheelbase: 105.1 inches
Overall Length: 183.3 inches
Overall Height: 68.1 inches
Overall Width: 72 inches
Fuel Economy: 25 mpg city/ 32 mpg highway
Curb weight: 3,611 pounds
Powertrain Warranty: Five years/60,000 miles
Assembly: Gunma, Japan
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