Driven: 2025 Subaru Forester
2025 | car reviews | reviews | subaru | subaru forester | suvs
The Subaru Forester’s 2025 redesign impresses. It’s a great compact SUV, one for the masses (at least compared to its history, in which it was better for people who like forests more than people). It’s a thoughtful evolution with a new platform and body that works its proportions like a Pixar mom to stuff the most possible… sass… into that robust rear end.
And like a Pixar mom, Subaru also puts a lot of effort into keeping its people safe. The new Forester is a sturdy girl, a caretaker, and a nurturer. The pre-drive presentation focused on the degree to which its underpinnings are significantly stronger than the outgoing model, and it’s also stuffed with more insulation to help everything feel snug and buttoned down. It looks much the same as before, with exterior dimensions that are only fractions of an inch larger than the the last-gen model and styling that is a smooth and linear evolution along with the rest of the brand lineup. If there’s a stylistic sticking point, it’s that the gloss black grille on some trim levels seems out of place.
The Forester carries forward with its well-known and vaunted features like standard all-wheel-drive, which, unlike that found in most other small and midsize SUVs, is a full-time system. It boasts selectable driving modes on all but the base model, which comes in handy while sightseeing in remote areas such as Lincoln, Montana (the one-time home of the Unabomber) and Garnet, Montana (now a park service-preserved ghost town littered with abandoned mineshafts, accessed by a steep, slick, deceptively tricky hiking trail). April in Montana means 80-degree patches of sunshine along one switchback and slushy patches of snow and ice along the next. The kind of thing that most Subaru drivers are into, according to Subaru’s extensive research on the subject.
In the wild of Montana and places like it, the X-Mode all-wheel-drive settings may be a literal lifesaver. If a Forester is skidding toward the edge of a cliff at an elevation of approximately 9,000 feet, remember that it now comes standard with a Deep Snow/Mud setting that will effortlessly course-correct by evaluating and adjusting traction at the wheels it’s most needed. Other benefits to this system include a Snow/Dirt mode and standard hill descent control. For drivers who might end up in such a situation, the new Forester is perfect. It’s even better appreciated with all four tires firmly on the ground and plenty of distance from the fallen trees littering the mountainsides.
Subaru kept the Forester’s 2.5-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine in place, still rated for 180 horsepower, but a slight bump yields 178 lb-ft. of torque (compared to the previous 176). More significantly, the torque curve is updated for a more useful distribution of power. The CVT is now the upgraded version used in Subaru’s Wilderness models, with better tuning and more robust cooling. The powertrain occasionally stumbled as the Forester ascended, but not nearly as much as the previous model, so Subaru seems to have rectified one of that generation’s biggest flaws. Sport trims and above get paddle shifters to simulate an 8-speed manual mode. Most models have EPA ratings of 26 MPG city, 33 MPG highway, and 29 MPG combined; Sport and Touring models ride on 19-inch alloy wheels instead of the standard 17- or 18-inchers, which sacrifice 1 MPG across the board. These are great numbers, coming just shy of the class-leading Nissan Rogue (which, by the way, doesn’t have full-time all-wheel drive).
The 2025 Forester’s updated all-wheel drive system is tuned for quicker, more consistent cornering, accomplished by using input from the steering angle sensor. It’s a subtle difference compared to the previous generation, but extra agility and stability are always appreciated, and it’s impressive how nimble the Forester feels compared to other tall vehicles with 8.7 inches of ride height.
Despite the overhauled body, the Forester feels familiar inside, thanks largely to massive windows that create an open, airy feel. The cabin isn’t big, but it comfortably seats five, and most adults will be comfortable in the back row. The Forester now features Subaru’s new seat design that debuted on the 2024 Crosstrek, with the same supportive structure but covered in completely new upholstery options. Most versions get sturdy synthetic leather, which wears well and is easy to clean, while the top Touring model dresses up with brown or black perforated leather with supportive, suede-covered bolsters.
Subaru manages to make even scuff-resistant texture charming, thanks to Easter eggs that decorate the cargo area and slip-resistant steps built into the door frames. Models without a sunroof can hold 29.6 cubic feet of gear behind the rear seat, opening up to a maximum of 74.4 cubic feet.
The base Forester houses a pair of 7.0-inch touchscreens with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though all other trims (including the Sport and Limited tested here) upgrade to an 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless phone integration. The wireless charging pad is a nice touch, as well, thoughtfully textured to prevent phones from sliding around. Subaru’s EyeSight safety system is standard across the lineup and uses an upgraded network of cameras and sensors to work in a wider range of conditions compared to the 2024 model. A rear seat reminder system now comes standard. Options include blind-spot detection, lane-change
It’s easy to see why the 2025 Forester, now on sale, will continue to serve as Subaru’s top conquest vehicle. In other words, the Forester captures the most new customers who come to Subaru from other brands. Those customers tend to keep their Foresters longer than the industry average, yet when it’s time to move on from the Forester, they tend to migrate to other Subaru models, depending on their life stage and family needs.
It’s the perfect size to the extent that its interior space actually feels bigger than its exterior dimensions, it’s a great value, and it’s well rounded, with a range of smartly curated trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring. The Base is well equipped at $29,695, and the loaded Touring is genuinely posh at $39,995; as is common, the best values are found somewhere in the middle. The Premium, $31,995, would be our pick, featuring the X-Mode system, upgraded infotainment, and heated front seats. For now, the Forester Wilderness carries on as part of the 2024 generation.
