Subaru Forester AWD Hybrid 2025 Review

There are seven variants in the 2025 Subaru Forester line-up comprising four traditional 2.5-litre petrols and three hybrids (known as ‘Strong Hybrids’).

All of them come with symmetrical all-wheel drive and feature an updated continuously variable transmission (CVT) offering eight manual ‘gear’ steps. In the hybrids it’s an electronically controlled planetary gearset, while the petrols use the orthodox pulleys and chains.

Subaru has been making a big deal about the hybrids featuring a mechanical all-paw system rather than the electronic set-ups as seen on some rivals like the Toyota RAV4 which rely on software activation of an e-motor on the rear axle.

It claims a mechanical connection provides superior control and co-ordination across the four wheels on slippery surfaces and off-road. More on that here.

Where there used to be two hybrid variants there are now three, and it’s a new system, combining Subaru’s 2.5-litre flat (boxer) four-cylinder engine with Toyota-supplied motors and a 1.1kWh lithium-ion battery.

The system is good for a combined 145kW compared to an unchanged 136KW for the petrol and 110kW for the old 2.0-litre mild hybrid – torque is TBC but almost certain to be higher than the petrol’s 247Nm, and definitely more than the puny 196Nm of the old hybrid.

Official fuel consumption on 91 RON is 6.2L/100km for the hybrids and 7.9L/100km for the petrols.

The hybrid’s claimed economy pairs with a 62-litre tank to provide a total fuel range of more than 1000km.

The three Strong Hybrid models are the entry-level $46,490 AWD we’re testing here, the $54,990 Sport and $55,990 Touring. The orthodox Forester also adds a Premium model.

Indeed, pricing for the entire range is up significantly compared to the old model, with the entry-point having risen almost $5000 and the hybrids incurring additional costs of $3000 (AWD), $6000 (Sport) and $5000 (Touring) over their petrol counterparts.

It makes the Forester one of the most expensive mainstream medium SUV ranges to access, partially due to there being front two-wheel drive options; it balances up better when all-wheel drive and hybrid is the start point.

But even then the Toyota RAV4 GX undercuts it, while aggressive Chinese newcomers like BYD and have cheaper all-paw plug-in hybrids.

The AWD Hybrid Sport carries the biggest premium over its petrol equivalent because it has an ‘enhanced’ shock absorber tune and is separated from its peers by bronze 19-inch alloy wheels. Curiously, the petrol Sport misses out on the enhanced suspension.

Externally the new Forester has been thoroughly overhauled to give it a tougher, bluffer look easily separated from the last two generations (which were judged by Forester fans to be too similar). But in key measurements, little has changed.

As standard, the AWD Hybrid comes with steering responsive LED headlights, roof rails, a rear spoiler, 18-inch alloys, the choice of 11 no-cost option metallic and pearl paint finishes, dual-zone climate control, new-design cloth seats with heating up-front, plus leather steering wheel and gear shifter trim.

Infotainment duties are handled by a portrait 11.6-inch interface, first seen in the WRX sports sedan, offering Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless smartphone charging pad, six-speaker audio system and AM/FM radio. There are also dual front and rear USB-A and USB-C charging ports.

There are no connected car services for any Forester, so no smartphone app where you can remotely check up on your car.

Subaru’s Eyesight driver assist systems are already comprehensive, but there is new feature that that stops the car if the driver is unresponsive, though adaptive cruise control has to be operating for this to work.

The new Forester also picks up a five-star ANCAP rating based on 2024 protocols and has nine airbags and a 360 degree camera.

Stuff added as the range gets more expensive includes a sunroof, a powered tailgate, a Harmon Kardon stereo, a digital instrument cluster, satellite-navigation, power seat adjustment, leather upholstery and bigger 19-inch alloy wheels.

All Hybrids miss out on a standard spare tyre. Instead, Subaru offers a dealer-fit mount on the towbar. Subaru does not recommend towing with it fitted – the hybrid is rated at 1200kg braked versus 1800kg for the boxer.

On the subject of towing, the hybrids can lug 1200kg versus 1800kg for the petrols.

The Forester comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and 12-month/15,000km service intervals. A five year/75,000km capped price servicing schedule averages out at $459.80 per visit.

Unsurprisingly, the driving experience of the new 2025 Subaru Forester AWD Hybrid is at the top of the pops when it comes to what’s changed.

But it’s not the bit you might expect, instead it’s the dynamics – the steering and the handling are much sharper while the ride has lost some suppleness in the process without getting angry.

There’s no slack in the steering, the car sits obviously flatter and overall feels more playful and involving on both bitumen and gravel. It’s an interesting direction for Forester to take and more aligned to the dynamic reputation the first few generations enjoyed.

The dynamic improvements come from a number of sources, including a 10 per cent more torsionally rigid chassis, a new dual pinion electric assist steering system and revised suspension calibrations; the hybrids and petrols get different tunes in line with their different weights (a bit over 100kg model for model) and powertrain characteristics.

And what about off-road? And the new Forester Strong Hybrid’s mechanical all-wheel drive?

Our test car did clear some muddy and rocky trails and some moderate water crossings without a problem, but it was impossible to judge whether the system was better or worse than an electronically-activated set-up – obviously it’s something to assess when we start comparing the new Forester against its rivals.

In reality, this is not a vehicle capable of venturing into really challenging terrain, as per the rest of these all-wheel drive medium SUVs. But what the Forester AWD Hybrid (and petrol for that matter) has going for it off-road is a substantial 220mm ground clearance.

Beyond the driving, the new Forester’s cabin is very easy to see out of with high seating and big windows.

Rear seat and boot space is generous, and even the base model’s second row has a decent level of content:  rear air vents, USB-A and USB-C ports, map pockets, small but useable door bins and a fold down armrest with dual cupholders.

The boot has bins, hooks and a small amount of underfloor storage. Storage starts at 484 litres and expands to 1162 litres (1655 litres to ceiling) by collapsing the rear seat. This can be done electronically by levers in the boot.

Up-front, the new-design seats are large and supportive, but the real step forward is how much the infotainment experience has been cleaned up; the big screen in the centre stack has a logic to it that makes it relatively easy to understand.

Thankfully, physical buttons and permanent touch pads are retained for audio and air-con. The top part of the screen is partitioned to make it easier to access features like the X-Mode switch that adjusts the throttle mapping for off-roading.

The Forester also retains a logical family of physical buttons on the steering wheel. And cheaper models such as the AWD Hybrid still get the twin dial analogue instrument cluster, which many of us prefer anyway.

So you’ll notice the new powertrain didn’t get a mention in the ‘what’s good’ section. It’s a bit tough to stick it in ‘what’s not so good’, but let me explain.

This new ‘Strong Hybrid’ is undoubtedly a substantial improvement over the old mild hybird Forester in every possible measure, but it’s hard to see where that extra $3000-$6000 actually goes when driven against the essentially carry-over 2.5-litre boxer.

Flatten the throttle of either power unit from rest and the acceleration is pedestrian, something accentuated by the tendency of both CVTs to claim an rpm zone and sit the engine in it.

When you’ve already got some revs onboard and accelerate the response is undoubtedly better, although shifting from the default Intelligent to Sport mode didn’t change things drastically.

If you’re driving more on-and-off throttle in a typical city environment or a winding road, or on a steady throttle, the transmissions are pretty unobtrusive.

The eight ‘gear’ steps changed via steering wheel paddles (Subaru calls them sports regeneration paddles in the hybrid) are useful and enjoyable on a winding road, melding nicely with the car’s eager driving manners.

Based on our driving, the hybrid’s fuel economy also wasn’t significantly improved compared to the petrol: 7.6L/100km vs 8.6L/100km on the open road.

The e-motor’s low rev torque input and ability to run alone very slowly without burning petrol would have widened the hybrid’s performance and economy advantage over the petrol, but we did very little city running.

Off-road it actually displayed a concerning negative. Trying to inch up a slope by just cracking the throttle, the hybrid instead surged forward with much more intensity than intended, despite being in throttle-dulling and off-road-intended X-Mode. No harm no foul, but it wasn’t the expected response and suggests maybe there’s still some detail tuning required.

The other driving irritant was the family of monitors, including over-active driver monitoring and lane keeping system. There are short cuts to switch some things off but not all or others, so there’s plenty of tapping on the on screen.

More storage in the front row would be appreciated too. The expected stuff – door bins, glovebox, dual cupholders, lidded centre bin – is here, but you can never have too many cubby holes.

A grippier wireless charging pad surface would also be appreciated since our smartphone had a tendency to slide off the pad and disconnect from charge in corners, but at least it didn’t go flying off the pad and lodge on the far side of the passenger seat like in other SUVs…. Hello Haval Jolion.

One more thing to note here. During the launch drive in New Zealand’s Canterbury district a couple of cars did enter a safe mode. This was blamed on water entering the engine bay at a “sufficient level” during a creek crossing to “engage" a "protective fuse" safeguarding the radiator fan motor. Subaru says the cars did the right thing by temporarily shutting down and that the issue cleared after a fuse was replaced.

"At no point did the vehicle fail,” Subaru said in a statement. "In fact, it effectively demonstrated Subaru’s engineering capability and built-in safety systems, allowing occupants to reach their destination safely whilst still protecting key components of the vehicle."

The 2025 Subaru Forester AWD Hybrid is a surprise because the part of the package expected to make the biggest impression – the powertrain – didn’t.

Instead, it was the obvious change in dynamic behaviour that really grabbed our attention. Other things like the spacious interior were also really impressive.

The performance gains of the Strong Hybrid really only played a supporting role, so hopefully more diverse testing at home will reveal more of the story.

Add in the hefty price rises and we’re weighing pros and cons here rather than being prepared to offer and unequivocal thumbs up.

No doubt plenty of rusted-on fans will still sign up for the new Forester, but it’s hard to see it winning over heaps of new fans. There’s too much well-priced competition out there for it to do that.

2025 Subaru Forester at a glance:
Price: $46,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 121kW/212Nm (electric motor: 90kW/276Nm)
Combined output: 145kW
Transmission: CVT automatic
Battery: 1.1kWh lithium-ion
Fuel: 6.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 140g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2024)

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