Subaru Forester Hybrid 2025 Review

There’s a fair bit Subaru still hasn’t told us about its new Forester, the model’s pricing included.

But given the major improvements here compared to its predecessor – which spans $38,690 to $50,140, plus on-road costs – it will all but certainly come with a hefty price rise.

Set to be offered in seven trim grades and petrol or hybrid powertrains, as before, the major talking point here is the new petrol-electric powertrain in the Subaru Hybrid.

It now comprises a larger 2.5-litre four-cylinder Boxer petrol engine (up from the previous car’s 2.0-litre engine) that has been mated to an electric motor and battery borrowed from Toyota. That combo could bring as much as 145kW of combined power and is said to be more efficient compared to the last hybrid Forester.

However, unlike most of its rivals – including the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Nissan X-TRAIL e-POWER – which employ a rear-mounted electric motor, the new Forester retains its mechanical all-wheel-drive system, which the brand says brings big advantages off-road.

Other equipment includes 18- or 19-inch alloys (depending on the grade), along with X-Mode for enhanced traction, roof rails, and wireless smartphone charging.

Inside the cabin is a bigger and better 11.6-inch portrait-style infotainment unit, along with upgrades to its Eyesight driver-assist safety systems, and revised seats with added cushioning and heating.

Higher-spec grades add powered front seats, navigation, an electric sunroof, and water-repellent synthetic leather trim.

The all-new 2025 Subaru Forester brings a suite of meaningful updates and, if Subaru gets the pricing right, it could prove an even more compelling mid-size SUV.

While the petrol-powered Forester goes almost unchanged – save for the fresh look and extra equipment – the Forester Hybrid is very much new.

Under the bonnet is an upsized Boxer engine (now 2.5 litres) supplemented by Toyota-sourced hybrid components including an 88kW e-motor and a 1.1kWh battery pack. Combined, Subaru says they bring more power and improved fuel efficiency over the Forester’s predecessor.

Subaru even claims a 1000km-plus range based on ADR laboratory testing.

Other mechanical improvements come in the form of a stiffer body and improved suspension.

While we spent very little time behind the wheel of the new Forester Hybrid at a private facility north of Sydney last week, we came away impressed.

The well-surfaced tarmac provided little in the way of real-world lump-and-bump testing (aside from a brown snake that almost became a speedbump), but some faster, more athletic cornering yielded positive results, and the Forester felt tied down and confident.

It’s an easy SUV to wrangle and what the Forester Hybrid lacks in outright speed or driving thrills, it makes up for in comfort and off-road capability.

We took the Forester down a grassy, muddy and rocky track and was impressed with its off-the-shelf competence in tough terrain, thanks in part to its generous 220mm ground clearance (only once did we graze its nose) and clever X-Mode settings.

While the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid brings many improvements, it doesn’t come without its drawbacks.

One major concern is the lack of a spare tyre in Hybrid variants, due to the size of the battery components. Petrol versions retain a full-size spare under the boot floor.

Hybrid owners, however, will have to make do with a tyre repair kit, unless they’re willing to invest in the full-size spare tyre set to be offered as an accessory (which adds extra cost and the hassle of finding somewhere to store it).

Subaru also hasn’t revealed the official cargo volume of the new Forester. Judging by comments made by local Subaru officials last week, the hybrid could come with slightly less boot space than before (thanks to the battery pack) while the petrol could get slightly more, despite the vehicle’s external dimensions remaining relatively unchanged.

Even so, boot space shouldn’t be an issue for most, judging by the area’s roomy appearance.

We also didn’t have enough driving time to verify Subaru’s bold 1000km range claim, but the very poor average fuel consumption figures we saw throughout the drive (upwards of 11.0L/100km) weren’t very reassuring.

That said, the pre-production vehicle we drove was subject to multiple different drivers both on- and off-road, so we’ll save any further criticism for now.

The 2025 Subaru Forester is as practical and comfortable as ever and the fresh additions to the interior, not to mention its bold new exterior, only bolster what’s always been a strong offering in the medium SUV segment.

There are some compromises here but none we think would be deal-breakers.

Pricing could prove the ultimate decider, so we’ll hold our breath until Subaru says more…  

2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid at a glance:
Price: TBA
Available: June 2025
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: TBA (electric motor: 88kW)
Combined output: 145kW/270Nm (approx.)
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Fuel: TBA
CO2: TBA
Safety rating: Not tested

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