2025 Subaru Forester Up Close: No Big Changes, Just Better

Subaru took the wraps off the redesigned 2025 Subaru Forester at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show, and it’s clear that the company is sticking with what works. This compact SUV has been one of Subaru’s bestselling vehicles for most of its 25-year-plus history, and the new sixth-generation model is about enhanced all-around refinement, not reinvention. I got an up-close look at a mid-line Sport and top-line Touring trims on the show floor.

Related: More 2023 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Crisper, More Modern Exterior

The 2025 Forester’s dimensions are carried over almost unchanged from the previous-generation model, as is the vehicle’s signature boxy, upright profile. The body details are crisper than before, however — particularly the low, straight-edged beltline. The headlights and daytime running lights are now integrated with the grille for a slightly sleeker look. Grille finishes vary slightly between trim levels; the Sport has a fully blacked-out grille, while the Touring adds a slim metallic-silver bar for a bit more sparkle.

The Sport on display wore an attractive metallic-white paint, along with dark bronze finishes on its 19-inch wheels, emblems and rocker-panel trim inserts that gave it a suitably outdoorsy look. The Touring’s trim was subtly more upscale on the outside, but most of its ritzier touches are on the inside. In all, the Forester’s new exterior styling is a success — it effectively modernizes the SUV without compromising its distinctive personality.

Refined Interior

Like the exterior, the new Forester’s interior ups the refinement level while retaining a familiar look and feel. As with previous generations, a tall roofline and generously sized windows give the cabin an airy feel, with excellent visibility all around. Thankfully, the sun visors are extra large, and they have pull-out extensions to fully cover the side window. There’s headroom to spare in the front seats, even with the available panoramic moonroof. However, the moonroof’s housing cuts into backseat headroom for extra-tall backseat passengers, and the rear seatbacks don’t recline to free up more head space. Still, four average-sized adults will be able to ride in the Forester in comfort. Entry and exit continues to be a snap, as well, thanks to a just-right ride height, decently large door openings and doors that open to almost 90 degrees.

The dashboard is attractive and nicely assembled, with a large glove box and clear, easy-to-read analog gauges in the instrument panel. The passenger side of the dash sports an interesting molded-in 3D texture that made me think of the old Qbert video game from the early 1980s. The Sport’s dash has bronze accents to match the exterior, while the Touring has a touch of woodgrain and other upscale touches.

The seats are comfortable in both the front and rear. The Touring’s seats wear rich-looking brown-and-black leather with synthetic-suede accents, and it also gets heated and ventilated front seats and heated outboard rear seats. The Sport gets Subaru’s StarTex polyurethane upholstery; it’s very easy to clean, but I’ve found that it doesn’t “breathe” very well and can get uncomfortably warm on hot days. Air vents and USB charging ports for the backseat passengers are built into the rear of the center console. Both the Sport and Touring have helpful grippy-texture upholstery on the front and rear interior door pulls.

I wasn’t able to turn on the vehicles to examine the new 11.6-inch portrait-style infotainment touchscreen, but Cars.com editors have used this same basic system in previous Subarus, including the redesigned-for-2024 Crosstrek that participated in our latest Affordable SUV Challenge. In the Crosstrek, we liked how responsive the system was but didn’t like that it absorbed the formerly physical climate controls into the touchscreen. Some editors also found the screen difficult to see when wearing polarized sunglasses. These plusses and minuses should carry over to the new Forester’s system.

Cargo Storage Solutions

Small-items storage is about par for class: two deep cupholders in the front console, two shallow cupholders built into the slim flip-down backseat armrest, bottle holders in the door panels and a fairly deep storage bin underneath the front-seat center console. The available wireless charging pad sits in an open, easy-to-access area at the front of the console, and its surface seems grippy enough that a phone won’t slide around in normal driving.

The Forester’s available power liftgate (with newly available hands-free kick-sensor capability) is laudably speedy, and the rear aperture is helpfully wide. The load floor is low and wide, as well, though there isn’t much in the way of underfloor storage beneath the cargo floor. The rear seatbacks fold easily to create a smooth load floor, but their head restraints hit the front seatbacks if the front seats aren’t adjusted far enough forward. Two small cargo hooks are built into either side of the cargo area, and two additional hooks are built into the headliner just inside the liftgate opening; these look to be just the ticket for hanging up wet clothes to dry.

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Pricing and Release Date

Based on initial examination, the 2025 Forester appears to be an especially well-executed redesign that will help the Forester nameplate maintain its spot near the top of Subaru’s sales charts. The regular gas-engine versions, which are powered by a carryover 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 180 horsepower, are slated to go on sale in spring 2024, and pricing is as follows:

• Base: $31,090
• Premium: $33,390
• Sport: $35,890
• Limited: $37,390
• Touring: $41,390

The Forester is also slated to get a new hybrid version within a year of the gas-engine versions’ launch. Subaru has not released specs on the hybrid powertrain yet, but it seems poised to make the Forester’s future even brighter.

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