The Subaru Forester has long stood out in the crowded compact SUV market thanks to a winning combination of generous interior and cargo room, standard all-wheel drive and a rugged, outdoorsy appeal. A redesign for the 2025 model year brings an entirely new Forester that doesn’t stray from the winning formula.
Related: 2025 Subaru Forester Review: Redesigned, But on the Same Not-So-Beaten Path
The refresh brings added tech, new features and increased refinement to help keep the Forester competitive against rivals including the Ford Bronco Sport, Jeep Compass and Toyota RAV4. The Forester’s capability and tidy exterior dimensions, however, remain about the same, and its powertrain carries over with minor changes. As with the previous version, trim choices include Base, Premium, Sport, Limited and Touring; the Wilderness trim continues into 2025 on the previous platform.
Cars.com Senior Research Editor Damon Bell traveled to Montana to sample the new Forester in the Limited and Touring trims. (Per our ethics policy, Cars.com pays for its own airfare and lodging when attending such manufacturer-sponsored events.) He liked most of what he found, though with a few notable exceptions. Tap the link above for Bell’s expert review; for a quicker look, read on to learn five things we like about the redesigned 2025 Subaru Forester and three things we do not.
Things We Like
1. Spacious, Airy Cabin
The redesigned Forester retains the tall, boxy shape that helps make it one of the more spacious choices in the class, with ample room for occupants. There’s decent headroom and legroom front and rear, while large windows and thin pillars provide excellent visibility and an airy feel. A panoramic moonroof is standard on all but the Base trim.
2. Clever Cargo Features
The Forester’s cargo room is generous, and designers have added clever details to maximize use of the space. A wide liftgate opening, low floor and minimal intrusion from the rear wheel wells help facilitate loading and unloading, and a hands-free power liftgate has been added for 2025. A variety of tie-down hooks and accessory mounting points help keep gear secure on the road, as well.
3. Powertrain Tweaks
The Forester’s 2.5-liter, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine carries over, but it’s been tweaked for added low-end torque and refinement. Output drops slightly to 180 horsepower from 182, but the increased torque makes the Forester feel a bit more lively around town. There’s still not much in reserve for highway merging and passing, however. Fuel economy is competitive, and a large 16.6-gallon fuel capacity makes the Forester a long-distance runner with more than 500 miles of highway cruising range.
4. Ride and Handling
A dual-pinion steering gear adapted from the WRX contributes to a more refined feel, with little kickback transmitted through the steering wheel even when the Forester is driven through deep ruts and over rough surfaces. Coupled with a 10% increase in torsional rigidity and an absorbent suspension, the result is a composed and controlled ride over a variety of surfaces.
5. Improvements Inside
The Forester’s cabin gets nicer materials and improved fit and finish, making for a more upscale feel than in the previous model. All but the Base trim get a new, larger 11.6-inch touchscreen, while the top Touring variant gets additional tech features, including a new 360-degree camera system and a rearview camera mirror for an unimpeded view out back when the rear seat is occupied. Additional sound deadening for 2025 results in lower noise levels overall, too.
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Things We Don’t Like
1. Powertrain Concerns
In spite of powertrain tweaks aimed at added refinement, efficiency and response, the Forester is still not as quick as some competitors. Highway merging and passing requires pressing the accelerator to the floor, and even then, response is more sluggish than we’d like. While the cabin is quieter overall than the previous Forester’s, the engine still lacks the refinement of others in the class, and the Forester’s boxy shape contributes to elevated wind noise levels. A hybrid powertrain is slated to be added to the menu soon, likely with more power and increased fuel economy.
2. Infotainment Issues
The new 11.6-inch touchscreen is an improvement, but it’s not one of our favorites. Most of the physical climate controls have been replaced by touchscreen buttons that can be trickier to use underway. Some editors had difficulty connecting to wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the system can be hard to read when wearing polarized sunglasses.
3. Wilderness Carries Over on Old Platform
As before, the Forester is available in Base, Premium, Limited and Touring trims. The more off-road-focused Wilderness trim introduced with the outgoing Forester is still around, but it rolls into 2025 on the previous model’s platform. Subaru promises the Wilderness will be available on the new platform in the near future.
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
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