Subaru is expanding its 2025 Forester lineup by adding a Hybrid model. Equipped with a new hybrid powertrain based on a Subaru boxer-type four-cylinder engine, the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid will provide 194 horsepower and an estimated 35 mpg in combined driving. Naturally, the automaker’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system is standard on the 2025 Forester Hybrid, which goes on sale in the spring of 2025.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Aside from an expected price premium, compromise is not on the menu if you decide to get a Forester Hybrid. It offers the same cargo space and ground clearance as the standard Forester, and is available in Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring trim levels to accommodate different customer budgets. In addition, it makes more horsepower, increasing from 180 to 194, and benefits from instant electric motor torque when accelerating from a stop.
Subaru equips the 2025 Forester Hybrid with an Atkinson/Miller-cycle 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine featuring a boxer-type design. The engine delivers power through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with two integrated motor generators, including an 88-kilowatt (kW) traction motor facilitating a low-speed EV driving mode for as long as the SUV’s 1.1-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery can support it.
As you expect in a Subaru, AWD is standard. It’s a mechanically-linked system, so you won’t find a separate small electric motor at the Forester Hybrid’s rear axle. The SUV has Subaru’s X-Mode traction settings, hill descent control, and the same 8.7 inches of ground clearance as the standard Forester. Subaru has modified the Forester Hybrid’s suspension to account for the added weight of the electrified drivetrain.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Subaru estimates the new 2025 Forester Hybrid will offer a 40% increase in city fuel economy and a 25% increase in combined driving over the standard model. The 16.6-gallon fuel tank should supply a maximum of 581 miles of range.
Aside from a few details, the Forester Hybrid looks like the gas-only model. A new Daybreak Blue paint color, an available black roof, and a couple of wheel designs are exclusive to the electrified Forester. Animal-free StarTex artificial leather is standard in all but the Forester Touring Hybrid, which has traditional leather. Digital instrumentation with Apple Maps display capability is standard across the lineup.
Cargo space in the new Forester Hybrid measures 27.5 cubic feet behind the back seat and 69.1 cu-ft with the rear seat folded down.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Subaru will announce 2025 Forester Hybrid prices and official fuel economy ratings closer to when the SUV goes on sale. It will compete with hybrid versions of the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-50, and Toyota RAV4.
Subaru is the source of information in this article. It was accurate as of January 13, 2025, but it may have changed since then. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with 30 years of experience in the field and has held automotive editorial leadership positions at Edmunds, JD Power, and The New York Daily News. Today, Chris owns a content agency called Speedy Daddy Media, and in addition to JDPower.com, his work appears on Capital One Auto Navigator, CarGurus, and Edmunds.
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