Subaru Forester

The redesigned 2025 Forester sticks closely to the script of its successful predecessor by retaining the same boxy dimensions and adventure-ready personality, but it also adds welcome new features and is notably more refined overall. At launch, the sole engine is a 180-horsepower, 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder, but a hybrid powertrain is slated to join the lineup soon. As before, all-wheel drive is standard on all Foresters; newly available features include an 11.6-inch portrait-style infotainment touchscreen and a hands-free power liftgate. The Forester’s rugged Wilderness trim level didn’t make the jump to the redesigned version for 2025; it was instead carried over on the previous-generation Forester platform. 

The 2019 Forester may look a lot like its predecessor, but the redesigned SUV gained more room inside and more safety features. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine left the lineup, leaving a 182-horsepower, 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder as the sole engine. All models had a continuously variable automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Subaru’s suite of active-safety features and driver-assistance technology, EyeSight, was standard and included automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. For 2022, Subaru added a specially trimmed, off-road-focused Wilderness version that included increased ground clearance, all-terrain tires, a lifted suspension and a shorter final drive ratio for improved off-road performance.

Redesigned for the 2014 model year, the Forester carries on where previous versions left off. The available X-Mode all-terrain system and hill descent control gave the SUV extra off-road capability, and the available EyeSight suite of safety features offered additional peace of mind. The standard engine is a 170-horsepower, horizontally opposed four-cylinder, while a 250-hp, turbocharged engine goes in 2.0XT versions.

If you can’t beat them, join them. That seems to have been the motto behind this generation of the Forester. Its exterior was suddenly less boxy and more in-line with what someone shopping for a small SUV would expect in a new vehicle. A 170-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine was standard, while an optional turbocharged engine delivered 224 hp in the 2.5XT trim. The cabin featured a straightforward layout, and by the 2013 model year features like Bluetooth streaming audio and iPod/USB connectivity had become standard.

While it didn’t look noticeably different, the second-generation Forester rode on a new platform and had solid improvements that made it a more comfortable alternative to a traditional SUV. An available turbocharged engine joined the lineup in 2004, giving the Forester some added pep. An L.L.Bean Edition was added in 2005, while output of the base and turbo engines would eventually tick up to 173 and 224 hp, respectively.

The Subaru Forester blazed its own path from the beginning. More of a high-riding wagon than a soft-roading SUV like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4, the Forester was a quirky but endearing alternative to mainstream rivals. Power came from a 165-hp, horizontally opposed 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and all-wheel drive was standard. Since it wasn’t trying to be an SUV in terms of size or style, you didn't have to haul yourself up into the driver’s seat. It also meant that loading items into the roomy cargo area was easier.