Video: 2025 Subaru Forester Review: Sticking With What Works

Now, given that the Forester is one of Subaru's best selling vehicles, the company really didn't want to change too much about it. Don't wanna mess with the good thing, but there's lots that's new here and the changes really give the Forester a more modern look. Starting with the front, the headlights are more integrated into the grill, makes the whole vehicle look wider even though the dimensions have changed hardly at all from the previous generation model. Moving along to the side, the wheel openings, more angular than before. That's a cue that's similar to the recently redesigned Subaru WRX sedan. And the belt line is a much straighter edge shape, kind of a more solid look and feel. Little bit more rugged detailing on the rocker panels as well. Overall, just a slightly more rugged, more SUV look. Moving to the back, even though it's kind of hard to tell because of our coating of dust, the taillights also have a one piece treatment that again, makes the Forester look a little bit wider than it was before, even though it's actually not. And now that we're back at the cargo area, here's another new feature the Forester didn't have before, a hands-free kick operated power lift gate. Now the Forester's generously-sized cargo area is again one of its assets. It's a little bit bigger than before, not a lot, but again, Subaru has focused on extra wide cargo opening. The door opening itself is large, the load floor is low, and there's just a lot of room back here, very minimal intrusion from the wheel wells. There's also some nice cargo hook touches, including some blank areas here where you can pop out these plastic trim pieces and screw an accessories for customizable storage in the rear cargo area. Very thoughtful space here. So in addition to some of those cargo plugs built into the underside of the lift gate itself where you can screw some hooks into those, there's also built-in hooks above on the headliner as well. Can hook a jacket or a swimsuit or whatever to dry out there up top. So the first thing I noticed in getting behind the wheel of the new Forester is just how nice the steering feels. It's got a very smooth, almost buttery feel. And that's true even if you're traversing some rugged gravel roads. We were hitting some rugged stuff earlier as we were up on some unpaid mountain trails. And even as we were hitting some big ruts and moguls, you could definitely it through the steering wheel, but it wasn't jolting the wheel so easy to control on rough terrain, relatively rough terrain. It wasn't like we were on rocky trails, it was some rugged gravel, but still enough to jostle the vehicle around and both the steering and the Forester suspension handled it quite well. And likewise on the road, this is just a very relaxed driving car on the highway. I'm noticing a little wind rush. It is kind of a boxy upright profile and a little bit of tire roar as well, but those are both much better than the Forester used to be in the previous generation. And likewise, the engine noise is very nicely muffled too, even when you're on a steeper incline and the engine has to work a little harder, you definitely hear the engine no?? come up, but it's very soft and in the background. So all around they've done a very nice job with noise reduction in the new Forester. So Subaru has made a number of enhancements to the Forester's 2.5 liter four cylinder for 2025. But a horsepower infusion is not among those. The Forester's engine is rated at 180 horsepower and 178 pounds feet of torque. And that's enough for adequate acceleration, but nothing more. If you need to speed onto a highway entrance ramp or pass someone, you're gonna need to put the throttle pedal to the floor. And even then, the acceleration is middling at best. But even though it's quieter than before, if you really floor the engine, it gets kind of noisy. (car engine revving) And it's still not very fast. So another trademark Forester trait that Subaru has wisely maintained for 2025 is its nice tall roof line and generous glass area all around. Visibility is fantastic in any direction. I really like the triangular window sections, the thin windshield pillars, the tall windshield, the generous rear window. It all makes for fantastic sight lines in pretty much every direction. Another benefit of the Forester's tall roof line is, not surprisingly, excellent headroom inside. I'm six foot six and I've got space to spare above my head in the driver's seat. I'm a little more cramped in the rear seat, but most adult passengers are gonna be fine and the rear seat backs recline a little bit, so you can free up more headroom that way as well. The Forester's gauge cluster isn't quite as fancy as some rival compact SUVs, but it works. There's an analog tack on the left, an analog speedometer on the right, both of which are very clearly marked and easy to read. And like other recently redesigned Subarus, the Forester switches to an 11.6 inch portrait style infotainment screen. This comes standard on everything but the base model. And one thing we're not crazy about with this new system is that it absorbs the formerly physical climate controls. We typically find actual knobs and buttons easier to use than touchscreen controls when driving. But one nice thing is that regardless of what part of the infotainment system you're using, the climate controls stay visible at the bottom of the screen. One distinctive feature that the sport trim level gets for 2025 is Subaru's star text upholstery. This upholstery is very easy to clean after outdoor adventures, but one nitpick that I have with it is I don't think it breathes quite as well as other upholstery types. And sometimes on a super hot day, it can feel like you have the heated seat on when you don't. I also like the Forester's generously-sized sun visors. They're big enough to be useful with this tall roof line. And they also pivot to the side and extend to cover you from the side as well. The overall ambiance of the Forester's cabin takes a big step up for 2025 as well, both in terms of materials and fit and finish. It's just more upscale and a little bit classier than it was before. Other newly available features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a wireless phone charger, a digital rear view mirror, and a 360 degree surround view monitor. The 2025 Subaru Forester retains all of what made the previous generation model so appealing and it's also quieter, has a much improved cabin, and it's just more refined all around. It's slated to hit dealerships by the end of May. And if you want to read my full review, you can check it out at cars.com. (upbeat music)