I pull off the highway and into an off-road park. My guide is motioning me to drive half-way up a steep, rutted dirt hill. I stop, wait for the signal, and gently tip into the throttle. As the all-wheel-drive system shifts power and finds its footing, I gently step further into the throttle. The vehicle scruffs and chomps, but climbs. The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid did all of that on street tires and without engaging its Dual Mode X-MODE traction system.
I’m outside of San Francisco, slaloming amongst the redwoods and strafing surf near Half Moon Bay. It’s been a long day of curvy roads and fast highways, but the Forester in its element. It may be a hybrid, but it’s still a Subaru.
Fresh off a redesign for 2025, the Forester appears more refined with its wind-swept face wearing squinty headlamps, black fender cladding, taillamps across the liftgate, and floating rear roof. Get it in Hybrid-only Daybreak Blue paint.
Inside, a new digital gauge cluster can switch from an analog-style display to a widescreen with navigation. Subaru’s tablet-style infotainment screen remains for controlling dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation, and devices connected and charged wirelessly. Praise actual buttons and knobs for volume, tuning, and key climate functions.
Beyond screens, the Forester Hybrid comes standard with heated seats, power moonroof, power rear gate, and reclining rear seats. Animal-free StarTex upholstery is standard on Premium, Sport, and Limited trims. Touring editions retain traditional leather. Safety is enhanced by adaptive cruise, automatic emergency braking, and lane keep assist. Blind spot warning and rear cross-path detection are standard.
Fashion show aside, this trip is about putting miles under the Forester. Suspension tuning is focused on comfort, so while the Forester is competent on curvy roads, it’s no WRX. That said, it eats gravel roads and rough city pavement for snack. This generation Forester was substantially improved for a calmer traveling.
It drives better than the gas version too. This hybrid combines a 2.5-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine with two-motor generator units incorporated into the continuously variable transmission. Torque-shifting all-wheel-drive is, of course, standard. Unlike competitive models that are essentially front-drive crossovers with rear electric motors, the Forester has an actual driveshaft heading aft.
The hybrid powertrain delivers 194 total system horsepower – 14 more than gas models. Fuel economy rates 35/34-MPG city/highway, 10-mpg better in the city.
On-road, the hybrid acts like an electric turbocharger to smooth power where and when you need it. On paper, the it only has 14-hp more than gas-only versions, but electric torque enhances acceleration, improves passing times, and keeps the transmission happy. Even when the engine shut down in “EV Mode”, I barely noticed.
Subaru owners love adventure, and they’ll get it with roof rails hold up to 700 lbs. of static weight – perfect for a tent. Engineers did have to claim spare tire space for batteries, so there’s an inflator kit instead. Hope you don’t need that on the trail.
Which is where I began. The design brief was simple: Provide hybrid economy and performance without affecting the Forester’s cargo space or off-road capability. Virtually no Forester hybrid will be banging skid plates en-route to band practice, but it wouldn’t be a proper Subaru if it couldn’t.
The Forester Hybrid starts at $34,995 and ends around $42,000 in Touring trim. While this one was built in Japan, all 2026 Foresters sold in the U.S. will be built in Lafayette, Indiana.
2025 Subaru Forester Touring: A Luxury Alternative
By complete chance, I had the gas-only Subaru Forester Touring scheduled the same week I visited California to drive the Forester Hybrid. It proved a ballast against all of the worthwhile improvements to make it a Hybrid.
Comparing specs, this Forester harbors a 2.5-liter “Boxer” four-cylinder engine connected to a continuously variable transmission that can be paddle-shifted through eight pre-set ratios. Without the hybrid boost, the engine is rated 180 horsepower and achieves 25/32-MPG city/highway. It has the same 8.7” of ground clearance and dual-mode X-Mode for serious off-road capability, but really needs a turbo to erase all concerns about acceleration.
But as someone who’s owned two Outbacks, this is the first Forester that seems as quiet and refined as its larger sibling. That’s especially true of Touring editions with their leather upholstery with suede inserts, Harman Kardon audio, and panoramic power moonroof. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and heated steering add comforts. Wireless phone connections and charging add convenience. Dark alloy 19” wheels and curve-following LED headlamps distinguish exteriors.
Most drivers couldn’t tell the difference between this gas-only Touring and the Hybrid from behind the wheel. That’s a compliment to the Touring, but real praise for the Hybrid. I think the electrified powertrain made it considerably better.
If you want a full-on luxury crossover from Subaru without fancy batteries, our vehicle came to $41,962.
Storm Forward!
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