Hot on the heels of the news that Subaru’s sticking a hybrid powertrain in its smallest crossover comes a gas-electric version of the slightly larger Forester.
The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid is set to arrive amid renewed interest in fuel-saving technology as opposed to entirely electric vehicles (EVs). This latest effort, alongside the newly announced 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, follows previous gas-electric versions of the Crosstrek that were introduced in 2014 and 2019, although the latter was a plug-in hybrid that offered nominal all-electric driving range.
A Uniquely Subaru Setup
By contrast, the 2025 Forester Hybrid features a conventional gas-electric setup — or as conventional as a Subaru-made hybrid can be. That’s because the system pairs the brand’s trademark horizontally-opposed gas engine with the battery and electric motors that make up the electric half of the powertrain.
Like before, and as Mazda did with the recently released CX-50 Hybrid, Subaru turned to Toyota for help with this powertrain — the second time it’s done so after the Crosstrek plug-in. But the system was developed with the distinction of having another of Subaru’s calling cards: full-time all-wheel drive.
Where Toyota’s hybrid technology traditionally uses a separate electric motor in the back for all-wheel drive that can be decoupled unless extra traction is needed, the Forester Hybrid will constantly send torque to all four corners. What changes here, of course, is whether that torque is electric or gas-generated, but the connection to the rear wheels is mechanical like it is for the gas-only Forester.
The mechanical portion of the powertrain is purely Subaru, with a 2.5L four-cylinder that’s horizontally-opposed — the technical term for an engine which has pistons that move side to side instead of up and down — and runs on the highly efficient Atkinson combustion cycle. The engine is paired with dual electric motor-generators borrowed from Toyota, one of which drives the wheels and the other that feeds energy into the battery pack.
Net system output is 194 hp — slightly more than the gas-only Forester makes with the same sized engine, but a little less than the 219 hp made by both the CX-50 Hybrid and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Fuel consumption is likely to be slightly worse than it is for that top-selling Toyota, which is rated to burn as little as 6.0 L/100 km combined. Official numbers won’t be released until closer to the Forester Hybrid’s on-sale date.
Other differentiators between the Forester Hybrid and the ones made by its alliance partners — Toyota owns about 20 per cent of Subaru and five per cent of Mazda — include battery chemistry and location. While the RAV4 and the CX-50 use a nickel-metal hybrid battery pack, the Forester Hybrid will get a more advanced lithium-ion unit. Additionally, the Forester’s 63-litre fuel tank has an eight-litre capacity advantage. Likewise, the battery is under the cargo floor due to the location of the Forester’s fuel tank under the back seat, while both the RAV4 and CX-50 have theirs under their back seats.
Subaru of America said during the Forester Hybrid's official unveiling at the Chicago Auto Show that it's targeting a total cruising range of 580 miles on a full tank. That's more than 930 km, for those of us who rely on the superior metric system.
According to Subaru, the Forester Hybrid has the same 779 L of cargo space as the conventional version, although it goes without a spare tire, with the battery pack occupying the area under the floor in the back. That means it’s likely to have the same 1,957 L with the rear seats folded. Meanwhile, Subaru’s signature 220 mm (8.7 in) of ground clearance is the same for the gas-electric Forester as it is elsewhere.
Other changes are minimal, with the Forester Hybrid sporting a unique badge on the back — as well as the front fenders — telling of its so-called “e-boxer” powertrain, plus there’s a fully digital instrument display in front of the driver. The 12.3-inch screen can be cycled through a few different layouts, including showing turn-by-turn directions for those who are masochistic enough to rely on the integrated TomTom navigation or Apple Maps via wireless Apple CarPlay.
Into the Wilderness
Subaru also pulled the cover off the 2026 Forester Wilderness, giving the off-road-oriented trim the same updates the rest of the lineup received for the 2025 model year. After an extended year of production for the previous generation, the rugged Wilderness version gets a new look to go with the same upgrades as before. Those include more ground clearance, as well as unique styling touches, and reinforced roof rails.
Suspension tweaks give the Forester Wilderness 235 mm (9.2 in) of obstacle-hurdling height, with all-terrain tires wrapped around 17-inch alloy wheels — plus there’s a full-size spare in the back. Meanwhile, revisions to the all-wheel drive system apparently lead to faster centre differential lockup and less wheelspin on the trail.
The 2026 Forester Wilderness can tow 1,588 kg (3,500 lb) compared to the previous 1,360 kg (3,000 lb), while its reinforced roof rails have a static load capacity of 363 kg (800 lb). That means they can easily accommodate a rooftop tent with a couple people inside, while the 80 kg (176 lb) they can carry while the vehicle is in motion can handle all kinds of gear and accessories.
Visual enhancements are similar to before, albeit against the backdrop of the Forester’s sixth-generation styling. Anodized yellow accents stand out amongst the extra cladding all around the outside, while the all-terrain tires enhance form as much as they do function.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid is set to go on sale this spring and will be offered only with the range-topping Premier trim. While pricing will be announced closer to that time, it’s likely that it will exceed the $50,000 mark before tax considering the gas-powered Forester Premier is priced at $44,995. (Freight adds another $2,295 to the asking price.)
The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness will hit the market this fall, with pricing that’s likely to land within range of the current version that sells for $40,995 before freight and tax. Finally, the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid will go on sale in late 2025, building on the existing Limited trim that’s $36,995 before freight and tax. That means the gas-electric version will likely exceed $40,000 before the government’s share.
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