Subaru Forester (2025 onwards) | Expert Rating

Summary

The Subaru Forester is a medium-sized SUV/crossover that sits above the smaller Crosstrek in the Subaru family. This model is the latest sixth-generation, which went on sale in the UK in early 2025 and is only available with a 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid ‘e-Boxer’ engine.

The Forester has received UK review scores ranging from average to excellent, as British motoring outlets are in agreement that this iteration of the Forester is a marked improvement over the last.

“It might not look like much has changed on the surface”, says Car’s Jake Groves, “but this is a quieter and more comfortable family car to drive than before – and one that’s seen some tech improvements, too.”

The Carbuyer team concludes that the Subaru is likely to be “forgotten” by many buyers – struggling to stand out in a very competitive medium SUV category – but that it is a “dependable choice for countryside-dwellers”, pointing to the car’s off-road ability.

Highlighting the key criticisms of the Forester, Carwow’s Tom Wiltshire explains that the SUV “can handle some serious rough stuff – but it’s not very powerful or efficient.” Despite being a hybrid as standard, the Forester has one of the thirstiest engines in the medium SUV class.

As of August 2025, the Subaru Forester holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 63%. Beyond review scores, this overall rating is aided by a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and hindered by high running cost estimations.

Key specifications

Image gallery

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of July 2025, the Subaru Forester has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

The Subaru Forester is a relatively expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

We currently have a limited picture of the Forester’s running costs, with no servicing and insurance cost data as of yet. That said, the model’s average fuel economy of 35mpg makes it one of the thirstiest options in the medium SUV class, and is particularly poor when compared to other hybrid models of this size.

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of July 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Subaru Forester to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops. 

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Forester, we’ll publish the results here.

Warranty rating

New car warranty information for the Subaru Forester

Subaru’s new car warranty is fairly basic, and worse than rival brands in a similar price bracket as the Forester.

The duration is three years, with a limit of 60,000 miles. In addition to the standard new car warranty, the hybrid version has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.

If you are purchasing an ‘Approved Used’ Subaru Forester from an official Subaru dealership, you should get a minimum one-year/unlimited mileage warranty included. If you are buying a used Forester from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company and the terms may vary. If you are buying a used Forester from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond anything that may be left on the original new car warranty.

If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Subaru Forester

As of July 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Subaru Forester. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.

You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Subaru dealer.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Subaru Forester, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

Citroën C5 Aircross | Ford Kuga | Honda CR-V | Hyundai Tucson | Jeep Compass | Kia Sportage | Mazda CX-5 | Mercedes-Benz GLA | MG HS | Nissan Qashqai | Nissan X-Trail | Peugeot 3008 | Renault Austral | SEAT Ateca | Skoda Karoq | Subaru Forester | Suzuki S-Cross | Toyota C-HR | Vauxhall Grandland | Volkswagen Tiguan

More information

More news, reviews and information about the Subaru Forester at The Car Expert

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