- All-new for 2025, the Subaru Forester enters its sixth generation
- Pricing starts at $31,415| Price it your way
- On sale now| See Subaru Forester models for sale near you
The Subaru Forester gets a complete makeover for the 2025 model year and continues to remain one of Subaru’s best-selling models. Though it looks small outside, the Forester provides plenty of space inside. It also boasts ample outdoor capability thanks to 8.7 inches of ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive (AWD).
The Subaru Forester has six trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring. It competes against varied rivals like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-50, and Ford Bronco Sport.
Let’s take a look inside the 2025 Subaru Forester.
Passenger Room and Comfort
The 2025 Subaru Forester seats five and ensures plenty of shoulder room, around 57 inches. The front seats are comfortable and can be heated and cooled as you get into the higher trim levels. Subaru redesigned the front seats with additional bolstering and cushioning to make them more comfortable and reduce driver fatigue on longer trips.
As for the second row, the legroom is also generous, at 39.4 inches. While it’s a 5-passenger vehicle, you’re really looking at enough room for four 6-foot-tall people to fit comfortably. One thing to keep in mind is that the optional moonroof encroaches on headroom by an inch or two. Dual-zone heating and cooling keep everyone comfortable.
Features and Tech
The new Forester focuses on improved technology. It starts with an 11.6-inch touchscreen that handles most functions, except for the Base model, which has two stacked 7-inch touchscreens. The top handles phone and audio functions, while the lower adjusts the climate and vehicle settings. The Forester comes with a wireless charging pad in the center console. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available.
Subaru is known for its safety as well as its off-road readiness. The latest edition of its EyeSight Driver Assist Technology continues the legacy. This suite of safety technology includes reverse automatic braking, blind-spot detection with lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additionally, emergency stop assist activates if the driver becomes unresponsive while using advanced adaptive cruise control — a first for Subaru.
It’s not that it’s a massive vehicle, but we can all use a little help parking in tight spaces. You can upgrade to get the Surround View Monitor, which gives you a 360-degree view of the Forester from above. It’s helpful not only while parking but also in other situations where you really need to see what’s around the vehicle.
Materials and Design
Subaru owners are an active group, and as a result, can be tough on their vehicles. The new Forester features contoured dash elements and textured trim pieces designed to avoid visible damage from daily use. Designers also added a dark headliner to hide scuffs from loading/unloading passengers and cargo. Subaru designed the greenhouse to allow in more light, including a revised pillar design, which gives the Forester a more spacious feel. A panoramic moonroof is an option, but rear dark-tint privacy glass is standard.
The Forester Touring level offers perforated black or saddle brown leather upholstery and a 10-way power driver’s seat with 2-position memory (for both side mirrors and seat). The trim includes power lumbar support, an 8-way power front passenger seat, and heated rear seats.
Cargo Room and Flexibility
Behind the rear seats of the Forester is a commodious 26.5 cubic feet of luggage space. Fold down the 60/40-split seats and get a sizeable cargo area of 74.4 cubic feet. At 49.2 inches wide, the Forester’s rear aperture is huge, and when combined with the low lift-over height of 32.3 inches, loading anything from groceries to camping equipment gets much easier. Use the optional power liftgate to make it even more convenient.
Build and price your own 2025 Subaru Forester to see this week’s Fair Purchase Price, or check out Subaru Forester models for sale near you.