6 Things We Love About 2025 Subaru’s Forester, 7 Things We Hate About It

Baseboards are one of those household features & that seem to attract dust like a magnet. They’re easy to overlook, but once you notice the buildup, it’s hard to ignore.

Baseboards are one of those household features & that seem to attract dust like a magnet. They’re easy to overlook, but once you notice the buildup, it’s hard to ignore.

The Subaru Forester, built on the Impreza platform, has been in production for nearly three decades — 27 years, to be exact. During that time, this versatile SUV has morphed through the stages, winning the hearts of its lovers with unrivaled off-roading capability and brute power thanks to a flat-four boxer engine.

The 2025 Subaru Forester isn’t the same tall wagon that rolled out of the production plant in 1997 as the SF. As it stands, the Forester is a cocktail of efficiency, practicality, safety, comfort, and freedom, regardless of the terrain. But what is the tradeoff?

We Hate: Conservative Design

Subaru fans loved the older Forester models because of the iconic design. While practical, they still offered much room for customization regardless of the owner’s preference (off-road or track). The 2025 Forester offers very little room for customization.

While functional, the 2025 Subaru Forester is bland and doesn’t stand out. You wouldn’t pick it out from a Honda or Toyota (in the same market segment) in a parking lot. To purists, Subaru is playing too safe.

We Love: The Boxer Engine Legacy

Subaru has stayed true to its charms, retaining the boxer engine throughout its legacy. Forester purists love the 2.5-liter boxer, and because of its low center of gravity, it helps improve handling in addition to providing decent power.

While the 2025 Forester offers a meek 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque – it’s still a nod to Subaru’s rich engineering history that diehards love.

We Hate: No Turbo

Traditionally, the Subaru Forester stands out in its segment due to its iconic rumble, superior off-roading skill set, versatility, and, lastly, the turbo. Getting rid of the XT trim is a big letdown for Forester aficionados.

Even though most consumers confirm they’d love a more efficient Forester, enthusiasts feel the lack of turbo takes away the extra excitement that the Forester offered, something that will be missed dearly in the current lineup.

We Love: Generous Ground Clearance

The Forester was designed with the same DNA as its rally-winning sibling, the WRX Impreza. These cars are not pavement princesses by any means — they have been designed to be brutalized on and off the tarmac for maximum fun.

The 2025 Subaru Forester has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, so there’s no risk of scratching its underbelly anywhere in town. This makes it an even better option for camping trips and spontaneous off-road adventures.

We Hate: No Manual Transmission

The 2025 Forester has undergone a complete overhaul of its identity. It has no turbo, bland design, or manual transmission. That last one hit a nerve with most Subaru purists. In other words, Subaru has sacrificed driving pleasure (a cornerstone of its identity) for consumer trends.

I’ll always remember the first time I got behind the wheel of a Forester XT. The iconic boxer rumble, the adrenaline you get cruising through the mountain passes as you shift gears – the turbo noises! The new Forester feels like a betrayal to Subaru’s enthusiast-friendly roots.

We Love: Improved All-Wheel-Drive System

Subaru fans have always loved the segment-leading AWD system that comes standard on the Forester — it’s the cornerstone of its identity. Forester buffs have more to smile about thanks to the 2025’s updated AWD system, which offers better torque vectoring.

The 2025 Subaru Forester handles even better than the outgoing model on muddy trails and snowy roads. The AWD update further improves its versatility off-road – a feature Subaru fans won’t hesitate to misuse during their weekend escapades.

We Hate: CVT Transmission

Ask any car enthusiast, and they’ll tell you they hate the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). It’s always been a divisive discussion, and Subaru’s CVT transmission has always been a sticking point.

Forester diehards hate the ‘rubber band’ feel they get on the CVT during acceleration — in their defense, it dulls the driving experience behind a versatile outdoorsy brand like the Forester.

We Love: Better Economy

Most people don’t buy a Subaru because they worry about the fuel economy — the boxer engine in the Forester was designed to be pushed to the limits for extreme outdoor fun. Still, the 2025 Forester’s fuel economy estimates are 26 mpg (city) and 33 mpg (highway).

According to Subaru, a hybrid will be offered later in the line, featuring a fine-tuned hybrid system offering an even better fuel economy than previous models. This is a sweet spot for enthusiasts who appreciate sustainability and practicality. Additionally, it allows Forester fans to enjoy their rigs better without worrying about gas mileage.

We Hate: Road Noise

Subaru has significantly improved the cabin and interior of the 2025 Subaru Forester. It has a few notable improvements, including heated and ventilated front seats and a leather-wrapped gear selector. However, cabin noise during highway speeds is still a concern among owners.

According to Forester lovers, this oversight affects the comfortable driving experience they’d love to have, especially on long road trips.

We Love: More Durable

Here’s the truth. They don’t make cars like they used to – the later iteration of the Subaru Forester feels more plasticky on the exterior. However, true enthusiasts understand that actual durability lies in powertrains. After all, what’s the use of a practical car like the Forester if it can’t handle 150,000 miles?

The 2025 Subaru Forester boasts a redefined engine block that offers better heat management. Subaru fans can sleep better after a few thousand miles of aggressive driving, knowing they won’t have overheating problems (read perilous Subaru head gasket issues). The new Forester should be able to handle up to 200,000 miles without any major repairs.

We Hate: Price Creep

To Purists, the 2025 Subaru Forester has gotten bland and pricier compared to its predecessors. Many enthusiasts feel the Japanese automaker is pricing out its core audience. Part of Subaru’s culture was offering more at a reasonable price.

Subaru Forester buffs loved it for its combined capabilities and affordability – something that’s slipping away from their hands with each release. The 2025 Subaru Forester Touring trim starts at $41,000.

We Love: Improved Safety Tech That Works

Cars need to be safe! The truth is, safety and durability go hand in hand. While modern safety features are designed to protect a car’s occupants, they also improve its durability in the long run.

The 2025 Forester features many safety and driver assistance features, with Subaru’s EyeSight suite available as standard on all trims. Other standard features include automated emergency braking, lane departure warning (with lane-keeping assist), and adaptive cruise control.

We Hate: Hybrid Technology Trade-Offs

Here’s the thing. No one loves an inefficient car. Forester fanatics love that Subaru is working to improve efficiency. However, Subaru has compromised the Forester’s power output to improve fuel consumption. To make matters worse, with the extra weight that’ll eventually come with the hybrid SUV, the loved adventure car will feel sluggish during acceleration.

Diehard fanatics argue Subaru’s hybrid tech hasn’t matured enough compared to its competitors. For a Subaru fan, losing power is losing everything they know about the brand. Seriously, though –  what good is a Subaru with no power?