Subaru has used the 2024 Los Angeles Auto Show to reveal the new 2025 Subaru Forester. Australian arrival timing is yet to be confirmed, but the sixth-generation Forester is likely to arrive locally sometime in 2024. While the company is yet to reveal full details about its best selling car, the new Forester appears to be dimensionally similar to the current model, but with new styling, a new interior, new technology and – at least in North America in early 2025 – a new hybrid system sourced from Toyota.
According to Subaru of America, the new Forester “offers the most advanced features, modern design, and improved ride comfort in its history.”
“The new 2025 Forester was designed to combine the capability and versatility of a large SUV with the comfort and efficiency of a car. The 8.7-inch ground clearance for all Forester models is taller than many SUVs, yet it maintains a comfortably low step-in height for both front- and rear-passenger entry” it said.
Stylistically, the 2025 Subaru Forester is a clear evolution of the current model with a similarly boxy body but with new front and rear ends and new detailing such as the hexagonal lower body styling features. In America, wheels ranging from 17-inches to 19-inches in size will be available, making top-spec models now feature one-inch larger wheels. According to Subaru, the suspension has been retuned, while a new steering rack – reportedly a version of the one in the WRX – is now fitted for enhanced dynamics.
Using the same platform as the current model, the 2025 Subaru Forester is reportedly 10 per cent stiffer than the current model, while stronger body welding has also reportedly resulted in superior dynamics and a quieter cabin. Under the bonnet is the familiar 2.5-litre four-cylinder Boxer petrol engine mated to a CVT automatic transmission and the company’s famed symmetrical all-wheel drive system, while a Subaru USA executive has confirmed that a Toyota-sourced hybrid system will be on offer in North America in early 2025. Australian drivetrains are yet to be confirmed.
Inside the 2025 Subaru Forester are more changes, with a more modern interior layout that borrows a lot from other Subaru models, like the Outback and Crosstrek. The huge 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen in both those models is now fitted to the Forester, and we expect it to be standard equipment in Australia – North American models have a smaller 8.0-inch unit fitted on entry-level models too. In North America at least, Subaru hasn’t fitted digital dials for the North American market, instead an almost identical version of the current model’s analogue dials with a small screen in the centre.
The materials used inside the 2025 Subaru Forester appear to have been taken upmarket, with new leather and suede upholstered seats and door and dashboard materials – we hope the tan option shown in these press photos makes it to Australia. In addition to new materials, the company has added more features – a 360-degree camera, hands-free tailgate, emergency stop assist, ventilated front seats and a wireless phone charger will be available in high-end North American models and we expect them to be offered in Australia as well.
The 2025 Subaru Forester is likely to go on sale in Australia sometime in 2024. Stay tuned to DiscoverAuto for the latest automotive news and reviews.
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