There is nothing new about hybrid vehicles. These fuel-efficient models that pair a conventional gas engine with an electric motor powered by a battery pack have existed since the dawn of the 21st century. Honda introduced the Insight, its first hybrid model, to America in 1999. Toyota followed up a year later with the Prius, the first commercially successful hybrid in this country. However, while some automakers were quick to embrace the electric vehicle revolution, others, including Subaru, have not acted as quickly. Interestingly, the automaker has chosen the start of the sixth generation of its popular Forester compact SUV to begin offering drivers a hybrid powertrain option in this model. This is why the company hopes folks will start looking for a Subaru Forester hybrid for sale.
The Forester is Subaru’s second most popular model, surpassed only by the subcompact Crosstrek SUV. In 2024, the last year of the fifth generation model, Subaru sold 175,521 Foresters, an increase of 15.1% over the prior year’s sales. This was also the second-largest increase for any Subaru model.
Taking Baby Steps Into the EV World
Subaru is not a stranger to electric vehicles. For example, it added a hybrid engine option to the Crosstrek in 2014. However, the company has been taking small steps, putting its big toe in the EV pool instead of diving in head first. This may be due to economies of scale. Subaru is a much smaller company than such rivals as Honda, Toyota, and Ford. As such, it can’t absorb an experimental mistake like a larger automaker. For example, Chevy flopped with the Volt, and the Bolt EV didn’t fare much better. However, as part of General Motors, Chevy learned from the mistakes made with these earlier models and introduced hybrid and BEV (battery electric vehicle) versions of popular models like the Blazer and the Equinox. Subaru doesn’t have the same advantages that come with being big.
Still, the company has begun making moves into the EV market. After the first attempt at a Crosstrek Hybrid ended in 2016, the company went back to the drawing board, bringing it back in the 2019 model year as a plug-in hybrid with dual electric motors that boosted the fuel economy of this already fuel-efficient subcompact model. Even though Subaru stopped offering this option in 2023, there is word that the Crosstrek Hybrid will return for the 2026 model year.
The brand also introduced the Solterra in 2023. The first BEV in Subaru’s lineup, this model saw sales increase in 2024 as more drivers decided to get the things they love in a Subaru, such as the EyeSight Driver Assist Technology and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, while no longer needing to use gasoline to get around. While the Solterra doesn’t have the range of other compact BEV SUVs, it does benefit from being a Subaru. Drivers I’ve met who have the Solterra seem to enjoy driving it, finding it a great way to get to work for their daily commute. The success of the Solterra appears to have given Subaru the impetus to add a hybrid powertrain option to the latest version of the Forester.
The Forester Goes Electric, Sort Of
The 2025 Forester Hybrid is not a fully electric vehicle. This means that it does use gasoline for propulsion. It pairs the 2.5L Boxer-4 gas engine with a pair of electric motors, one for each axle. This version of the Boxer-4 runs on the Atkinson/Miller cycle, improving efficiency at the expense of maximum performance. The electric motors are powered by a 1.1-kWh sealed lithium-ion battery pack located in the lower frame of the Forester. This shields it from damage and makes it easier to service if there is a problem with the battery. Also, it doesn’t detract too much from the interior passenger and cargo space inside the vehicle, which is always a plus.
Like the conventional gas Forester, the hybrid model uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT). I have driven both versions of the sixth-generation Forester and used to own a fifth-generation model. I can attest that the new powertrain is peppier, with smoother acceleration. I could tell on my old 2021 Forester when the transmission was moving between phases as you accelerated. Despite having a CVT like the fifth-generation model, this is not the case with the 2025 Forester, which is incredibly smooth. You just have to be careful because you could easily surpass the speed limit without knowing it. Whether you get the hybrid or conventional gas Forester, you may need to pay attention to your vehicle’s speedometer.
Subaru calls the hybrid system on the 2025 Forester a “series-parallel system.” This blends the performance of the gas engine and the two electric motors. The Forester Hybrid is a true all-wheel drive SUV that is purpose-built for this drivetrain. This differs from some hybrids offered by competitors that were designed as front-wheel drive and then have an all-wheel drivetrain added on. Subaru is proud to offer AWD as standard equipment on every one of its models (except the RWD BRZ sports car).
The output of the hybrid powertrain increases the horsepower on the 2025 Forester from 180 hp to 194 hp. It does this without having any adverse impact on fuel economy. The hybrid improves on the already impressive fuel economy numbers of the 2025 Forester. Where the model with the conventional gas engine will give you 26 MPG in city driving and 33 MPG on the highway, opting for a Forester Hybrid boosts this to a very impressive 35 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway. This is not a surprise, as the Forester Hybrid puts greater reliance on the electric motors for propulsion at lower speeds. This is why you will get better city driving numbers with the hybrid.
One thing to keep in mind is that the 2025 Forester Hybrid is not a plug-in. Instead, the battery for the electric motors maintains its charge in two ways. First, at lower speeds, the Boxer-4 engine helps power a generator to keep the lithium-ion battery pack charged. Second, the Forester Hybrid uses kinetic brake recapture, also known as regenerative braking. This takes a portion of the kinetic energy released each time you use the vehicle’s brakes and then directs that to help recharge the battery pack.
A Few Differences Without Much Distinction
While the Forester Hybrid gives you most of the things you love about the model while providing better fuel economy, there are few differences between the two models. First, the Forester Hybrid is not offered in the Base and Wilderness trims. For the Base trim, that shouldn’t be an issue since many Forester drivers prefer the Premium trim, which provides everything on the Base as well as the larger 11.6-inch Starlink Multimedia Plus infotainment system and more EyeSight Driver Assist Technologies, such as Blind-Spot Detection. The Premium is the model my family chose, since our college-age kids are driving the Forester and we want them to have the latest safety and driver assistance features. As for the Wilderness, if you are into using your Forester for off-roading, the Forester Hybrid might not be the right model for you anyway.
The conventional gas Forester also has slightly more trunk space than the Hybrid. Where the Forester Hybrid has 27.5 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the rear row of seats, the conventional gas Forester gives you 29.6 cu.ft. of space for your belongings. The difference is even more pronounced when you fold down the rear seats, with the conventional gas Forester giving you over five more cubic feet of space. The hybrid battery has to go somewhere, so it sacrifices a little bit of cargo space for it.
Finally, the Forester Hybrid will cost more at each trim level than if you opt for the conventional gas model. The difference is in the range of about $3,000, except for the top trim Touring model, where the hybrid is only about $1,000 more in MSRP than the conventional gas Forester.
A Bright Electric Future for the Forester?
With the introduction of the sixth generation of the Forester Hybrid, Subaru could be signaling that it will enter the electric market with more gusto than it did in the past. The success of the Solterra may drive this, or it could be an understanding that hybrids and BEVs are the wave of the future. For whatever reason, by giving you a Forester Hybrid option, you now have another way to get behind the wheel of this exceptional compact SUV.
