I have come to Melbourne to preview the all-new sixth-generation 2025 Subaru Forester. The Subaru Forester is a firm favourite five-seat, all-wheel-drive SUV for families, including my own! So it is very exciting to see the latest Forester arrive, especially with the new Hybrid model! So let’s jump straight in and have a look at how they might fare as a BabyDrive…
The new-generation 2025 Subaru Forester will come to Australia this winter, available with either a petrol engine or hybrid. For Australia, the petrol engine model will come in four different variants: Forester AWD, Forester AWD Premium, Forester AWD Sport and Forester AWD Touring.
In the petrol range, the Forester AWD comes with a 2.5-litre Boxer engine, X-Mode (which is for use off-roading, giving you two modes of traction in snow or dirt). On-road modes are selectedusing the Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) system.
Safety has been a Forester strong point for years and the latest one will come with Vision Assist including panoramic 360-degree camera system, nine airbags including front central airbag and front passenger seat cushion airbag.
The latest generation of Subaru EyeSight driver assistance and safety technology now adds a wide-angle camera and an emergency driving stop system. The new Forester will also come with front side radar, reverse automatic braking, upgraded driver monitoring system, 11.6” touch screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charger, heated front seats, ladder-style roof rails and 18” alloy wheels.
The Forester AWD Premium comes with everything in the Forester AWD and adds satellite navigation, powered tailgate with hands-free open/close by kick sensor, powered front seats, auto driver's seat and door mirror adjustment and auto-folding door mirrors and auto-dipping passenger mirror when reversing (helps avoid crunching your wheels on the kerb).
The Forester AWD Sport comes with everything the Forester AWD and Premium plus two X-Mode settings, water-repellant synthetic leather trim (which will be handy with messy kids on board!), electric sunroof, dark metallic 18” wheel and styling changes including a black front grille and green highlights like those of the Outback (such as the AWD exterior badge, exterior sport badge, interior seat stitching, leather steering wheel with green stitching and shift boot with green stitching).
The Forester AWD Touring comes with everything from the Forester AWD, Premium and Sport and adds a 10-speaker (plus subwoofer and amplifier), sound system from Harman Kardon, plus leather and ‘ultra suede' seat trim in black or brown colourways.
You also get front seat ventilation, gloss black exterior highlights on the front grille, front and rear bumpers, side garnish, door mirror caps and low profile roof rails.
The Subaru Forester Hybrid comes in three specs: Forester AWD Hybrid, Forester AWD Hybrid Sport and Forester AWD Hybrid Touring. Like the petrol they all have all-wheel drive.
The base model Forester AWD Hybrid comes with the next generation ‘strong hybrid' e-Boxer system and lineartronic CVT with Sports Regeneration Paddles (to control how much ‘engine braking' the electric motor create to put energy back into the battery while slowing down) and X-Mode, which gives you two extra modes when off-roading.
Much like the petrol Forester, the base Forester Hybrid has Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive), Vision Assist with panoramic 360-degree view monitor, nine airbags (including a far-side airbag and a front passenger seat cushion airbag), the latest generation of Subaru EyeSight, front side radar, reverse automatic braking, driver monitoring system, 11.6” touch screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charger, heated front seats, ladder-style roof rails and 18” alloy wheels.
The Forester AWD Hybrid Sport comes with everything from the Forester AWD Hybrid and adds styling details in bronze accents on the front and rear bumper, side garnish and AWD badge. It also has an electric sunroof, 12.3” digital driver display, satellite navigation, powered tailgate with hands-free open/close by kick sensor, auto driver’s seat and door mirror adjustment, powered front seats, auto folding door mirrors and dipping passenger mirror when reversing (I love this feature so you don’t damage your wheels on the kerbs!) and a 10 speaker (plus subwoofer and amplifier) Harman Kardon audio system, enhanced suspension for improved comfort on bumpy roads and 19” bronze coloured alloy wheels.
The top spec Forester AWD Hybrid Touring comes with everything the Forester AWD Hybrid and Sport have and adds dark grey machined gloss finish 19” alloy wheels, and leather and ‘ultrasuede' seat trim in black or brown. Front seat ventilation and styling details on the exterior include a gloss black front grille, front and rear bumpers, and side garnish.
Subaru says that the new Forester is the strongest, smartest, and most capable Subaru Forester yet, with improved quietness and ride comfort. It reckons the Hybrid versions have a combined range of 1000km per tank, which could take you from Sydney to Brisbane. It also has 220mm ground clearance and symmetrical AWD drive that is on all the time, unlike its competitors.
On the exterior, the 2025 Subaru Forester looks great, it’s been modernised without going too far from its signature looks.
At the back, ‘Forester' is embossed in large font and is available in black, so it stands out too.
The interior feels comfortable and modernised without going too far from the previous model, and during the event in Melbourne, I found the seats are very comfortable in both rows.
The dash is dominated by the central 11.6″ media screen, which comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
When it comes to installing child seats in the All New Subaru Forester, we know the outgoing Subaru Forester will fit three child seats across in the back seats with really good legroom.
In the second-row seats of the 2025 Subaru Forester there are ISOFix points in the two outer seats, which are easy to locate within the seat fabric.
There are top tether anchorages on the back of all three second-row seat backs that are easily located through the boot.
I brought one child seat to Melbourne with me so I could test the legroom. With a rear-facing 0-4 convertible child seat installed in the back a 180cm driver can fit in front. With the same seat in forward-facing position a 186cm+ driver can fit in front.
Rear passengers are kept comfortable with rear aircon vents in the back of the central console box and controls in the back of the central console box in the second row. There are USB-C sockets in the second row too, so passengers can charge devices while travelling.
A great family feature in the All New Subaru Forester is the luggage hooks in the ceiling of the boot. You have to make sure they are not mistaken for top tether anchorages though!
Subaru is renowned for its safety, being one of the first brands to get five-star ANCAP ratings with the Forester way back in 2002, and the new 2025 Subaru Forester comes with crash-preventing upgrades and more injury-reducing features than ever.
Subaru says boot space in the 2025 Forester is larger than in the outgoing model and I look forward to testing it with our full range of Thule prams when I drive it with my family on board. From my look around the car in Melbourne, there are lots of storage hooks along the boot walls and in the ceiling, a 12-volt socket and storage trays on both sides of the boot floor.
I really enjoyed exploring the new 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid in Melbourne and look forward to driving it and testing it in the coming months with my family on board and using our full range of Thule prams in the boot and child seats in the back.
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