The New 2025 Subaru Forester is the Vehicle Your Dog Has Waited fFor

[@DrivenCarReviews]

CORRECTION- In the video I say the passenger seat is manual, meant to say doesn't get memory. It does get power adjustments. And the front seats are vented. Something I left out.

[@gregjones1867]

"See the trees through the Forester" Good line there buddy!

[@billlyl3725]

Honestly Tom, that closing advice was so good. Save up and get what you love, then enjoy and take care of it for a good, long time. 👍

[@dylanblake7807]

I rented a 2025 Forester for two days in green. This is the best city run about I’ve ever driven! Easy to park in tight spaces. Great over potholes and light rail tracks! We don’t all like going to trails. I prefer hiking to Starbucks and Panera. I will be buying this over the Ascent and Outback XT.

[@RunningLdy]

Which rental company has Foresters in their fleet?!

[@RichardShelton]

We have a 2011 Outback, 6 cyl., with not even 60K miles. I doubt we'll ever get rid of it. Subaru rocks.

[@josemanuelruiz2036]

@@RichardShelton 2011 and not even 60K?!

[@alexmobil7463]

My wife complains that i m the only person on this world who is still wearing old but in a grate and good shape shirts and old fadet Lewis! But since i forced her to see this video Tom she was surprised to see a nice guy like you thinking and acting like her husband! Thanks for your nice video and your golden attitude! You simply cant imagine how helpfull and supportive your opinion is about a car or even about the life style on these crazy times!

[@tedunguent156]

I went to a party recently wearing a shirt that I have owned for 28 years. Everyone complimented the shirt as it looks, literally, brand new. None of them had ever seen me wear it before.

[@LVRaven610]

Geat work as usual, Tom! I agree that a hybrid is sorely needed... but, a PHEV would be a real home run... (Just sayin'). BTW - I finally gave Martin a follow! I would have done it sooner but, I couldn't remember his account name either! ;)

[@DrivenCarReviews]

I thought it was hilarious that he doesn't know it. But then I realized I remembered mine wrong...

[@X2p5423videolover]

Great video Tom as always. very timely for my family. We are planning to test driving one tomorrow. Keep up the good work 👏.

[@gregs4163]

Nice review! I bought a 25 Forester Touring and I absolutely love it!

[@tedunguent156]

I also have clothes like that shirt. Bought them 25 - 30 years ago and they show (virtually) NO wear and tear because they were heirloom quality when new. I also wear cheap stuff from day to day which has kept the MILEAGE down on the good stuff. Great minds think alike, Tom. Thanks to you and Martin for all of your hard work.

[@user-tk7km1sr7e]

Pleiades is an asterism in the constellation Taurus 😊

[@faceup5]

I really appreciate your (you AND Martin) style of reviewing. It's great to see the Forester continuing on and "trying" to keep up with the current bunch of capable and dependable smallish SUVs. as a busy, gigging musician, I always appreciated the low load-in level and almost totally flat cargo area and capacity. Big pluses there! Visibility was also always great and the AWD system with a good set of snow tires was unstoppable in the winters of the Northeast. Okay, time for some honesty. Three misses for me are lack of comparable power (no turbo), uncomfortable seats on long drives and the CVT. For $41K, I think there are better options but I do believe that Subaru has a very loyal customer base and I have no doubt these will continue to sell well.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

FWIW, I didn't mention the seats are reworked.

[@rustlesee]

06:30, it’s great in snow. Using some engine braking to go down a hill. Gives you control, without having to use the brakes.. which sometimes isn’t great in winter conditions.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Tires. Tires are important.

[@madlucio70]

I cannot wait to see you review the "strong hybrid" Crosstrek whenever it becomes available in the West (Hopefully 2026). I am really looking forward to it.

[@AB-jk7tw]

With a badly needed smoother and more powerful engine, this would be a segment leader.

[@jamesstuart3346]

I bought the car I loved in 2003, a Pontiac Vibe. I am still loving it. I guess you can say I'm automonogamous

[@TinLeadHammer]

I wish I bought a Toyota Matrix back then. There were some good cars in the early 2000s like the Matrix and the Honda Element.

[@717dash_cam]

I never used the paddles to up-shift... but did use them for engine braking. Love my Solterra, hopefully one of the new EVs they come out with has better range, faster charging, and an actually utilitarian hatch.

[@JDelta87]

What a carefully crafted review of the new Forester, Tom. Also, Mr. Campbell not remembering the name of his social media page gave me a good laugh.

[@homeplate60613]

Visibility is great except for the view out the front window…that eyesight camera module cuts quite a bit of your view of the mountains that Subaru Forester can take you too so effortlessly.

[@vicenteferrazpacheconeto6503]

I'd easily go for it! Thanks for another special video. Driven is the best!

[@WOOF95]

This is very tempting. I go back and forth between a sedan and a crossover. But this video gives me a lot of detail to look at when I;m at the auto show. Thanks, Tom.

[@joyhollister7449]

I absolutely love love love my 2025 Forester. Trim model is premium. Has plenty in it, looks great and rides smooth. This is my 3rd and will always buy a Subaru.

[@R9000S]

@@joyhollister7449it’s super comfy seats, speakers bang. Love the visibility. AWD. And safety auto lane features

[@stephenwinter8892]

Greetings from southern Ontario Canada I am waiting for the subaru forester wilderness edition thanks for sharing this video

[@markorchard4080]

Great review as usual Tom. I appreciate the photography and editing. I use the paddles in my '24 Outback XT on long hills to hold 4th or 5th gear. It stops the transmission from too much changing "up" that can sap power when the climb suddenly intensifies.

[@corysekine-pettite1783]

I drove the 2025 Forester for two weeks while my old Outback was getting new carpet (long story). The updated model was great to drive, but a lot stiffer and bouncier on rough roads and speed bumps when compared to my Outback. But visibility was incredible, and the interior was really nice. My only gripe was the auto stop/start restetting each time you turned off the engine. That should be a permanent driver option to shut off.

[@eganfo]

I got a 2024 Sport, this looks very nice. I’m eager for the hybrid Forester to arrive late next year.

[@jeffer1101]

The upcoming hybrid model (which I think is supposed to come out later next year) should address most issues. It will use the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive system mated to Subaru's boxer 2.5L engine and will retain a physical connection to the rear axle (for Symmetrical AWD). This current model is already competitive in terms of fuel economy, but the hybrid will improve that and keep it competitive with other options in the market that are also hybrids. The hybrid will also add another 30-40 HP so that might appease the crowd who want a bit more power. It will also use an eCVT so gone will be the chain driven CVT in gas only models. The Forester is solid product in the segment (not without its flaws), but well priced, well equipped and well made. Maintain it well and you'll enjoy many years of trouble free ownership. It's one of the reasons this brand has among the highest resale value and customer loyalty. The new hybrid model will take everything up a notch and likely be the one to buy when it becomes available.

[@RunningLdy]

Any idea what material they'll use on the seats?

[@jeffer1101]

@@RunningLdy I assume the materials will stay similar to current trims. Cloth on lower trims, StarTex all-weather material on "off road" oriented trims and leather in top trims.

[@RunningLdy]

@@jeffer1101 specifically for the hybrid though! Trying to steer as clear as possible from leather so hoping the hybrid is startex or cloth - have you heard anything?

[@jeffer1101]

@@RunningLdy I haven't heard about that, but I would imagine there will be a good option for you in that regard.

[@tommihelich2613]

Pleiades is a star cluster in the Taurus Constellation. Not a constellation in and of itself. Somewhat near Orion if you can find that. And this thing is as big as my RAV4. I remember when Foresters were relatively small; back when the RAV4 was too I guess.

[@DM-fv7hw]

I always use the shift paddles in our Santa Fe 2.5T and used them in our Outback, especially going down hill.

[@curtganeles925]

Wouldn’t be a Subaru (or perhaps Porsche) video without the ‘pistons firing’ hand gestures. As always, thanks Tom!

[@LalanthaPerera-ns1ue]

I absolutely love the Subaru Forester!!! It's one of my favourite SUV's!!! And this 2025 model is no exception!!! And I absolutely love this Touring trim!!! As always a great video Mr. Voelk!!!

[@COSolar6419]

We were loyal Subaru Forester owners for 22 years. Had a hybrid version been available when it came time to replace it, we would have gotten one. We ended up with an all electric vehicle (not a Solterra). I doubt we’d go back to a Forester even if Subaru had a hybrid version.

[@0HOON0]

What EV did you opt for and how does it compare to the Forester?

[@COSolar6419]

@ Ioniq 5 AWD. The I5 has the quiet smooth ride and quick acceleration of an EV. The outside dimensions are a bit larger than our Forester but has much more interior passenger room. It doesn’t have the ground clearance of the Forester but does have lots of helpful safety features. The build quality seems comparable to our Subaru and the standard warranty is better than most.

[@westhavenor9513]

Wow, excellent advice at the end!

[@josemanuelruiz2036]

Good car if you are raising a family. I already passed that phase.

[@davidmccarthy6061]

We have also but still a great car in general for road trips, and anything really unless you must have something of a smaller size for daily tight parking.

[@slimsloth243]

Great review as always... by the way, nice shirt.

[@yokoreia]

I still have 2007 model, best looking and most practical car for city and suburban

[@sig_7760]

Thanks Tom!

[@MNsaint]

Congratulations on another great video and on being able to still fit into a 30 year old shirt! 😁

[@jazzjokesjalopies]

Like the seat color and latest screen.

[@ksorsomeplace]

Counterpoint: They've been building cars now for over 100 years. Methods and processes are well honed to keep costs to a minimum. The price of a vehicle should be steady if not dropping slightly. Carryover engines, transmissions, etc. Suppliers supplying many assembly lines spreading their costs over every component supplied. Lastly, vehicles (a number of models) have taken very visible price increases for no changes (more or less) such as the Mustang GT while the Ecoboost variant hardly any movement in its price. I agree with you in that vehicles have always been expensive, but they were once much better buys than they are today. Look, you got some 22 colors on your Ford F-150...now only 5 on the King Ranch trim. Yet the price has ballooned tremendously.

[@GarrettWorcester]

6:41-The bane of my rental car existence: a car with Auto Stop/Start that acts like it's about to leave me stranded when it attempts to restart (and the annoying fact that I can't disable it "permanently" while I'm renting the car).

[@themightymrpink]

I haven’t watched your reviews in quite some time. Nice to see you still uploading high quality car reviews as always! Do you have plans to review the updated 2025 Chevrolet Suburban?

[@andrewhoult]

We've got the e-boxer 2.0 hybrid in Europe, got a 2019 forester hybrid myself, it's nothing to shout about really. Theres very little if any difference in mpg between the plain engined one and the hybrid currently. It needs to be a much larger battery perhaps with plug in charge for it to be effective, those who hate stop/start will probably just be annoyed by it. All that said, it is a fairly reliable car nowadays, so long as the CVT fluid is changed every 30k miles (find a dealership that will do this and maintain warranty or don't buy one, ignore the cvt fluid for life nonsense, its expensive for 12 litres or so of cvt fluid -genuine subaru stuff comes in a 20 litre drum-but cheaper than a gearbox) and the engine oil every 6k miles, diff oil every 12k miles or so then it'll last a long time, especially the non turbo versions. The biggest advantage is when it snows, this car then comes into its element, very few vehicles can compare with it, certainly nothing in its price range. They are insanely expensive here in the UK though, well over £40000 ($52000) new even back in 2019. Bought mine used at 5 years old 24k miles for half that and I still think its on the pricey side. All that said though, it remains one of the most competent AWD cars around and its made in Japan if bought in the UK. I believe the US hybrid will be using a toyota e-CVT though so could be worth keeping an eye out for.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

The new hybrid will completely different FWIW

[@sinoevc]

一个非常情绪化的评价。Forester 真的很棒，我真的很喜欢它

[@davidnjuguna9477]

@4:45 The reason why anyone over 40 would love the Forester and Outback. Low-key runaround for the plutocrats.

[@denault3985]

Still not a pretty SUV inside and out but it works...I still enjoy the Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retriever in their commercials. Noticed that you havn't talked or spoken about the new Scout EV by a VW subsidiary.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

As for Scout, there's nothing for me to cover. I do videos that require a real vehicle to assess and right now all it has are a few concepts. So I'll let other gush about what may or may not happen.

[@michaelvella8511]

This is nice except maybe for the touch screen. Your videos are very well done.

[@0HOON0]

The previous generation's medium size screen + knobs is the best setup.

[@baldheadlogic]

Kind of surprised that the Touring does not offer front seat ventilation or even a powered seat on the passenger side.

[@gregs4163]

The Touring does have front ventilated seats and the front passenger seat is powered, It is 8 way vs the driver's 10 way

[@DrivenCarReviews]

It does offer venting, I didn't mention it. And my bad on the passenger side, it offers power as well, but no memory.

[@hershlawfirmpc]

‘Schmutzy roads’ 😊

[@RunningLdy]

Loved that too!!

[@ahughan]

Great review as always. Wink to the Subaru target market 😉. What do you with the two-ply after the review? Donate to a good cause? Thank you for what you do

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Here ya go... kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2jafZeOh9edmZI

[@ahughan]

@@DrivenCarReviews thanks Tom.

[@d.j.j.g]

So good of you to point out that the six stars in the Subaru logo represent the star cluster Pleiades! The funny thing is that there are seven sisters, not six, here in the West. But the Japanese term "Subaru," or "Six Stars," was the lovely name Mr. Kenji Kita wanted for his new car company. One of the sisters, Maia, even comes down to visit the Banks children in the original "Mary Poppins" children's book (1934), by P. L. Travers. In the Greek myth, the sisters are the children of Atlas (he's a star there too) and Pleione (she's a star as well). But they don't drive, so I hear.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

There's a saying that the 7th star is Toyota hiding.

[@ctclardy]

I think the Forester is one of the best cars on the road and would consider one except for one thing. Its engine is far too anemic for me. I want something that won't choke out when going up a steep on-ramp to merge into traffic, something that will allow me to pass another vehicle on a 2-lane road without having to hold my breath hoping I won't meet an oncoming vehicle, and something that will be able to go up into the mountains around me effortlessly... I'll wait for the hybrid version with hopes it will be somewhat more powerful... I don't need their turbo power but it would be a better alternative than the base engine.

[@0HOON0]

It's true unfortunately. My '21 has a difficult timing passing trucks when loaded down with the whole family+stuff. More sedate drivers will find the power to be adequate.

[@gregs4163]

It's no race car but I have no problem merging or passing when I need to. I test drove other suv's in it's class and found the power comparable to it competition. Test drive one and see for yourself! I don't understand why everyone thinks it's so under-powered? The first thing I observe when I see reviews is everyone floors the throttle, that is the worst thing you can do with a cvt for acceleration and power transfer.

[@ctclardy]

@@gregs4163 I did test drive one and was totally underwhelmed.

[@calebwoods9358]

The biggest takeaways for me is that there are actual guages in the gauge pod in a 2025 vehicle.

[@romeotee]

I wish i had the money to buy all the cars you review

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Also, budget for garage space.

[@amrashraf9559]

@@DrivenCarReviewswould you please the all new kia sportage 2025 ? The one with the new gearbox

[@davidmurphy2960]

I love my 2016 Forester TURBO! Bring back the turbo! Front suspension needs to be double wishbone. CVs and diffs wear faster when you go offroad on A/T tyres.

[@westhavenor9513]

I test drove the turbo, a of couple times. Can't believe it was that long ago! There just wasn't much extra oomph there, really. Ended up buying a used BMW AWD 3-series, two of them actually. Still have both, one gas and one diesel. But I still love Subaru--have owned several over the years, going back to my 1980's Brat in college.

[@davidmccarthy6061]

Doesn't really feel large but recently happened to park next to a gen 1 and then you can really see the difference. But everything is just larger now, unnecessarily.

[@pappaslivery]

My mom has a '17 that i drive from time to time. Im not much of an suv person and am looking at an outback....but i might just hold out to see whats coming with the hybrid

[@shenderson15]

I miss the green/yellow/red light breakdown

[@gregjones1867]

You cant really appreciate what the Forester has to offer until you drive one.

[@Tmrfe0962]

I’ve owned a few, my complaint is the interior is small, but it is after all a compact.

[@paulbegemann4308]

As someone with two larger dogs this should really appeal to me I just can't get over how dull and slow they are to drive. They really need to ditch the opposed engine but then what would they be?

[@lancekoz]

Is there any advantage (speedwise) to using the sim-shift paddles, or are they only for making some sporty noise? That is, can you achieve a better 0-60 by high revving it, or does the CVT always know best?

[@DrivenCarReviews]

I think the programing knows best, it's not like a good driver could slash a second off 0-60 with paddles on this. Useful for engine braking I suppose and in some off road situations.

[@atmartens]

My wife and I have 2021 Legacy and Outback. She has the 2.5 in her Outback and for her, she loves the car. I find it extremely under powered. I can only hope that the Forester will get more power in the hybrid. I got my Touring Legacy because the 2.4 turbo is much quicker and confident.

[@janicemunn]

No teasing Martin!😂

[@JarmelSingsKaraoke]

Happy Tuesday

[@Niro.C]

The Forester is built in the USA ?

[@lancekoz]

I've always been confused... is there a big difference in who the Forester or the Outback is directed at? Is the Outback still around?

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Yup, still going strong. Word on the street is the next one will be more SUV less wagon.

[@davids1816]

Subarus always have something about them that just looks off. This one is no different but is nice looking for a Subaru. 41k feels too expensive since a very plush Sportage Hybrid (at least when we bought) is cheaper and uses less fuel while also having more power. And that's really my only complaint - this should be a hybrid with better acceleration and economy. Otherwise, it's fine for the people who like them. The interior is also nice.

[@paul8699]

Push button means you get remote start, and there's a PIN-code unlock in the tailgate. I think every reviewer misses those.

[@MiggyZ-88]

Yup, ONLY when it's dirty. Subaru has gone from understated elegance from the past to Clueless design in the present.

[@witsendcottage595]

HUD available? Needs better sound insulation

[@0HOON0]

No. // And yes is does, although the noise level is better than the last gen.

[@DavidDLee]

Buy the cheapest, most reliable, fun to drive and efficient car you will be OK driving for a long time. Then, retire sooner or invest in your or your family's future. Cars are not investments, to be clear.

[@RunningLdy]

Is the body roll and under steer better in a CRV?

[@DrivenCarReviews]

It’s been too long since I’ve driven the Honda so can’t be accurate with that. My guesstimate is the Honda has a smidge less roll.

[@RunningLdy]

@ thanks. Car and driver did a road test - weaving this through cones on a track at high speed and it has lots of roll, but I thought the boxer engine was supposed to offset some of the roll. Weird out of class question but I wonder if a BMW X3 has less roll? Deciding between a new '25 forester sport and a 2022 X3 xDrive 30i (which ends up being 2-3k less expensive than the Forester!)

[@petemuellner1231]

Unfortunately, the infamous head gasket (2 on one engine) precludes buying another Subaru. But it otherwise great cars for our neck of the woods, PNW.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Yup, I have friends that have been affected by that. And others that have had great experiences.

[@0HOON0]

Bummer that happend to you mate. For anyone reading this: the last generation Forester (SK) ('19-'24) hasn't suffered from the headgasket or frequent CVT issues of previous generations. The biggest mechanical problem from the SKs was the Thermo Control Valve. But this whole system has been redesigned back to a more conventional thermostat for '25. So fingers crossed that the current Forester will be almost Toyota level reliable now.

[@0HOON0]

Also, the SK gen TCVs are now covered by a 150k extended warranty. So a failure will be inconvenient but not that expensive. Nice gesture on Subaru's part. Wish they had handled the headgaskets like this.

[@Kiss__Kiss]

I use my paddles in my Audi S4.

[@monroesbro]

My dog would prefer an electric Forester and I would prefer rear seats that fold completely flat.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

Tell your dog about Solterra I guess?

[@roser58381]

Why is this going to be popular with my dogs?

[@ryanbassett7864]

Need an xt

[@wbridges100]

No Mike and Ikes???

[@RunningLdy]

The Sport and Base don't have the chrome strip on the front. Sport also has a drive available called "sport sharp" (available only in Sport and Wilderness - not more power but same power kicks in sooner and overall more responsive) and is supposedly engineered differently, for more of a "sport" feel - also has "bronze" accents, for a *very* different look (though the rims are the same as Touring, just bronze). The look of the Sport is very controversial and the feel may be different. Any chance you'd make a video of the Sport? Love your video and review. Had never seen the back window opening before.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

From what I understand, the Sport model has a different suspension tuning. Not sure I will get to that one. Specifically, I would probably focus on the Wilderness when it comes out.

[@DandaFundas]

Cool Review Tom. Reduce the length of video to 7/8 min like you use to do, please

[@moehio]

Fire your designers, Subaru... they're stuck in the 90's. That fresh styling looks horribly dated.

[@ADF-fe7fv]

Only 6 speakers? What is this...the '80's???

[@theglowcloud2215]

$41k for a Forester is wild

[@raymondhachmishvili2483]

too much cladding and those wheels are ugly AF, shame because the car looks good overall, with good lines and proportions

[@tmklunk]

Had a 2014 forester and some of the fit and finish was terrible

[@dmwi1549]

$41,000? Nope

[@saiket1735]

2011 Subaru engine burns oil like crazy, and it doesn't have an indication to tell you that it's low on oil, bad design, really bad design.

[@Flying-Fox19]

I don't know why or how Subaru ended up with this exterior design but it looks as outdated as the previous model. When KIA/Hyundai come out with new models, they are so far ahead and very modern. Don't they want to take some inspiration from Landrover, Lincoln, Chevrolet, or even Lexus. Everyone is copying everyone and sell more.

[@DrivenCarReviews]

It didn’t have good luck with “design”. It hired an Alfa guy to shape up its line, new grille look across the board. Loyalists were put off.

[@weirdshibainu]

Subaru needs to build a truck. The Forester needs at least 50 more h.p. and a standard 8 speed transmission-no CVT

[@Gopinathk17]

Underpowered engine, noisy CVT, crappy infotainment, poor mpgs, ugly look..otherwise it's a nice car!

[@TinLeadHammer]

The humongous screen is like a giant cobra ready to strike. Big dislike to Subaru. This is a Subaru, not a Tesla after all.

[@nathanwright8616]

looks good dirty bc you don’t have to see the ugly styling underneath

[@mindfulmoneymanager2963]

Soobies are just so boring

[@eloneatmyshorts]

@3:15 what a great camera view with that backdrop Tom!

[@BBlackmen]

I use my shift pedals all the time