We’ve been going back and forth at the office whether the Subaru Forester is a wagon or a crossover, especially early on in its life. For years, we’ve appreciated any semblance of a wagon on our North American shores, and Subaru has been among the few to regularly appease our appetites. But I think we’ve been deluding ourselves, because while the first couple of generations could’ve been considered a wagon, this 2025 Subaru Forester is very much a crossover and makes no bones about it.

That’s sad, because we have enough of those. But what is a crossover if not a lifted wagon or hatchback? That’s precisely what the Forester is and has always been, even before modular platforms and platform-sharing was cool. Heck, it’s actually taller than a Honda CR-V, longer than a Toyota RAV4, and neither of those are considered wagons in the slightest. Now that we that administrative jargon squared up, let’s get to it: this 2025 Subaru Forester Limited is an all-new model despite looking similar to the previous generation, but that’s hardly a bad thing.

How does the 2025 Forester look? 

There’s a new front end with slimmer headlights and an extended grille that unifies the look and gives the Forester a bit more of a rugged flair. I dig the little logos on the C-pillar denoting Subaru’s signature “symmetrical” all-wheel-drive, and despite giant lettering feeling a little played-out these days, the embossed Forester logo on the tailgate is a nice touch. Speaking of, the tailgate is more aggressively angled to increase cargo space, and the taillights are spruced-up as well. All in all, the new Forester is still pretty recognizable as a Subaru, but a whole lot of small changes result in a cleaned-up, more modern look compared to the outgoing Forester. Our tester’s outdoorsy nature was enhanced by the the no-cost, earthy Autumn Green Metallic paint, and the two-tone 18-inch wheels added to the ruggedness.

The interior largely feels like a carryover from the previous-gen Forester, save for the centre stack now featuring the portrait-oriented 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment we’ve seen on other Subarus. Cabin materials continue the Subaru tradition of treading mediocrity; most major touch points feel good enough, but some switchgear and other surfaces feel slightly thin and cheap to the touch. The overall look and feel is dark, lacking in both visual contrast and ambient lighting.

But the revised front seats are comfortable, the rear offers plenty of headroom and legroom for both passengers and baby seats, and although it loses the numbers game on cargo space, real-world usability is great. There’s 838 litres available with the seats up, growing to just over 2,100 when folded flat, and the wide opening makes loading a small family’s worth of weekend getaway gear a breeze. Plus, there’s always the standard roof rails—which have been made slimmer for 2025—if you’re really adventurous.

What’s new underneath?

Slight modernized looks aside, the biggest change to the new Forester is the stuff you don’t really see. Cabin noise has been reduced significantly, something with which we’ve been pleasantly surprised on many other new Subaru models. The cabin also has ever-so-slightly more usable space, and a steering rack design inspired by the WRX improves steering response. The new Forester is also 10 per cent stiffer overall; Subaru attributes this to stronger welding techniques and more automotive-grade adhesive used throughout the chassis. It all may sound meaningless when you read about it on a screen, but behind the wheel, the new Forester is much quieter and more comfortable than the old one—and it was already pretty well-liked in that regard.

The base engine is Subaru’s ubiquitous 2.5-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder Boxer engine. It’s carried over from last year, churning out a ho-hum-at-best 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. A hybrid joins the lineup later this year pushing output up to 194 horses; Subaru hasn’t said how much net torque it produces, but the electric end should add a good helping of low-end grunt and improve fuel economy immensely. All that being said, the standard Boxer engine sounds and feels no less refined than its competitors, as long as you keep revs under about 5,000 rpm. Then again, what inline-four compact crossover actually sounds good when you rev it out?

As before, all Foresters continue to use a continuously variable transmission. As far as CVTs go, it’s one of the better examples out there, holding revs in the optimal spot in the powerband when needed, and smart enough to “shift gears” when you floor it to avoid the motor-boating sensation common with CVTs. Still, regardless of what’s under their hoods, both the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 outclass the Forester in the power department, and the CR-V in particular feels more upscale inside. But the Forester’s new steering rack and stiffened chassis contribute to a slightly more athletic persona without compromising its highway manners or off-the-beaten-path capability.

Tech and infotainment

As with the rest of Subaru’s lineup, the aforementioned 11.6-inch touchscreen, coupled with Subaru’s latest Starlink software, handles infotainment. I still think the graphics could use an update and the system can be slow to respond at times, especially in the first few moments of booting it up. But I do appreciate the fact that all climate control functions are on-screen all the time, and the fact that there’s some supporting physical switchgear. And kudos to Subaru for not implementing haptic feedback controls on the steering wheel, instead sticking with tried-and-true buttons. The gauge cluster is decidedly old-school—two analog gauges with a smaller display in the middle—and it does the job well. But I imagine the hybrid Forester’s digital gauge cluster will make its way down the lineup in due time.

Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver assists is across all trims. It’s been updated with better cameras to improve response time and smoothness. I’ve always found EyeSight system to be pretty good, with smooth operation of the adaptive cruise control, although I could do without the constant beeps and the overly sensitive driver attention monitor.

Is the 2025 Forester worth it?

One of the Forester’s biggest strengths is value. Our Limited tester clocks in at $42,995 as-tested, undercutting most of the competition by thousands. That CR-V I mentioned? A similarly equipped EX-L Hybrid will run you at least $5,000 more, but then again, the hybrid powertrain accounts for much of that difference. Strictly on price alone, a CR-V Sport is a much closer match, but you do give up some features compared to the Forester. If what really draws you to the new Forester is Subaru’s reputation for safety and four-season, off-the-beaten-path capability, you may find even more value on lower trim levels.

The 2025 Subaru Forester certainly caters more to outdoorsy types compared to its more established peers, but even if you aren’t, you’ll appreciate its roomy interior, surprising sense of refinement, value, and of course, the confidence and capability tied to Subaru’s well-known all-wheel-drive system. It’s hardly a wagon anymore, but who among us didn’t put on some pounds and go up a couple of waist sizes over the years?