|
|
Time to read 7 min
The three characteristics and admirable points of consistency the auto industry can never take away from Subaru is there ability to remain unique, their talent in sustaining their level of quality, and their gift of keeping things simple, all because they care more about their faithful and dedicated community of owners than what is on trend and popular in the auto world. We know that the creation, release, and reinvention of many of the vehicles in Subaru history have been both iconic and pioneering to the level of making us think differently about how we drive, what we drive, and how our vehicle can become an intricate part of our life and family. The Subaru community has embraced a number of the car makers most popular vehicles and has historically been vocal about design changes, performance issues, and specific decisions made to follow the roller coaster ride of the automotive market, but whether you disagree or not, most will need to admit that Subaru has always remained a unique breed of design and engineering creativity. Their injection of ideas and setting the standard in the marketplace has always been a badge that is as brilliant and noticeable as their company logo, which could make anyone think there just might be something spiritual behind the Pleiades star cluster inspired emblem that is proudly attached to each vehicle.
A spirited reminder of the company's dedication to unity (of ideas, creativity, and community) as well as quality and safety. Year after year we see changes come, most to satisfy logical need for comfort, style, economy, and safety, but Subaru does seem to follow one mantra from time to time that could be calming to some and frustrating to others. The old saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is one phrase that might be an underlying factor to the success of some of their most dependable and long serving vehicles. The latest reports and reviews swimming through the auto community's massive sea might collectively conclude that the redesigned 2025 Subaru Forester was rolled out into the public with that saying branded on its heart. An undeniable favorite and consumer loving success story for 25 years, the new Forester enters a new year with a new look and feel, but hangs onto the durability and swagger that has continued to make it an attractive solution in the market. Now that the new Forester has been poked, prodded, reviewed, critiqued, and discussed by everyone from the most serious auto insiders to the most frank YouTube influencers, we decided to compare all the opinions, filter out the noise, and write about everything that is left over with hopes to inspire our fellow community members to take their own look into Subaru’s young sibling.
When you first see the television advertising campaign for the 2025 Subaru Forester, you might be a bit surprised. You won't be shocked by their footage of the vehicle motoring up a hilly, mountainous roadway, or a leaf and dirt covered woodsy trail, or the shots capturing its speed, power, and handling on a somewhat familiar twisting and turning country road. These are all things seen in the majority of car commercials, especially those released by Subaru. Not produced to convince us that the vehicle can handle these diverse situations, like other manufacturers, but more to show us a glimpse of another old favorite that we never stopped doubting. The injected tag lines throughout the video stating, "It holds the Road", and "It holds its value", and the most personal of all, "Love begins with trust", are phrases that the converted already know too well. So, where's the shock? To some dedicated Subaru fans, the only point of surprise in this advertisement might be the lead off line which confidently exclaims, "The SUV known for trust has a bold new look", as read under what at first is an unrecognizable gray colored vehicle with a Subaru emblem on its grill. Yes, it is no lie that the Subaru Forester's look has been redesigned providing the illusion of being a bigger, taller, more firmly poised, and somewhat conservative looking SUV, while its other siblings within the adventure seeking segment of the brand remain under the 2024 season with curvy lines, aggressive style, and more off-road centric profiles.
Although at first placing, many of the changes may seem far removed from the other platforms, but it is evident that without actually altering the overall dimensions dramatically, Subaru has attempted to give the Forester a facelift of both identity and style while staying true to the bones, heart, and soul of one of their most pioneering vehicles. The exterior has been given a more prominent and straightforward nose and front facade with a very broad, somewhat seamless hood design, grill, and headlight configuration that truly wraps the vehicle's face with a more aggressive mask making it appear wider and larger, something it is not. It seems evident that the Sport trim on the new Forester gets the highest praise because of the added bronze trim, exclusive wheel colors, and broader front stance. Subaru also brought some changes into the cabin, but held back on anything extremely dramatic, which is an area that sometimes brings them criticism. They did gift the driver with a quieter, more comfortable interior space , with more form fitting, but often cherished heated front seats along with their 11 plus-inch center information touchscreen, which according to some reviewers seems to be a negative within their design concept, but offers a one stop digitally enhanced shop for mostly all of the vehicles driver seeking functionality.
According to tests published by Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and Edmunds, reviewers and testers across the board confirmed that Subaru's specifications had not really changed under the hood to match the encouraging enhancements that were placed on the exterior. The 2025 Subaru Forester is built with the brand's coveted Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and familiar CVT Transmission , while being powered by their steady 2.5 Liter, flat-four, FB25D engine , a combination that provides the driver with a low 180 hp at 5,800 rpm, and 178 lb-ft at 3,700 rpm. As the specifications show, the 2025 model comes to the table with about 2hp less than the previous year, but delivers the ponies more efficiently at lower RPMs, so the differences in overall performance are not that noticeable since the vehicle clocked in consistently during tests conducted by three major automotive media outlets with a speed of 60 mph at 8.3 seconds , a quarter mile time of 16.6 seconds at 87 mph, and reaching 100 mph in approximately 23.0 seconds, but obviously, this is not a vehicle with its eyes on motorsports performance. Even though Subaru built their Forester with a steering mechanism close to what has been configured in their WRX, this model was not designed or engineering with any fantasies aligned with weekend track days or challenging performance outings, so some test drivers concluded that the Forester would only be a satisfying drive if the purpose was a comforting, more conservative style of motoring with a sense of relaxed luxury mixed in as a definite priority.
On the other hand, with all things considered, the new Forester Sport trim version is still a capable off-road performer off the showroom floor compared to some of the competitor's offerings at a price point of around $35K . Considering that this vehicle moves into position for another year with Subaru's dependable and pioneering AWD system standing firm as its best supporting actor, its extremely durable undercarriage, along with impressive ground clearance, and a rugged posture built to take on some challenging obstacles both on the road and trail, the overall reviews keep the 2025 Forester at the top of the list of prospects that people have been choosing for the past 25 years . Subaru knows that the playing field is much wider and more diverse than it was back in the 1990s when their entrance into the new crossover/sport utility market was both challenging and risky. Now competition is tight, technology moves quickly, and customers are more demanding with their levels of performance, comfort, and enjoyment. The 2025 Subaru Forester is stepping into a new spotlight with a new face, a new suit, and different outlook, but it is still leaning on its classic personality, strength of purpose, and impressive longevity to convert a new generation of faithful by not fixing what wasn't broke, but innovating something that was already iconic.
Do you own a new Subaru Forester or are you considering purchasing one?
We would be very interested in your thoughts regarding this article and would encourage your feedback and comments regarding Subaru's newest offerings. It doesn't matter if you have had your Subaru for months or decades, the Subimods team would love to hear from you.
Write your comments below and continue this conversation. We are always thrilled to hear your opinions. THANK YOU!
The Subimods online catalog contains a large selection of aftermarket parts, components, and accessories that can help your upgrade or modification move in the right direction. Subimods offers a number of solutions from some of today's best parts and accessory manufacturers. Our experienced team is here to guide you, so contact us today with your questions and we will do all we can to help you start your modification journey the right way.
For more information regarding aftermarket parts for your Subaru, please visit our website and explore the section dedicated to your platform. We would be happy to serve you!
Bryon Turcotte - Marketing Writer/Analyst
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
{"one"=>"Select 2 or 3 items to compare", "other"=>"{{ count }} of 3 items selected"}
