MotorWeek Praises the “No-Compromise” Forester Hybrid

MotorWeek, which bills itself as “Television’s Original Automotive Magazine,” took a quick spin in the new Forester Hybrid model and came away impressed. Twin Falls Subaru provides the details. 

For 2025, Subaru has added a hybrid drivetrain to the Forester Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring grades (essentially all but the base and Wilderness trim levels). The Hybrid model retains the 2.5-liter BOXER four-cylinder engine but converts it to the more efficient Atkinson-cycle valve timing. A 1.1-kWh battery and two electric motors have been added—one to power the wheels and another to function as a generator for brake and deceleration regeneration. This combined arrangement adds 14 horsepower, bringing the total to 194, along with 199 lb-ft of torque from the system. When paired with a continuously variable transmission and the standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, the Forester Hybrid has an EPA-estimated mpg rating of 35 (city), 34 (highway), and 35 mpg (combined). That said, MotorWeek achieved closer to 37 mpg after driving the Forester Hybrid for eight hours. 

Says MotorWeek reviewer Ben Davis: “What I like the most, and I think what most loyal Forester buyers are going to like the most about this hybrid is that there’s no compromise over the regular gasoline version Forester, especially in regards to fuel tank size. It’s the same 16.6-gallon tank, and in the Hybrid, where you’re getting a mixed 35 miles to the gallon, that equals a 581-mile range. You do have to give up a spare tire for that, but it’s a small price to pay, I guess.” 

The Forester Hybrid shares identical interior measurements and cargo space figures with the non-hybrid model. It also maintains the same 8.7-inch ground clearance, surpassing most competing models in this crowded class. After some light off-roading, MotorWeek found its capabilities to be “exactly what we’d expect from a Forester.” 

The spare tire indeed had to make way for the hybrid battery and is replaced by a repair kit and pump. The Forester Hybrid does not flaunt its status, with the only exterior differences from its non-hybrid trims being some small “hybrid” badging. Inside, all hybrid models come standard with a digital driver information display. 

Forester Hybrid models are affordably priced at just $3,200 more than their non-hybrid counterparts. So, if you’re familiar with the newly redesigned Forester, you mostly know the Forester Hybrid—just add a bit more power and significantly better efficiency. We invite you to visit Twin Falls Subaru and explore the various examples of the Forester Hybrid in our inventory.