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New Forester specs shared - thanks neighbour!
Richard Bosselman
May 29, 2025
Outputs and economy for new power plants, likely trims incoming here and potential for price rises. It’s all here.
FULL detail of the new Toyota-derived ‘strong hybrid’ system coming to the next-generation Forester has been revealed by the sister market for the car.
While Subaru NZ has readily confirmed the sixth generation car is releasing soon, it has kept key mechanical data, including performance and fuel consumption figures unstated.
It seemed keen to keep that tech information - and specifically detail about the model grades - under wraps until the Fieldays on June 11, where a car will be on display.
Realistically all that has been trumped by the information share out of Australia.
As Inchcape is the common distributor for here as well as Australia, the detail revealed across the Tasman is entirely relevant in this market.
All that’s still unknown is if the range is as widespread here. Plus, the pricing is still under wraps.
However, perhaps we should be prepared for increases - in Australia, stickers for all carryover types have increased by the equivalent of $2800 to $6320.
For now, at last we know about the powertrains’ outputs.
The new Forester Hybrid system - which installs in Forester Hybrid, Forester Hybrid Sport and Forester Touring grades over there - combines a 121kW/212Nm version of Subaru’s 2.5-litre engine with a 90kW Toyota-sourced electric motor and 1.1kWh battery for a combined output of 145kW.
Petrol models - our neighbour has four; Forester, Forester Premium, Forester Sport and Forester Touring - retain the same 136kW power output as the outgoing car, but torque is up 8Nm, to 247Nm.
We also now know the hybrid promises lower fuel use than the old in-house Forester Hybrid, but not by a lot.
It is rated at 6.2L/100km, a 0.5L/100km improvement over the previous Forester Hybrid.
The non-hybrid models are rated at 7.9 litres per 100km, up 0.5L/100km over the previous models. CO2 emissions sit at 180grams per kilometre and 140g/km.
The petrols are rated to tow up to 1800kg braked with a 180kg tow ball down weight compared to the petrol's lesser 120kg.
Forester is built on a revised, strengthened version of the Subaru Global platform that underpinned the previous generation car as well as the current Impreza, Crosstrek, WRX and Outback.
All models are equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), but now with eight rather than seven gear steps, and Subaru’s signature permanent symmetrical all-wheel drive system.
As previously reported, whereas Toyota hybrids - including the RAV4 that is an obvious competitor - have an electrically driven rear axle, the Forester Hybrid installs so it can power all four wheels on petrol or electric power, or both.
Subaru has related to media in Australia that engineers redesigned the seats for improved comfort, consulting anatomy experts to design seats with better lower back and hip support. A new side bolster design has been implemented to reduce whiplash in the event of a collision.
Petrol Foresters are equipped with a full-size 18-inch spare wheel, while the Forester Hybrid is equipped with a tyre repair kit.
Sport is a new grade and obviously some model names have altered; here the choice has spanned a $44,990 Luxury, a $47,990 Forester, a $49,990 X Sport and a $54,990 Premium with full petrol, plus two e-boxer hybrids - the $53,490 Forester and the $58,490 Premium.
All Forester variants across the Tasman are equipped with an 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen offering wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless/wired Android Auto, models from the Premium and above there add satellite navigation. Mid to high-spec cars swap the six-speaker audio for a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium system.
A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is also standard on Forester Hybrid Sport and Hybrid Touring models.
The base choice runs 18-inch alloy wheels and has dusk-sensing LED headlights with self-levelling, steering-responsive headlights, LED fog lights, keyless entry with push-button start, and tyre pressure monitoring.
The entry car offers dual-zone climate control, rear air vents, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, cloth seats, heated front seats, an auto-dimming interior mirror, and one-touch electronic rear seat release.
It’s reported a new camera with a wider field of view powers features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, and intelligent speed limiting across all models.
Other safety tech includes blind spot monitoring, a driver-monitoring camera with emergency driving stop (if the system detects the driver is unresponsive), lane-change assist, 360-degree cameras, reverse automatic braking, adaptive headlights, and more.
The Forester Premium adds auto-dimming and auto-folding mirrors, a hands-free power tailgate, power-adjustable front seats with driver memory, and extra driver monitoring system functions such as auto door mirror adjustment and driver seat adjustment through facial recognition.
Forester Sport takes a dark metallic finish for the 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, a more sophisticated X-Mode terrain system, a ‘premium’ instrument cluster, green highlights and water-repellent grey and black seat trim.
The Hybrid Sport has low-profile roof rails, 19-inch alloy wheels in a bronze finish, a bronze instrument panel finish and a 12.3-inch instrument cluster.
Australia’s flagship Touring adds leather and Ultrasuede upholstery, a leather gear shifter, brown stitching for the steering wheel, and front seat ventilation. Petrol models lack the Touring Hybrid's widescreen instrument cluster and 19-inch wheels.