The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid fails to fix an obvious problem

The 2025 Subaru Forester received one of the least impactful redesigns in recent memory, which is why it ranks a distant sixth among compact SUVs despite the overhaul. A key factor in the latest Forester's midness is its enduringly unimpressive acceleration, thanks to a barely improved four-cylinder engine that struggles to motivate its 3,500-lb heft.

But to be fair, the 2025 Forester's 8.3-second lope to 60 mph isn't egregiously slow by segment standards. The main issue is that there hasn't been an optional engine upgrade with more punch, a box many rivals check by offering a hybrid variant that's both swifter and more fuel-efficient.

Yes, you read that right. It's perfectly normal these days for hybrids to accelerate better than their base-engine counterparts; in fact, it's kind of disappointing when that's not the case.

That's where the new 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid comes in — and comes up short. Subaru had a hanging curveball here, a chance to knock it out of the park with a cutting-edge hybrid powertrain that added zest as well as fuel economy. You could say one out of two ain't bad, but it's certainly not great when virtually every other compact hybrid SUV delivers on both fronts.

A tortoise joins the hybrid hares

A key metric for understanding acceleration is pounds per horsepower, which is often misstated as the power-to-weight ratio (it's technically weight-to-power). How many pounds does each horse have to pull? The lower that number, generally speaking, the quicker the acceleration will be. So let's ask that question of today's mainstream compact hybrid SUVs, shall we?

To level the playing field for the Subaru, which comes standard with all-wheel drive, I'm going to require AWD for this list, ensuring that we'll get the heaviest version of each rival in case front-wheel drive is available. I'll also throw in the non-hybrid Forester so we can see if the Forester Hybrid moves the needle within its own family.

Uh oh. Look who's dead last here — the poor Forester Hybrid, whose beleaguered horses have to pull a full 20 pounds each. And look who's not dead last, right? The regular Forester. In short, Subaru's hybrid powertrain adds proportionally more weight than power. Far from providing the expected electrified boost, the Forester Hybrid actually imposes a small penalty. Did I mention its $34,995 base price is $5,000 higher than that of its non-hybrid sibling?

I included the technically subcompact Corolla Cross Hybrid, by the way, because it's a legitimate alternative to the compact crew if you can live with a relatively cramped backseat. But it's also a fine illustration of the point I'm trying to make. The non-hybrid Corolla Cross AWD has 169 horses pulling 3,295 pounds, which comes out to 19.5 lbs/hp versus the hybrid model's 17.3 lbs/hp. As is typical now, if you upgrade to the hybrid, you get a more favorable power equation.

That's the memo that Subaru seems to have missed, and it leaves the Forester's most glaring shortcoming unaddressed. If you like this Subaru otherwise, but wish it had more oomph, you're as out of luck as you were when the non-hybrid 2025 Forester debuted.

Fine, but how's the Forester Hybrid's fuel economy?

Perhaps you can sense where this is going, given that the Subaru is the second-heaviest and proportionally least powerful contestant. But let's see how things shake out. Note that we're comparing EPA combined fuel economy here, and as before, I'm stipulating AWD for all models.

Yup. Predictable, although I thought the Subie might squeeze out 36 or 37 mpg and close the gap a bit. Anyway, the Forester Hybrid turns out to be the cellar-dweller in fuel economy, too, though it seems fair to object that there's no shame in 35 mpg from a spacious and comfortable compact SUV.

MotorDonkey says

Truth be told, shame is a strong word for any of the foregoing. I'm sure Subaru will find some satisfied customers for the Forester Hybrid, which not too long ago would have been a revelation for providing 35-mpg efficiency — six clear of the 29-mpg standard model — while sacrificing little if any straight-line performance.

Trouble is, the competition has improved so much that superior acceleration is now par for the course among compact hybrid SUVs. The new Forester Hybrid would be a much easier sell, to both hybrid enthusiasts and Forester fans alike, if it didn't have such a hard time keeping up. ⛐ md