With the Subaru Forester’s latest redesign, you will no longer be able to buy a new Forester for less than $30,000. The outdoorsy brand’s best-selling model is new for 2025, with lower power output but enhanced styling, better safety, a quieter cabin, and more comfortable seats, according to Subaru. The brand’s hit Wilderness trim of the outgoing Forester will still be sold, as the Wilderness version of the new one hasn’t been revealed yet.
The base model Forester now starts at $31,090 (including $1,395 for destination), an increase of $2,650 over last year’s model. It comes with standard features like dual-zone automatic climate control, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, 17-inch alloy wheels, and steering responsive LED headlights. The Premium trim costs $33,390 (a $1,750 increase) and nets you a bigger 11.5-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, a 10-way power driver’s seat, X-Mode drive modes, and the all-weather package that adds heated seats, heated mirrors and a windshield wiper deicer. Then there’s the Sport trim, which will set you back $35,890 ($2,680 higher than before) and adds sportier styling cues, 19-inch wheels, a sportier suspension tune, and paddle shifters and 8 simulated gears for the CVT transmission.
The Limited trim starts at $37,390 ($2,070 more than last year) and includes leather upholstery, a motion-activated power tailgate, and enhanced safety features like automatic emergency steering assist, blind spot monitoring with lane-change assist, and rear cross traffic alert. The fanciest Forester is the Touring model, which pushes the base price up to $41,390 (up $2,650). It includes 19-inch wheels, a 360-degree surround view camera system, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, reverse automated emergency braking braking, and an 11-speaker Harman Kardon stereo.
While all 2025 Foresters get hit with a not-insignificant price jump over the outgoing 2024 lineup, it’s important to remember that all Foresters come equipped with Subaru’s standard all-wheel-drive system. When AWD is added to a comparable base model Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, it makes both cars slightly more expensive than the base 2025 Forester.
Until Subaru unveils its first Forester hybrid next year, the entire lineup is only available with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter flat-4 engine that’s mated to a continuously variable transmission. The new Forester is rated at 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, which is actually two horsepower and two lb-ft down from the previous generation.
The Forester got more expensive this year, but it offers more features to somewhat justify the increased price. If you’re looking to get a Subaru Forester but only care about the best price possible, search for 2024 models as they’re likely to receive discounts as the 2025 models start reaching dealer lots later this spring.
