Test drive Subaru Forester 2025: the SUV for those who dare to take it off the road

Name: Subaru Forester 2024
Brand: Forester

Sandra Zorrilla 12 December 2024 5 min.

Test drive Subaru Forester 2025: the SUV for those who dare to take it off the road

Subaru has been selling the Forester since 1997 and even after so many years on the market it remains a somewhat unknown car. In Spain, 12,000 units have been sold since then, making it their third best-selling model, bearing in mind that this year, for example, they have sold only 1,600 units in total. The sixth generation is already here and, as is customary with this brand, we have put it to the test on off-road terrain to be pleasantly surprised.

What is reliable, better not to change, only to improve

This car keeps its dimensions, modifying only two of them: 25 mm more in width and 30 mm more in length. Of course, the most notable is its ground clearance of 220 mm, which positions this Forester as the best in its category.

As for the design, we see a new darker and larger grille, joined by a new headlight design. Moving along the side, a new protective bar without chrome can be seen – quite practical considering we are going to take it through the countryside – and roof rails that are taller than the previous ones. At the rear, we notice how the word Forester extends across the tailgate, a trend that has materialised in many of the brands’ recent launches.

Inside, it still feels like a car ready for the countryside, with many buttons. Most have been integrated into the steering wheel and removed from the left side of the dashboard. The automatic gear lever surprisingly still sits in the middle and remains a conventional lever, whereas it is increasingly common to see it replaced by small “sticks”, rotary dials or even buttons. Something I’m sure many customers will appreciate and enjoy. The same customers will also appreciate the instrument cluster with the rev counter and speedometer and a small digital display in the centre. On the other hand, the central screen is new and larger: from 8 inches it has gone up to 11.6”.

But the biggest change is the layout of this screen, which is now vertical. Almost all functions are controlled by touch, although they have kept two physical wheels (one for volume and one for radio stations) and two buttons to adjust the temperature on each side.

In these cars designed for families and adventures, the boot plays a fundamental role. It offers 525 litres of luggage capacity up to the parcel shelf, which could be more if it is removed or if the seats are folded down, reaching 1,731 litres.

A single engine, a coveted ECO label

Subaru is known for its e-BOXER engine, a petrol four-cylinder paired with an electric motor to qualify for the ECO label. It delivers a maximum power of 153 hp and 182 Nm of torque. Many other SUVs in its segment offer all-wheel drive as an extra or an option only available on top trims, which is not the case here. All models from the Japanese brand come with standard AWD. In this sixth generation they have improved by up to 24 points to make the car lighter, more efficient and with greater performance.

Driving sensations

The translation of Forester would be “forest ranger”, although the truth is this car was not created to stay in the shade of the trees. It is a car for those who dare to take it into snow, mud or sandy terrain, and above all who are not frightened. With the traditional X-Mode of Subaru the car adapts better to the terrain across its three modes, including the normal one; all of this combined with the fact that it already has four-wheel drive. What makes it stand out is that this X-Mode is also available in reverse, which is appreciated because in the countryside we know there are many manoeuvres that require it.

Although the Japanese brand claims cabin noise has been reduced by up to 39%, I still consider there is room for improvement, especially when driving fast on the road. It is in situations such as overtaking or pulling away from a standstill that one misses a bit more power.

Once in the countryside, specifically at Masia Pelarda in Teruel, we did a nearly two-hour route of obstacles: mud, stones, bumps… The car showed exceptional behaviour at all times, with off-road capabilities that other SUVs on the market do not have. It is true that fuel consumption rises off-road, as expected, although in normal conditions the car sits between 8 and 9 litres.

It is also a car that stands out for being very safe, and safety is one of the most important premises for Subaru. Its cars feature the so-called EyeSight system, to which interesting features have been added, such as adaptive cruise control, a traffic sign recognition function, a new wide-angle monocular camera and a new front radar.

So, if you want an SUV for more than just day-to-day tasks and you dare to take it off the road, it is an option worth considering.