Subaru Forester News

With Subaru having shown off its new Performance-E and Performance-B STI concepts at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, its five-model showcase appears to now represent something of a future outlook for the brand.

Here’s a question for four-wheel driving enthusiasts: why? As in why do you do it? Serious question.

The new Subaru Forester landing in Australia could finally open the gates for more proper hybrid models in the brand’s local line-up, as well as more electric cars to come after the lacklustre Toyota bZ4X-based Solterra EV.

Australia’s independent crash testing authority, ANCAP, has just detailed its latest dump of safety ratings.

Subaru, we love you but you're missing a few things.Where is your ute? Your retro-revived Brumby? And while we’re at it there are so many other models you should be making and selling in Australia. Here’s our shopping list of what Subaru needs to doOK, well it does look like the Brumby might happen, with CarsGuide reporting recently that Subaru and Toyota were teaming up to produce a small electric ute. And that’s exciting even if it’s only taken 31 years to bring the Brumby back. We’re not saying Subaru doesn't have any good cars in Australia - it absolutely does. The family favourite Forester is probably the best off-the beaten track capable mid sized SUV and the WRX is a superb rally car for the road, but there are more than a few missing models from Subaru’s line-up.The most obvious is a seven seater SUV, which would be able to compete with Mitsubishi's Outlander, Kia’s Sorento and Hyundai’s Santa Fe. Imagine a Forester XL — a three row, seven-seat SUV that’s about 200mm longer than the standard Forester at 4840mm length. It’d have Subaru’s symmetrical SUV and 215mm of ground clearance and be one of the most adept light-off roaders on sale. Price it from $50,990 to $73,000. It’d sell like cakes that are hot.You actually don't have to imagine a Forester XL, because it really exists in the United States and it's called the Ascent. It's  a three-row seven- or eight-seat SUV that's basically a big Forester.What about a Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol rival? Could Subaru build one of these? Not on its own, but it is very buddy-buddy with Toyota. In the same way Subaru’s BRZ sports car and Solterra electric SUV were both born out of joint ventures with Toyota, a LandCruiser Prado or 300 Series version could be entirely possible.Oh, and while we’re at it, a HiLux-based ute would also see Subaru go head-to-head with Ford’s Ranger, Nissan’s Navara and Isuzu D-Max.I’d like to think Subaru could come up with amazing names for these two new vehicles but history says coming up with a names isn’t really the brand’s strength. So the ute would likely be something like the Subaru Muster and the big hardcore off-road SUV would be the Subaru Longitude. Terrible names, great cars. And finally, a people-mover and you can thank the Kia Carnival for changing everybody’s mind about these vans being uncool and making them kind of desirable again. Subaru actually sold a seven-seater people-mover called the Exiga in 2012. It was based on the Liberty wagon, but it was discontinued in 2015 from Australia.Despite people mover sales only representing about one per cent of the total market share Kia still managed to sell 10,080 Carnivals in 2024 — that's a quarter of Subaru's total sales for the same year. Will any of these imaginary Subarus actually happen? Probably not. Well the Brumby small ute is likely. Subaru plans to make more joint venture EVs with Toyota, which also makes sense. Still a Forester XL would be nice.

Subaru locks in more hardcore off-road variants of its core SUV range.

Subaru Australia will have a richer hybrid line-up with its new, sixth-generation Forester and it expects its electrified variants will outsell the petrol variants.Subaru Australia General Manager, Scott Lawrence, said it expects the hybrid sales split to widen as time goes on.“Ultimately, customers will decide, and we have got a really firm view that we need to give customers options,” said Mr Lawrence.“That’s why we have petrol range as well as a hybrid range.“What will be interesting to see how that changes over time.“We see good demand for both, maybe slightly stronger in hybrid, but as time goes on, we do see that customer demand changing towards hybrid.”In 2024, Subaru sold a total of 13,445 examples of the Forester. Only 1718 examples were equipped with a hybrid powertrain, equalling only 12.8 per cent.It’s expected this year’s figure will rise with the introduction of the new Forester. First deliveries are set to take place in early July.Compared to the outgoing Forester Hybrid, this new-generation model is considerably more electrified. It features Subaru’s new Strong Hybrid technology rather than mild-hybrid technology.Using a 2.5-litre flat-four petrol engine as a base (up from the 2.0-litre in the outgoing model), it’s paired with a 90kW/276Nm electric motor and a 1.1kWh battery pack.Total system output is 145kW, which is 9kW more than the standard 2.5-litre flat-four petrol engine the Forester receives.Subaru claims combined fuel consumption for the Forester Hybrid is 6.2L/100km, which is 27.4 per cent better than what the regular Forester claims (7.9L/100km).It doesn't compare to favourably to its main rival, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD, which produces more power (163kW) and drinks less fuel (4.8L/100km).The new Forester Hybrid is claimed to be able to travel over 1000km on a tank of petrol. It has a 63L fuel tank.At launch Subaru is offering the Forester Hybrid in three trim levels – AWD Hybrid, AWD Hybrid Sport, and AWD Hybrid Touring.Pricing for the hybrid models starts at $46,490 before on-roads, and extends to $55,990 before on-roads.Compared to the equivalent petrol variants, the hybrids are between $3000 and $6500 more expensive. It’s worth noting, however, that some trim levels have differing standard equipment.As examples, the Forester AWD Hybrid Sport and AWD Hybrid Touring gain larger 19-inch alloy wheels and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. These don’t feature on the equivalent petrol variants.Another difference is the Forester Hybrid doesn’t come with a spare wheel as standard. Instead it has a tyre repair kit.Subaru Australia however is offering the Forester Hybrid with an optional tow ball-mounted spare wheel accessory. At this stage it hasn’t detailed how much this costs.

Subaru Australia has announced the prices for the new, sixth-generation Forester mid-size SUV ahead of deliveries commencing in early July.

Subaru has debuted its seventh-generation Outback at the New York Motor Show overnight and the popular family favorite looks more like an SUV than ever.

The sixth-generation Subaru Forester has had its Australian debut as part of the Melbourne Motor Show, with a local launch pencilled in for mid-2025.While the mid-size SUV was revealed in North America in late 2023, this is the first time the new Subaru Forester has been unveiled for Australia.Along with the Melbourne reveal for the 2025 Forester, Subaru Australia has confirmed the variants for the Australian line-up, consisting of four petrol and three hybrid grades.While pricing and more details around mechanical specifications are yet to be confirmed, the both petrol and hybrid versions of the Forester feature a drivetrain based around a 2.5-litre four-cylinder flat-four ‘Boxer’ engine.Hybrid variants add to that a 1.1kWh battery supplying power to an 88kW electric motor, which works with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system via continuously variable transmission (CVT) that can simulate an eight-speed transmission.  The hybrid system in the Forester is new compared to the current-gen’s setup, which has been widely criticised for its lacklustre efficiency.A big bump in tech features means even the entry-grade petrol Forester AWD comes with features like a surround-view camera for parking and traversing terrain, Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance suite, nine SRS airbags including far side and front-centre airbags, reverse AEB and an emergency stop system for unresponsive drivers. Heated front seats and a wireless phone charger are welcome additions to an entry grade, although existing Subaru owners might be familiar with the 11.6-inch multimedia central touchscreen, as well as elements like the steering wheel and general interior layout.The step up from that is the Forester AWD Premium which adds sat-nav, a powered tailgate, power-adjustable seats and auto-folding mirrors.Moving up the line-up and the AWD Sport adds an upgraded X-Mode terrain mode select, water-repellent synthetic leather seat trim, a sunroof, 18-inch alloys and unique styling.Finally, the top-spec Forester AWD Touring scores a leather steering wheel, 10-speaker Harma/Kardon sound system, front seat ventilation and low-profile roof rails.The hybrid half of the line-up mirrors the petrol models, with the exclusion of a Sport variant.As mentioned, pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet, but expect an increase over the current-gen which starts from $38,690 before on-roads and rises to $50,140.