2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid Boosts Both Power and Gas Mileage
The days of being forced to live with less-than-ideal gas mileage to score the benefits of a Subaru are fading quickly, as the Japanese manufacturer is finally electrifying its most popular SUV offerings. The breadwinner of the family, the Subaru Crosstrek, came first; now, it's the Forester's turn.
While the Crosstrek nameplate has toyed with electrification before, the addition of the Forester Hybrid to the ranks of one of the best small SUVs on sale marks a first for the Shibuya-based automaker. And the numbers don't lie: the electric motor-augmented Forester is both more powerful and significantly more efficient than the pure internal-combustion version.
The basic powertrain formula is shared with the Crosstrek: 2.5 liters of flat-four displacement with a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor tacked on, bumping the maximum power on the Forester Hybrid to 194 hp. (Torque figures have yet to be revealed.) A mechanical connection between the front and rear wheels also stays, to ensure the car packs Subaru's trademark symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.
Power is transferred to all four wheels through a continuously variable transmission that can be "manually" shifted through six speeds. Plus, the electric motor can reportedly power an EV drive mode in the Crosstrek Hybrid — so given that it and the Forester Hybrid appear to have identical powertrains, we suspect the latter will be able to creep around for short bursts on electricity alone.
The biggest news from the announcement comes in the form of government fuel economy estimates. The launch of the Crosstrek Hybrid happened before the Environmental Protection Agency had finalized its numbers, but the Forester Hybrid comes with an official miles-per-gallon rating of 35 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined. That's an increase in efficiency of as much as 40% when compared with the ICE versions, and enables the Hybrid to deliver a range of 581 miles per tank. The gas-only iteration of the Forester manages 32 mpg on the highway and just 25 mpg in the city, for comparison.
The Forester is largely unchanged beyond the addition of a hybrid powertrain. Ground clearance is stuck at 8.7 inches — if you want more, the non-hybrid 2026 Forester Wilderness may be for you instead — while a suite of electronic features like an 11.6-inch infotainment display and EyeSight driver assistance come standard. Just like the Crosstrek Hybrid, the Forester will be offered in an exclusive color known as Daybreak Blue Pearl, and a contrasting Crystal Black silica roof will be offered on all colors.
Perhaps the best part? Going hybrid will require a fairly small extra expenditure over the straight-ICE version. The 2026 Forester Hybrid will be offered in Premium, Sport, Limited and Touring trims when it goes on sale this trim, with the gas-electric powertrain adding between $1700 and $3385 to the tab, depending on trim. The most affordable version, the Forester Hybrid Premium, clocks in at $36,415 including destination.
You Might Also Like
You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox
Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners
The Man Who Signs Every Car
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
11 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Detroit Big 3 benefit from auto tariffs now, but time is running out
U.S. tariffs are taking a toll on Japan's economy. Exports from the Far-East island nation fell in May for the first time in eight months, mainly due to declines from stalwarts like Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi. Autos accounted for about 28% of Japan's total 21 trillion yen ($145 billion) of export goods in 2024. So when exports to the U.S. fell 11.1% in May, you can bet a lack of cars leaving the Nagoya port played a big role. Related: Toyota makes surprising move to beat Tesla in key market According to government data, total exports declined 1.7% year over year by value to 8.1 trillion yen. While the decline was felt, it was much better than the median 3.8% decline analysts expected after exports rose 2% in April. U.S.-bound automobile exports fell nearly 4%. "The value of automobile exports to the U.S. fell, but their volume did not drop that much," Daiwa Institute of Research economist Koki Akimoto told Reuters. "This indicates Japanese automakers are effectively shouldering the tariff costs and not charging customers." Meanwhile, U.S. automakers have taken advantage of the situation, leveraging their domestic manufacturing footprints to offer incentives. While Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors have all said that tariffs will shave billions from their EBITDAs this year, they are still in a better position than the Japanese automakers, who, after dominating the U.S. market for decades, now have to pay 25% duties. U.S. auto dealers, including those with Japanese brand names, have actually benefited over the short term from tariffs. Dealers have a front-line view of the U.S. auto market, which appears to be at an inflection point," said Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke last month. "The recent sales pace has been a positive, lifting current market sentiment higher for franchised dealers." Buyers have been motivated by the threat of tariffs raising prices in the coming weeks. And sellers have been fueling that demand with incentives. Ford, for instance, has been running its "From America, For America" campaign to provide customers with employee pricing. Related: Car buyers should shop these brands for the best tariff deal "It's really paid off for us in the last 60 days. You've seen a lot of the results in the market. Last month (May)...we actually posted a 14.7% share here in the U.S. That's up 1.9 points of share on a year-over-year basis. A lot of times in this industry we fight for tenths of share, and to have a 1.9% increase year over year was very strong," said Ford Blue and Model e President Andrew Frick. In March, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) Chairman Masanori Katayama said, "We will be looking at how to absorb short-term shocks and what concrete measures we can take to deal with these shocks, as well as how to deal with them in an all-Japan manner. On June 17, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said following the G7 summit that Japan had yet to reach a deal with the U.S. on a tariff agreement. With a July 9 deadline for 24% tariffs looming, Japan may become more motivated to strike a deal soon. This means the slim advantage tariffs have given U.S. automakers may also soon be going away. Auto sales have climbed sharply in recent months as consumers were motivated by the incentives and the need to buy vehicles before any tariff-related price increases. But Bank of America is now saying that the growth it saw in consumer vehicle loan applications has declined from its peak in April, "suggesting that 'buying ahead' has largely run its course." More on carmakers: Popular Ford newcomer overtakes Jeep in a key areaJeep, Dodge parent has no solution for this emerging problemGeneral Motors makes $4 billion tariff move Bank of America expects lower-income and younger buyers to feel the most pain, as its data shows that median car payments have grown faster than new and used car prices since 2019. Shockingly, of those households with a monthly car payment, 20% have a payment over $1,000. In addition to capping your car payments at about 15% of your monthly take-home, financial experts also recommend shoppers aim for a 20% down payment, a 36- to 48-month loan term, and expenses (including insurance) at between 8% and 10% of your gross monthly income. Experts also recommend that you know your credit score and loan approval amount in advance and that you shop around with different lenders for the best rate. Related: Car buyers should be nervous about this emerging trend The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Tom's Guide
13 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I created the Japanese walking workout on my Apple Watch — here's how to do it
The Japanese walking method made headlines recently as a science-backed way to lower your blood pressure and burn more fat. The interval walking method originated in Japan, and is a form of HIIT training. As its name suggests, you alternate your pace throughout. It's pretty simple: you walk for three minutes at a low intensity, then walk three minutes at a high intensity, raising your heart rate and moving quickly. You keep switching pace for 30 minutes. Yet if you don't want to walk along looking at your phone or stopwatch for the entire workout, the easiest thing to do is set up the walk as a custom workout on your Apple Watch. You should be able to do this with most of the best Apple Watches on the market that run watchOS 11 (if you're using an Apple Watch 4, 5 or original SE, you won't be able to do this). Once you've set these intervals, you can name the workout and save it to your Apple Watch. When you select the workout, the watch will alert you every time you need to change pace, meaning you won't need to keep looking at your phone or stopwatch as you walk. When you're walking, you'll be able to see how long you have left in each interval, as well as your average pace and your heart rate. If you decide the walking workout isn't for you, you can delete custom workouts at any time. Simply head to the workout from your Apple Watch, and click the edit icon in the top right-hand corner. Once you're in the workout, scroll down to the bottom and click Delete Workout. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. If you're meeting up with a friend who is also using an Apple Watch, you can send them the workout from your watch from this screen, using the 'Send Workout' option. If you're creating a running workout, or something more intense, you might want to add a warm-up and cool-down. You can build a custom workout in all Activity types on the Apple Watch, aside from Multisport and Open Swim. It's a great way to remove the guesswork from your session, and use the watch to complete in-depth training sessions. Looking for more inspiration? Why not try these walking workouts next:
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Buying a Mitsubishi? Prices Just Jumped
According to a new report by Reuters, Mitsubishi is the latest to join a growing list of automakers that are passing on the economic burden of tariffs and their effects on the supply chain directly onto the buyers of Outlanders, Outlander Sports, and its other vehicles. The newswire reports that as of June 18, prices for Mitsubishi vehicles sold in the U.S. will increase by an average of 2.1%, a move that the automaker itself claims is due to a combination of market factors and ongoing internal pricing evaluations. In its statement, Mitsubishi said the pricing adjustment was "a direct result of our regular and ongoing review of pricing to ensure we are aligned with segment expectations." However, they also emphasized that the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration were a significant factor, as increased import levies are making the cost of importing vehicles into the U.S. more expensive, leaving automakers with few options other than to raise sticker prices. However, Mitsubishi reassured consumers and concerned dealers that the price increase would not affect vehicles already on showroom floors or on dealer lots. It clarified that the price bump will apply to new cars shipped to dealers following June 18. Mitsubishi's price increase comes on the heels of a temporary pause in deliveries triggered by Trump's tariff policy. In April, a Mitsubishi spokesperson said that the automaker was holding its vehicles at the port before any levies could be applied, as it awaited more color and clarity on the tariff situation. "We are holding vehicles at the port until we have additional visibility on tariffs and decisions made on next steps," the spokesperson told AutoNews on April 11. "We have sufficient stock on the ground at dealers for the moment to not impact customer choice." Compared to its Japanese automotive compatriots like Honda, Toyota, Subaru, and Nissan, Mitsubishi is in a precarious position. While its contemporaries produce U.S.-market cars in several states in the Midwest and American South, Mitsubishi imports every single Outlander, Mirage, Outlander Sport crossover, and Eclipse Cross it sells in the United States from Japan, prime candidates for 25% tariffs when they land at the port. Despite the tariff stress, Mitsubishi seems to be doing well in the United States. In Q1 2025, year-over-year sales increased by 11%. Last year, the company sold 110,000 vehicles, a 26% year-over-year increase and the best U.S. sales year for Mitsubishi since 2019. Mitsubishi credits this growth to its refreshed product lineup and the strong performance of the Outlander and Outlander Sport models in a competitive compact SUV market. However, the auto industry is showing coping mechanisms as tariffs reshape the cost of business. Last month, Subaru of America raised prices on multiple models by up to $2,055, citing "current market conditions." Weeks earlier, Ford became one of the first major automakers to respond to the new tariffs directly, increasing prices on three Mexican-made models by as much as $2,000. Additionally, Volvo's new order guide for 2026 shows several price increases, with some as high as $3,200. It seems that the tariff fiasco will not go away very soon. Last week, President Trump warned that he may raise the 25% auto tariffs, arguing that it could be an incentive for automakers to accelerate U.S. investments. "I might go up with that tariff in the not-too-distant future," Trump said on June 12. "The higher you go, the more likely it is they build a plant here." The tariff troubles are showing results in economic activity. According to Nikkei Asia, new data shows that Japan's total exports by value to the U.S. fell by 11% year-over-year, and the number of cars exported from Japan to the U.S. fell by 3.9%. To make matters worse, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Trump were unable to strike a tariff deal at a meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit this week, as they couldn't agree on tariffs on Japanese automobiles, something the U.S. considers to be a main cause of its trade deficit with Japan. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
