2025 Subaru Forester | Good Price, Pet Friendly

We review and discuss the new 2025 Subaru Forester Sport. Priced at $35,000, this could be one of the best family—and dog-friendly AWD cars available. The Toyota RAV 4, Honda CRV, Hyundai Tuscon, Nissan Rogues, and Civic Hatchback are others to consider.

#cars #engineering #technology

Index:
00:00 Interior and Exterior Changes
2:47 Harman Audio Testing
3:10 Mechanical Impressions
5:55 Driving Impressions
12:13 Final Thoughts

[milkacj]

The perfect car for my wife’s girlfriend.

[StanMenski]

Thank you for observing regular cars for regular people. Appreciate it a lot!

[skiddmcmarx]

Although I'm unlikely to buy one, the Forester is a car I do admire. Subaru is probably the only brand with such a huge range of accessories to make the lives of your pets safer in the car.

[nqobilemahlaba]

You know when Jack approves a car that not a Porsche or BMW the you know that car is really good!

[ktakashismith]

I couldn't get over how bright the interior space is. Compared to a lot of the other CUVs you've tested, the Forester really has an incredible greenhouse. I found myself looking out the windows the whole time during your drive segment, something that's not as easily done in, say, a Mazda CX-50.

[expsterm]

I own a 2015 Forester, bought it in 2017. No issues whatsoever. Probably one of the best practical all-around SUV on the market for the price.

[gonepostal]

All you need is a bike rack on the back for your e-bikes, and you have the “Official Car Of Retired Tourists Who Randomly Stop In The Middle Of The Lake Superior North Shore Scenic Highway For No Apparent Reason.” Long title, but they’ve earned it.

[Healthy.Whole.Dauntless]

I just purchased the 2025 Forrester. Love it! Just what I wanted for car camping and travel.

[oliverroo]

Thanks for this review. This is exactly how I feel about my Outback. It's an honest vehicle. It isn't fast, or sporty, but it looks good, it's easy to live with, comfortable, solid feeling, and it's tremendously capable in the snow. Thoughtful touches abound, like a washer that sprays the backup camera and the cool integrated crossbars. For $37k I got heated seats, a heated steering wheel, adaptive LED headlights, Reverse Auto-Braking, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, automatic high-beams, LED foglights, a trail camera, Harmon Kardon audio, Eyesight, blind spot w/ auto emergency steering, a sunroof, wireless carplay, auto-dimming side mirrors, etc. The naturally aspirated Outback - particularly the Onyx Edition - is a tremendous value.

[jfmarzulli]

As a Subaru Ascent owner... the Patagonia shirt is just <CHEFS KISS> on point. Northface would also be acceptable.

[NotCommanderShepard]

Subaru makes great cars. Too bad their entire UX department is just one crazy dude who only accepts canned tuna as payment.

[uncalm]

You'll never understand Subarus until you've driven one 300 miles on 2 lane highways through the rural upper midwest in January. They're hugely confidence inspiring in snow and on gravel/dirt in a way almost nothing else is. Would I take one rock crawling? No way, I'd get a 4WD for that. But for snow/gravel/dirt? Nobody else's AWD is even close. Subaru is a very conservative brand by nature and they don't have the budget of the bigger makers, but there's a reason people keep buying them and keep putting up with the crappy screens and the 180hp motors: the drivetrain.

[MrDolphinDives]

Petition to rename the Portland Trailblazers to the Portland Foresters

[vitaly]

I’m on my second forester with having a 4runner and Tacoma in between. I still think it’s better in the snow and ice than those two vehicles. Sure, I won’t make it into the back country with the forester, but I was only in the back country a handful of times with those other vehicles. Otherwise with lighter to medium off-roading the forester is fine.

One thing that stands out is the “low fatigue” factor. Doing long drives in Toyotas was a chore. Lots of body roll and lots of sloppy steering. The forester feels much easier to live with and easier to drive in my experience. Plus, my oil changes cost about $34 and I can knock them out in 10 minutes instead of having to either pay $120 or spend an hour on an oil change with the 4runner, Tacoma, or tundra - all of which I’ve owned previously.

One thing that does suck is the road noise. It’s better in the 5th gen and I’m sure the 6th gen than it was previously in the 3rd/4th gen, but it’s something they are clearly working on.

Honestly I love it and have no qualms about buying a forester in the future.

[TrojanRabbit]

I bought my wife the 24 model because we didn’t want the all in 1 monster touchscreen. This vehicle is comfortable & easy. Normally those attributes don’t register with me (BRZ owner) but that’s my take away every time I drive it. Also will mention Ferguson Subaru gave me a positive dealership experience which also was new to me.
All around winner comfortable, reliable & capable. Get your wife one for all the above and have a fun car for yourself.

[thatoneotherotherguy]

The outgoing 2024 model was a super duper value play, especially in the lowest two trims. The 2025 is a new body, carryover powertrain, and the huge Subaru screen nobody loves for a couple thousand more. Other parts of the general Subaru value is being able to factory-order exactly what you want and not paying for extras you don't, and usually being able to order for $1000+ dealer discount, combined with their often good financing rates, 2-4%.

[tigim]

I died laughing at a "hint of understeer" lmao

[JM-nzgw]

Car is superb, but that HVAC/Infotainment alone drives me away

[LLG]

Whenever I see one of these driving I half expect to see a golden retriever with gray braided hair driving.

[hduncan]

A lot of people say it looks like a Honda... I see a Mitsubishi.

And historically, Subaru is pet friendly, but that doesn't mean pet proof by any means. The soft-touch surfaces are some of the worst for holding up to a the pokey points of pooch paws-- door card tops and center console lids are constantly riddled with dog dimples in countless Subaru's we recondition at my job. Honestly, my dads 2009 Sonata Limited shows less signs of his Staffordshire than a Subaru does with a Maltese.