2023 Subaru Forester 2.5L CVT AWD (81 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Subaru introduced the sixth generation of the Forester at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show and proved it could surprise its customers with another edition of its SUV.

Back in 1997, when Subaru introduced the first generation of the Forester, it wasn’t exactly the brand’s fans’ favorite. Still, since it was built on the same platform as the famous Impreza, it won many hearts. Unlike its rally-winning brother, the Forester was the kind of daily driver vehicle that was good in all weather conditions and with plenty of interior room. Moreover, it was not a large vehicle despite its ability to carry five people onboard. Over time, the Forester grew in size but also gained more features. Unfortunately, it also lost some of its punchy engines.

Besides the SVX, most Subaru vehicles were not particularly attractive in terms of styling, and that didn’t change too much with the sixth generation of the Forester either. Still, the automaker created a vehicle with a broad front fascia flanked by LED headlights and an appealing angular design. Moreover, the lower bumper received an apron fitted with an additional grille and flanked by a pair of side scoops for the fog lamps. The daytime running lights above the headlights looked more like eyebrows, but they matched the car’s angular styling.

From its profile, the sixth generation of the Forester kept its angular shapes and had fender flares adorned by black plastic trims. Those fitted on the front even featured a set of vents resembling those installed on the Subaru WRX. Thanks to the black side sills, the car looked like it had a higher ground clearance than it actually got. The automaker installed the “Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive” badges on the D-pillars, reminding customers that the Forester came fitted as standard with this drivetrain. Finally, the back featured a vertical tailgate flanked by corner-mounted taillights.

Inside, Subaru made the vehicle functional. In an era when most automakers offered color displays for the instrument cluster, the automaker considered that the analog dials were easier to read, so it used them. Still, there was a tiny TFT display between the tachometer and speedometer that showed various information from the onboard computer. Subaru offered a portrait-mode 11.6″ infotainment screen on the center stack as an option, while the base system used a 7″ one. The high-mounted front seats were separated by a center console fitted with storage areas and the gear selector. In the back, a 60/40 split-folding bench seat provided enough room for three adult-sized passengers.

Under the hood, Subaru installed its already-known naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter flat-four engine. It was paired with a CVT (Lineartronic) that sent the power in all corners via Subaru’s proprietary all-wheel-drive system. The automaker offered the 2025 Forester in five grades, and all featured the same engine-gearbox combo.