Model year guide

2025 Subaru Forester

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2025 Subaru Forester is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 342 on record.

2025 Subaru Forester — representative photo
Representative photo

2025 Subaru Forester at a glance

Safety recalls3
Owner complaints96
Overall safety5 / 5 ★
Combined26–35 mpg

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2025 Subaru Forester recalls 3

Equipment:other:labels NHTSA Campaign #26V436000 · manufacturer #WRH-26 · 07/07/2026

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."

Fix: Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may co…

Child Seat NHTSA Campaign #25V419000 · manufacturer #WRC-25 · 19/06/2025

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles. The child seat anchor bolts may have been improperly tightened, allowing the bolts to come loose.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the child seat anchor bolts and, if necessary, tighten the bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-25.

Wheels NHTSA Campaign #25V033000 · manufacturer #WRB-25 · 23/01/2025

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles equipped with 18" aluminum alloy wheels. The wheels may have been manufactured with an incorrectly specified lug seat surface, which can result in the wheel being improperly attached and cause a loss of vehicle stability.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wheels, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRB-25.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2025 Subaru Forester common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Fuel/propulsion System
Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.
Visibility/wiper
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Forward Collision Avoidance
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Exterior Lighting
Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.
Visibility
Test wipers, washers, defrosters and all mirrors. Check the windshield for cracks and any camera/sensor for fogging or faults.

2025 Subaru Forester safety ratings

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Frontal — driver★★★★★
Frontal — passenger★★★★★
Side — front seat★★★★★
Side — rear seat★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★

Rollover risk: 17.4% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).

Frontal crash test — 2025 SUBARU FORESTER SUV  AWDFrontal crash test
Side barrier test — 2025 SUBARU FORESTER SUV  AWDSide barrier test
Side pole test — 2025 SUBARU FORESTER SUV  AWDSide pole test

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2025 SUBARU FORESTER SUV AWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2025 Subaru Forester MPG & running costs

Combined26–35 mpg
City28 mpg
Highway32 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,300
EPA size classSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S6) or Automatic (AV-S8)
Engine start-stopYes
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$500 less

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 4 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2025 Subaru Forester costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$11,500
Fuel only$11,500
Per mile$0.15

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Dimensions & weight

Length
183.5 in
Width
72.0 in
Height
68.1 in
Wheelbase
105.1 in
Curb weight
3,580 lb
Front track
61.8 in
Rear track
61.8 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2025 Subaru Forester. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Canadian recalls 5

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2025 Subaru Forester. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

Label

Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label lists an incorrect gross axle weight rating (GAWR). This could lead you to overload the vehicle, which could cause poor handling or a tire failure. Note: For the Forester model, this recall affects both gas and hybrid models. For the Crosstrek model, only the Crosstrek Hybrid model is affected. Safety Risk: Poor handling or a tir…

Transport Canada #2026329 · Jul 2026

Fuel System

Issue: On certain vehicles, the fuel filler cap gasket may not seal properly to the housing. As a result, fuel could leak from the fuel filler neck. Note: This recall only affects certain hybrid model vehicles. Safety Risk: A fuel leak can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, Subaru recommends keeping the fuel tank below 50% capacity until t…

Transport Canada #2026077 · Feb 2026

Structure

Issue: On certain vehicles, the bolts that secure the universal anchorage system (UAS) for installing a child car seat may not have been tightened properly. As a result, the bolt(s) could loosen, and the anchor(s) could separate in a crash. Note: This recall only affects Forester e-BOXER hybrid models. Safety Risk: A child seat that isn't properly secured could increase the ris…

Transport Canada #2025344 · Jun 2025

Wheels

Issue: On certain vehicles, the aluminum wheels may not have been manufactured correctly. As a result, the wheel lug nuts may not secure the wheels properly. Note: This recall only affects certain 18-inch aluminum wheels. Safety Risk: A wheel that's not properly secured could cause a loss of stability and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Subaru will notify owne…

Transport Canada #2025032 · Jan 2025

Label

Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safet…

Transport Canada #2024546 · Aug 2024

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

About the Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester is a compact crossover SUV that has been manufactured by Subaru since 1997. The first generation was built on the platform of the Impreza in the style of a taller station wagon, a style that continued to the second generation, while the third-generation model onwards moved towards a crossover SUV design. A performance model was available for the second-generation Forester in Japan as the Forester STi.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2025 Subaru Forester vehicles on record

Other Subaru Forester model years

2025 Subaru Forester — frequently asked questions

Does the 2025 Subaru Forester have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2025 Subaru Forester. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2025 Subaru Forester?

Across all 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are fuel/propulsion system, visibility/wiper, forward collision avoidance.

What is the 2025 Subaru Forester safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2025 Subaru Forester an overall crash-test rating of 5 out of 5 stars (frontal 5★, side 5★, rollover 4★).

What gas mileage does the 2025 Subaru Forester get?

The 2025 Subaru Forester has U.S. EPA estimates of 26–35 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (4 versions).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.