Used Subaru Forester 6th Gen (2025+): Buyer's Guide

The 2025 Subaru Forester has already been recalled four times: wheels that can loosen, child seat anchor bolts that weren't tightened at the factory, a rear hatch support bracket that can let the liftgate fall, and a moonroof panel that can detach from the frame. That's a rough launch for a redesign Subaru says is 10% stiffer than the car it replaced.

This guide covers the all-new sixth-generation Forester, sold as a 2025 or 2026 model. It's a different car from the 2019-2024 fifth generation (SK platform), which CarScout has already covered separately. If you're shopping this generation used, you're buying into the first two years of a new platform, a first-ever Forester Hybrid, and a recall record that's still being written.

CarScout's NHTSA-sourced data already shows 78 owner complaints against the 2025 model year alone, including 10 crash reports, two fires, and one death, in under two years on sale. That's a complaint count, not a confirmed defect pattern tied to any single cause, and it should be read as a volume signal rather than a verdict. But it's a reason to slow down and check recall status before you buy, not after.

This Generation at a Glance

Subaru redesigned the Forester for model year 2025, moving to an updated version of the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) with 10% more torsional rigidity than the outgoing 2019-2024 SK-generation car, according to Subaru's own release materials. The exterior grew a boxier front end and standard LED lighting; the cabin gained a larger center touchscreen running Subaru's Starlink software.

The bigger news is the powertrain lineup. For the first time in the US market, Subaru sells a Forester Hybrid: a series-parallel system pairing a new Atkinson/Miller-cycle 2.5-liter Boxer engine with two electric motors, rated at 194 combined horsepower. It's standard with Symmetrical AWD, same as every other Forester trim.

One wrinkle to know before you shop: the 2025 Wilderness trim is not built on the new platform. Subaru carried the outgoing 5th-generation Wilderness over unchanged for the first model year, then moved Wilderness to the new architecture for 2026. More on that below.

Current pricing and inventory: Subaru Forester market data, with per-year pages for 2025 and 2026.

Powertrain & Trim Breakdown

2.5L Naturally Aspirated: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Touring

What owners love: This is the familiar FB25-family Boxer four, detuned slightly to 180 hp from the outgoing generation's 182 hp but paired with a stiffer chassis that owners on Consumer Reports and Edmunds consistently praise for ride comfort and steering feel. Fuel economy holds at 29 mpg combined with full-time AWD, and the higher seating position and improved outward visibility are among the most-repeated positives in early consumer reviews.

Known issues so far: The most consistent complaint across subaruforester.org threads and Consumer Reports owner data is the redesigned Starlink touchscreen. Owners report input lag, delayed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections, and screens that freeze or go blank; a few threads describe cases severe enough that the dealer replaced the entire infotainment unit. Separately, owners on subaruforester.org and Kelley Blue Book's owner-complaint roundup report the wireless phone charging pad stops charging after about 20 seconds when a phone is in a case, a problem Subaru has acknowledged. A handful of forum posts describe EyeSight (Subaru's camera-based driver-assist suite) disabling itself in heavy rain, which also kills adaptive cruise and automatic emergency braking until the windshield-mounted cameras clear. That's expected EyeSight behavior when the cameras can't see, not a defect, but it catches new owners off guard.

Recalls specific to this powertrain: Trims running 18-inch aluminum wheels were covered by campaign 25V033000 (Subaru's internal number WRB-25), issued because the wheels "may have been manufactured with an incorrectly specified lug seat surface," which Subaru's own filing says "can result in the wheel being improperly attached and cause a loss of vehicle stability." Dealers inspect and replace affected wheels free of charge. All 2025 Foresters, regardless of powertrain, were also covered by campaign 25V419000 (WRC-25) for child seat anchor bolts that may not have been torqued to spec at the factory. Neither recall is tied to a specific model year's engine or trim beyond wheel size, so a Base or Premium with the standard 17-inch wheels may not be affected by WRB-25 at all; confirm with the VIN rather than assuming based on trim name.

Forum threads on subaruforester.org with titles like "2025 - Premium - Multiple issues?" and "2025 - Touring - Several issues?" describe a mix of experiences: some owners report a clean car with none of the above, others report two or three of the infotainment and charging pad complaints stacked together on the same vehicle. That inconsistency is typical of a first-model-year launch and is worth factoring into your inspection rather than treating any single forum post as representative.

2.5L Hybrid: Premium, Sport, Limited, Touring Hybrid

What owners love: The math works. EPA-rated at 35 mpg combined against 29 for the gas engine, the Hybrid also outputs more power (194 hp vs. 180). The Truth About Cars' review called it "as Subaru as it gets," meaning the AWD character and ride manners carry over even with the electrified drivetrain. Reviewers and early owners note the hybrid system is far less intrusive than a typical CVT-drone experience, with smoother low-speed response than the gas car.

Known issues so far: This is the trim to research hardest before buying. Multiple outlets reported in early 2026 that Subaru told owners of roughly 51,700 2025 Forester Hybrid vehicles (plus about 17,400 2026 Crosstrek Hybrids on a related platform) to park outside, away from structures, and keep the fuel tank below half full. The cause: an insufficient seal on the fuel filler cap that can let fuel expand and leak past the cap when the tank is nearly full in hot weather, raising fire risk near an ignition source. Subaru's remedy is a free gasket replacement. As of this guide, that specific recall doesn't yet appear in CarScout's NHTSA-sourced per-year data for the Forester, so we're not citing a campaign number here. If you're looking at a 2025 or 2026 Forester Hybrid, ask the dealer directly whether the fuel filler cap gasket has been replaced.

Separately, Consumer Reports owner submissions describe occasional rough, loud restarts when the gas engine kicks in after EV-mode launch, and some owners report hybrid battery pack warning lights or replacement requests early in ownership. Subaru also faces a broader class-action lawsuit alleging parasitic 12V battery drain across several recent model years and multiple nameplates, not the Forester Hybrid's traction battery specifically. The two systems are different: the 12V battery starts accessories and electronics the same way it would on a gas car, while the hybrid traction battery drives the electric motors. Don't let a seller conflate the two if a battery complaint comes up; ask which system was actually involved.

The infotainment complaints noted above under the gas powertrain apply just as much to Hybrid trims, since both run the same Starlink head unit. Subaru has faced a separate class-action suit over "ghost touch," freezing, and blank-screen failures across multiple recent models, and offered a warranty extension on some of them. It's unclear whether that extension covers this generation of Forester specifically, so ask the dealer rather than assume either way.

Recalls specific to this powertrain: 2026 Forester and Forester Hybrid models were covered by campaign 26V346000 (WRF-26) for the power moonroof: the sliding glass panel "may have been improperly bonded to the sliding frame, allowing the glass panel to detach from the vehicle" at speed, per Subaru's filing. Dealers inspect the bond and replace the glass assembly if needed.

Wilderness: The Carryover Year Matters

The Wilderness trim is Forester's off-road package: all-terrain tires, extra ground clearance, unique bumpers, and a locking center differential. For 2025, Subaru sold it essentially unchanged from the outgoing 5th-generation SK car; it's the same 182-hp FB25D engine and older AWD tuning under Wilderness-specific bodywork that visually matches the new sixth-generation Forester. A 2025 Wilderness is mechanically a 5th-gen car wearing a 6th-gen body kit.

For 2026, Subaru redesigned Wilderness onto the new platform: longer coil springs and shocks bring ground clearance to 9.3 inches (up from 9.2), new Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires are wider, and an upgraded transmission cooler raises the tow rating from 3,000 to 3,500 pounds. If off-road capability or towing is the reason you want a Wilderness, the 2026 is the meaningfully better truck. If you just want the styling and ground clearance for daily driving, the 2025's carryover mechanicals aren't a downgrade, just a different (and thoroughly proven) set of underpinnings than the rest of the 2025 lineup.

Trim Levels

2025 MSRPs ran from $29,695 (Base) to $39,995 (Touring gas) and up to roughly $43,295 for a loaded Touring Hybrid; the Hybrid powertrain itself added about $3,000-$5,000 over the equivalent gas trim depending on year and package. For 2026, Subaru held the Base price nearly flat at $29,995 while cutting the entry Hybrid Premium price to $34,730, a sign Subaru wants to push more buyers into the hybrid rather than treat it as a halo option. Subaru also added a Sport Onyx Edition for 2026, a blacked-out appearance package on top of the existing Sport trim; it doesn't change the mechanicals, so don't pay a premium for it expecting different underpinnings.

The 18-inch wheel option tied to the WRB-25 wheel recall shows up mostly on Sport, Limited, and Touring trims; if you're looking at a Base or Premium with smaller standard wheels, confirm with the seller whether the recall applies to that specific car before assuming it does or doesn't.

Base is the trim to avoid unless price is the only variable that matters to you: no power driver's seat, and Subaru positions it as a fleet and rental-friendly trim more than a daily-driver spec most private buyers cross-shop. Premium is where most of the used inventory sits, and it carries the equipment most buyers actually use (heated seats, power driver's seat, roof rails for a cargo box or bike rack). Limited is the practical ceiling: leather and a power liftgate without pushing into Touring's near-luxury pricing. If you're deciding between a loaded gas Limited and a Premium Hybrid at similar money, the Hybrid's extra 6 mpg combined pays back over time, but only if you drive enough miles per year to make the math work; a low-mileage commuter may never recoup the premium.

Which Model Years to Target Within This Gen

Both model years are recent enough that any recall not yet completed should show up with a quick VIN check, and Subaru's recall completion rates tend to run high given the brand's owner-loyalty base. Neither year has enough mileage on the road yet for a clear "which is more reliable" answer the way a 5-year-old generation would; the difference between 2025 and 2026 right now is mostly about which recalls have been issued and whether you want the carryover or redesigned Wilderness.

The practical case for a used 2025 is price: it's already a year old, which on a car with an original MSRP near $30,000-$40,000 usually means a meaningful discount off the original sticker even with low mileage. The practical case for waiting for a 2026 is that Subaru had a full extra year to work through the launch's manufacturing issues before that car left the factory, though the 2026-specific liftgate and moonroof recalls show the fixes weren't total. Neither year is the clear "avoid" pick the way a rushed first-year redesign sometimes is; both have documented, addressed problems rather than one bad year and one clean year.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Every trim:

• Run the VIN through a recall check before you look at anything else. Confirm WRB-25 (wheels), WRC-25 (child seat anchors), and, if it's a 2026, WRG-25 (liftgate bracket) and WRF-26 (moonroof, Hybrid and gas) have been completed if applicable to that trim and year.
• Open and close the rear liftgate by hand while watching the support struts and bracket. On 2026 cars, feel for any play or unusual resistance that could point to an unaddressed WRG-25 bracket issue.
• Test the touchscreen cold: connect Apple CarPlay or Android Auto from a stopped, cold start and watch for lag, freezing, or a blank screen before assuming it's fine.
• Test the wireless charging pad with your phone in its case. If it stops charging after about 20 seconds, that's the known issue, not a broken phone.

Gas trims:

• Drive in light rain or spray the windshield near the EyeSight camera cluster (behind the rearview mirror) and confirm the system stays active; if it disables immediately with clear cameras, have a dealer look at it.

Hybrid trims:

• Ask directly whether the fuel filler cap gasket has been replaced under Subaru's 2026 fire-risk notice. Don't take "no recalls" at face value from a dealer lot sticker; ask the specific question.
• Start the car cold and listen through the transition from EV mode to gas engine. A loud, rough restart has been reported by some owners; it may be normal for this generation, but confirm the dealer has no open service bulletin on it if it sounds excessive.
• Check the dash for any current or recently cleared battery-related warning lights using an OBD reader if you have access to one.

Wilderness specifically:

• Confirm the model year before you fall for the styling. A 2025 Wilderness rides on 5th-generation mechanicals; a 2026 rides on the new platform with more ground clearance and a higher tow rating. Both are legitimate, but they're not the same truck.

Running Costs

Annual fuel cost figures come from EPA data for the respective 2025 trims. Subaru's Lineartronic CVT has a well-documented rough history in 2010-2015 Outback, Legacy, and Crosstrek models, but the design has been revised multiple times since; there's no CVT-specific failure pattern reported yet for this generation, which is expected given its age. Get the CVT fluid checked at least annually regardless of what the maintenance schedule implies, especially if the car has spent time towing or in stop-and-go traffic.

Forester has historically held resale value near the top of its class, and early data suggests this generation is following the same pattern given how little used inventory has hit the market so far: most 2025 and 2026 Foresters on dealer lots right now are still new-vehicle inventory, not trade-ins, since the generation is barely a year old. That thin used supply is worth knowing before you shop: a clean, fairly priced used 2025 or 2026 Forester may not sit on a lot long. Routine maintenance costs should track close to the outgoing 5th generation's, since the Boxer engine architecture and CVT design are evolutionary rather than new; the Hybrid adds hybrid-system-specific service items (battery coolant, inverter checks) on top of the standard schedule, which most independent shops aren't yet equipped to handle on a car this new, so factor in dealer-only service for at least the first few years.

FAQ

Is the 2025 Subaru Forester reliable? It's too new for long-term data, but it's had four factory-side recalls (wheels, child seat anchors) plus a fuel-cap fire notice on Hybrid models. The core Boxer engine and AWD system carry a strong reputation; the manufacturing quality control on this specific launch has been rockier than usual.

What's different about the Subaru Forester Hybrid? It's the first Forester Hybrid ever sold in the US: a 194-hp series-parallel system rated at 35 mpg combined versus 29 for the gas engine. It costs roughly $3,000-$5,000 more than the equivalent gas trim depending on year and package.

Is the 2025 Forester Wilderness the same as the 2026 Wilderness? No. The 2025 Wilderness carries over the outgoing 5th-generation platform and suspension. The 2026 Wilderness is redesigned onto the new platform with more ground clearance, wider all-terrain tires, and a higher tow rating.

How many recalls does the 2025 Subaru Forester have? Two confirmed through NHTSA's per-vehicle database: wheel lug seating (WRB-25) and child seat anchor bolts (WRC-25). Forester Hybrid models are also subject to a separate 2026 fuel filler cap fire-risk notice; ask your dealer directly about that one.

Should I buy a 2025 or wait for a 2026 Forester? If you want the Wilderness trim, the 2026 is the meaningfully better vehicle since it's on the redesigned platform. For gas or Hybrid trims outside Wilderness, the differences are smaller: mostly which recalls have been issued and completed on the specific car in front of you.

Bottom Line

This generation is too young for a confident "buy this year, skip that one" verdict the way a five-year-old car would get. What you can control is recall completion: run every VIN through a recall check before you commit, and ask Hybrid sellers directly about the fuel filler cap fix since it isn't showing up in standard recall lookups yet. The gas-powered Premium and Limited trims are the safest bet if you want proven Boxer reliability with the new platform's ride improvements; the Hybrid is the one to research hardest before you buy. CarScout members can track price drops on specific Forester trims and model years at usecarscout.com.

Data sourced from NHTSA recalls and complaint data via CarScout's market intelligence pipeline, EPA fuel economy data, Subaru's own press materials and recall filings, and owner-reported experiences from subaruforester.org, thesubaruforums.com, and Consumer Reports owner surveys. See the full Subaru Forester market data for pricing and inventory.