For families, the open road isn’t just about getting from point A to point B; it’s about the journey itself, where the car transforms into a cozy haven and a key player in making precious memories. When we think about those unforgettable family road trips, the top priorities are always dependability, comfort, and safety. This brings us to the crucial question: does the brand-new 2025 Subaru Forester truly meet these high expectations, especially for those extended drives that define a memorable family adventure?
This in-depth article aims to provide a thorough, unbiased evaluation of the 2025 Subaru Forester, drawing on real-world driving experiences and comprehensive reliability data. Our goal is to arm consumers with practical information, helping them make informed purchasing decisions based on real-world usage and overall value. We delve into specific aspects of the Forester’s design and performance, assessing its strengths and weaknesses through the lens of family travel, from cross-country hauls to mountain escapes.
Over the past two months, one driver covered roughly 11,000 miles, providing extensive seat time to reacquaint with a Forester Sport model, including a significant 1,190-mile round trip from Long Beach, California, to Truckee, near Lake Tahoe. This journey, cutting through California’s agricultural heartland and across the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, offered ample opportunity to scrutinize the Forester’s capabilities and comfort over diverse terrains and extended periods. This firsthand account, combined with generations of reliability data, forms the bedrock of our assessment.
1. **Overall Reliability Score: A Renaissance in Modern Foresters**The 2025 Subaru Forester, representing the latest iteration of the fifth generation, stands as a testament to Subaru’s commitment to continuous improvement in reliability. Recent models, specifically from 2020-2025, have achieved impressive scores from leading consumer advocacy groups, signaling a significant turnaround from some of the challenges faced by earlier generations.
J.D. Power awarded the 2025 Forester an 83/100 reliability score, placing it firmly in the “above-average” category and highlighting strong dealer service ratings. Similarly, Consumer Reports rated the 2025 models at 82/100, commending them for high marks in safety, visibility, and fuel economy. These scores collectively suggest that the current Forester is a highly reliable vehicle, designed to provide years of trouble-free service, especially when compared to its predecessors.
The impressive reliability we see now is thanks to significant upgrades in the fifth generation, which kicked off in 2019, including direct fuel injection, updated CVT tuning, and better sound dampening. Even with a few minor lingering issues like wear on the lower control arm bushings, batteries draining too quickly, and TPMS sensor problems, these don’t overshadow the vehicle’s overall strong performance and high reliability ratings. In fact, the 2020-2025 models are widely considered the most dependable Foresters ever produced, offering families the peace of mind they need for those long hauls.
2. **Forester’s Longevity and Strategic Maintenance for Extended Family Adventures**Beyond initial reliability, a vehicle’s longevity is a critical factor for families who intend to keep their SUV for many years, seeing it through countless soccer practices, school runs, and, of course, those ambitious cross-country vacations. With proper and diligent maintenance, Subaru Foresters are well-regarded for their potential to last 200,000 miles or even more, a significant threshold for family vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports fewer complaints about Foresters when compared to many of its popular competitors, reinforcing its reputation for enduring service. This long lifespan is not an accident but a direct result of design improvements and, crucially, consistent adherence to the recommended maintenance schedule. Reddit users often share experiences of trouble-free ownership, with 2016-2018 models frequently exceeding 200,000 miles, underscoring the real-world durability potential.
The key to unlocking this impressive longevity lies in strict adherence to maintenance. Essential practices include oil changes every 6,000 miles, or even sooner for older models with known oil consumption tendencies. For models equipped with the continuously variable transmission (CVT), regular CVT fluid changes every 60,000 miles are paramount, dispelling the “lifetime fluid” myth. Older models with timing belts also require replacement at around 105,000 miles, and modern Foresters benefit from regular software updates for infotainment and ECU systems. By following these guidelines, families can reasonably expect their Forester to serve them reliably for a very long time.
3. **Highway Driving Experience: Addressing the Road Noise Challenge**While the 2025 Forester brings many improvements, the driving experience on long highway stretches reveals one particular area that could impact family trip comfort: road noise. The experience on Interstate 5 and California 99, a mostly straight and featureless highway through California’s agricultural corridor, highlighted this issue significantly. On anything less than pool-table-smooth asphalt, the Forester gets uncomfortably loud at highway speeds.
Despite Subaru’s stated efforts to enhance noise insulation and make the glass-heavy Forester quieter and more comfortable for long days behind the wheel, the reality on certain road surfaces falls short for some drivers. At a price point of $41,295, the Forester isn’t expected to offer the sound isolation of a luxury vehicle, but the constant cacophony on less-than-perfect roads was noted as a persistent drone that made one wish for earplugs as the miles ticked away. This could be a significant factor for families undertaking very long drives, especially with young children who might be sensitive to sustained noise levels.
However, it is worth noting that some owner reviews contradict this, with one driver stating, “Haven’t driven in a windstorm, but so far it’s quiet on both the freeway and streets. I don’t have to yell to have a conversation driving on freeway.” This disparity suggests that road surface quality, individual sensitivity, or even specific trim levels (Sport vs. Premium, for example, or tire choices) might influence the perception of highway noise. Despite these mixed experiences, it remains a point of consideration for potential buyers prioritizing a ‘bank vault’ level of quiet for extensive road trips.
4. **Engine Performance for Mountain Driving: A Practical Assessment**Family trips often involve diverse terrains, and for many, that includes mountain passes and hilly landscapes. The 2025 Forester is equipped with Subaru’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine, delivering 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. While this powertrain is perfectly adequate for most daily driving, its performance on steep grades, particularly when loaded with passengers and gear, warrants a practical assessment.
During the ascent towards Truckee and later across Tioga Pass through Yosemite National Park, the Forester’s modest power output became noticeable. While maintaining decent speeds was possible when traffic was clear, challenges arose when stuck behind slow-moving semi-trucks. Accelerating from 55 mph to pass quickly required the engine to give “absolutely everything it had,” and the loud noise from the continuously variable transmission (CVT) became prominent. Switching into Sport mode did help by reducing the CVT’s elastic feel and holding revs longer, but it didn’t add significant meaningful speed to the maneuver, leaving a desire for more rapid acceleration in demanding situations.
While the Forester’s power delivery is typical for a Subaru – not overwhelmingly fast but perfectly adequate for highway speeds – it means you won’t be a traffic hazard. However, making quick overtakes on winding, two-lane roads might require a bit more planning, and if you’re used to more powerful engines, you might find it a little lacking on steep mountain passes or when carrying a heavy load. The lack of engine choices, including no hybrid option, puts it at a disadvantage compared to competitors like the RAV4 and CR-V.
5. **EyeSight Driver Assist Features: Enhancing Safety on the Long Haul**For family road trips, safety systems are paramount, and Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist features are a significant selling point for the 2025 Forester. These systems are designed to offer confidence-inspiring operation, contributing significantly to driver and passenger safety over long distances. The updated EyeSight safety systems are part of the enhanced features introduced in the fifth generation of the Forester.
The driver spent some time using the range-sensing cruise control on the featureless Interstate 5. While the system “worked as advertised,” the aggressive driving habits of other motorists in California meant that small gaps opening between the Forester and the car ahead were quickly filled. This forced the system to slow dramatically, creating a cycle where the Forester was repeatedly overtaken. This experience suggests that while EyeSight functions correctly, real-world traffic conditions can sometimes make its automatic adjustments less fluid than a human driver’s.
Beyond adaptive cruise control, the Forester comes standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features including lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. These systems collectively contribute to a safer driving environment by actively helping to prevent collisions and reduce driver fatigue, especially on extended drives. Owners praise the EyeSight system, with one stating that their “2022 model’s EyeSight system has saved me from multiple accidents,” underscoring its real-world effectiveness. Despite the minor annoyance with cruise control in aggressive traffic, the overall package of EyeSight features makes the Forester a highly secure choice for families.
6. **Real-World Fuel Economy: Managing Trip Budgets**Fuel economy is a crucial consideration for any family embarking on a road trip, directly impacting the overall budget and frequency of stops. Subaru claims the 2025 Forester can achieve 32 mpg on the highway, a figure that provides a benchmark for expectations. The real-world experience during the lengthy journey to Truckee offered a practical insight into how the Forester performs under typical road trip conditions.
After the first 365-mile stretch, which involved pushing hard with only brief stops, the Forester averaged approximately 27 mpg. While this figure falls short of the manufacturer’s claimed 32 mpg, it is still a respectable showing, especially when considering the overall average of 24.1 mpg prior to the trip. The final leg of the journey, covering the last tank, saw the trip computer estimate an impressive 470-mile range, indicating that with mindful driving, the Forester can indeed be quite efficient.
This real-world performance suggests that while the Forester may not consistently hit its optimal highway rating, it delivers solid fuel economy that helps manage trip budgets effectively. For families, fewer stops at the gas station translate to more uninterrupted travel time and potentially lower overall travel costs. The anticipated 2025 Forester Hybrid, which promises improved fuel economy without compromising the model’s off-road capability, could further enhance this aspect for environmentally-focused buyers or those prioritizing even greater efficiency.
