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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2025 Subaru Forester is associated with 90 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Other / Uncategorized, accounting for 14 reports (16% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5L 4-Cyl hybrid and 2.5l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 26 to 35 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 90 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Other / Uncategorized (14 / 16%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 11 crash / 2 fire / 6 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 26–35 MPG across 4 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2025 Subaru Forester?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Forester Hybrid AWD Hybrid 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S6) 35 MPG 34 MPG 35 MPG — $1,750 / yr
Forester AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) 26 MPG 33 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
Forester Sport/Touring AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) 25 MPG 32 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Forester Wilderness AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S8) 25 MPG 28 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2025 Subaru Forester?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV AWD 17.4%
HYBRID SUV AWD 17.4%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2025 Subaru Forester models.
View complete 2025 Subaru Forester crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2025 Subaru Forester?

Summary of 90 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
90
Crash Reports
11
Fire Reports
2
Complaints w/ Injury
6
Total Injuries
6

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Visibility & Wipers 10 complaints
Visibility / Glass 7 complaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 6 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance 6 complaints (1 crash)
Fuel & Propulsion System 5 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2025 Subaru Forester problems & component breakdown (34 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2025 Subaru Forester?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #26V106000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

Defect Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek hybrid, and 2025 Forester hybrid vehicles. When the fuel tank is near full capacity, an increase in ambient temperature may cause the fuel to expand and spill out of the filler neck due to an insufficient seal on the fuel cap.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures, and to limit the fuel level to 50% until the remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the fuel filler cap gasket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 16, 2026.
NHTSA Campaign #26V436000 Active Recall
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Defect Summary: 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."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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 are expected to be mailed August 25, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.
NHTSA Campaign #25V419000 Active Recall
Affected Component: CHILD SEAT

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2025 Subaru Forester recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2025 Subaru Forester

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2025 Subaru Forester

How many safety recalls does the 2025 Subaru Forester have?

The 2025 Subaru Forester is associated with 4 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2025 Subaru Forester?

NHTSA records list 90 consumer defect complaints for the 2025 Subaru Forester. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Other / Uncategorized, appearing in 14 filings (16% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2025 Subaru Forester?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2025 Subaru Forester earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2025 Subaru Forester get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2025 Subaru Forester range from 26 to 35 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.