Subaru’s latest crossover isn’t pretty and doesn’t even look that new
November 10, 2023 at 16:01
The Los Angeles Auto Show is upon us and Mitsubishi will use the event to unveil the 2014 Outlander. Nope, sorry about that, it’s actually the 2025 Subaru Forester and good golly, it’s rough.
We’re going to avoid posting the pictures ourselves, as they appear to have been taken by someone who passed through Subaru’s stellar vetting process, but the images have made their way to Reddit, Imgur, and social media.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s dive in and look at the latest victim of Subaru’s ugly stick. The front end is fairly evolutionary as it sports a wider grille that is flanked by new headlights. The latter now have a ‘bar’ that flows through them, helping to emphasize the vehicle’s width.
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Moving further back, we can see plastic body cladding and angular wheel arches that echo those found on the WRX. They’re joined by uninspired bodywork and a pronounced shoulder line that blends into the D-pillar. The latter features “Symmetrical AWD” badging which looks out of place, but it might distract people from the miles of front overhang.
Out back, designers phoned it in by cribbing from the aforementioned Outlander. However, they couldn’t leave well enough alone so they decided, inexplicably, to create one of the ugliest exhaust treatments known to man. Despite only having a single tip, designers made a ‘fake’ cut out for the other side to mimic a dual exhaust system. However, instead of looking sporty, it looks like a blank button plate you’d typically find in the cabin of an entry-level variant.
Speaking of the interior, it’s the star of the show as we can see black leather with contrasting brown or bronze accents. They’re joined by a cool geometric pattern on the passenger side dashboard.
Outgoing Forester
Despite looking like a range-topping variant, the Forester has analog gauges and a small multi-information display. That’s disappointing, but fitting given the car looks like it’s over a decade old.
Elsewhere, there’s an infotainment system that appears to be shared with the Impreza. If that’s the case, we can expect the screen to measure 11.6 inches.
Under the hood, there will be an engine or two, but buyers likely won’t care. That being said, it’s a Subaru so that means AWD, CVT, and not enough HP. Of course, we’ll find out full details on November 16.