2019 Subaru Forester (Gen 5)

Subaru Forester (2025) Price & Specs

The 2025 Subaru Forester has launched in South Africa. Here’s a look at what’s changed and how much this capable family SUV costs.

- Pricing starts from R699 000, the same as the outgoing model
- Four derivatives offered in South Africa
- New safety tech and convenience features

The Subaru Forester is now in its 6th generation and has just gone on sale in South Africa. It will be available in four trim derivatives; Field, Touring, Sport, Premium and pricing starts from R699 000, which is identical to the outgoing model.

In terms of sizing, the 2025 Subaru Forest is 4 655 mm long, 1 830 mm wide and has a height of 1 730 mm. As before, the ground clearance is impressive at 220 mm, which is higher than some dedicated off-roaders like the Suzuki Jimny. It boasts approach and departure angles of 20.4 and 25.8 degrees, respectively.

New for this model is a safety feature where the vehicle will try alert the driver by pulsing the brakes if it detects no steering inputs and if there’s no response (in the event of the driver falling asleep/medical emergency), the car will automatically come to a stop, unlock the doors and flash the hazard lights.

Also making its debut is the ability to swipe your foot under the rear bumper to open the powered tailgate. Finally, the fabled Subaru Eyesight safety system has been upgraded with a larger field of view.

Engine and Efficiency

The naturally aspirated 2.5-litre Boxer engine makes 136 kW and 247 Nm, and drives all four wheels permanently via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Subaru claims a fuel consumption figure of 7.9 L/100 km.

How much does the 2025 Subaru Forester cost in South Africa?

Forester Field R699 000
Forester Touring R740 000
Forester Sport R790 000
Forester Premium R830 000

The new Subaru Forester is sold with a 5 year/150 000 km warranty and a 3 year/75 000 km maintenance plan.

 
2025 Subaru Forester in SA: Price & Specs

Subaru South Africa has announced the release of the sixth-generation Forester. See pricing and specs below.

Subaru’s South African arm has launched the brand-new Forester, the latest iteration of the South Korean’s brand’s most popular model. With over 4.5 million units sold globally since its inception in 1997, the Forester is responsible for over 50% of Subaru’s local sales. The latest generation adds sharper styling to the firm’s adventure-focused family SUV.

Powering the latest Forester is Subaru’s familiar 2.5-litre, four-cylinder boxer engine, which produces 136 kW and 247 N.m of torque. The all-paw drivetrain is paired with the firm’s Lineartronic CVT transmission with an eight-step manual mode – the latter accessed via paddle shifters.

Up front, the new Forester sports a larger grille, revised LED headlamps, and the brand’s latest emblem. As a nod to its adventure credentials, the Forester’s wheel arches feature black plastic cladding. Roof rails are also present. The box-fresh Forester is available with the choice of 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels, depending on the variant.

2025 Subaru Forester Price in SA

The local four-strong new Forester lineup is priced from R699 000 to R830 000, which includes a five-year/150 000km warranty and a three-year/75 000km service plan as standard.

Forester 2.5i Field – R699 000
Forester 2.5i Touring – R740 000
Forester 2.5i Sport – R790 000
Forester 2.5i Premium – R830 000

www.carmag.co.za

2025 Subaru Forester in SA: Price & Specs

Subaru South Africa has announced the release of the sixth-generation Forester. See pricing and specs below...
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za
 
Review: 2025 Subaru Forester

Verdict

Folks expecting a sea change in the Forester’s makeup may walk away from the latest model feeling somewhat underwhelmed. While the tenets mentioned at the top of this piece (practical packaging, solid build, pleasing road manners and a respectable degree of off-road ability) remain intact, and there is the impression each of these tenets have been incrementally improved, the new Forester hasn’t really moved the game forward to a great degree. This will thrill died-in-the-wool Subaru fans – likely the largest buyer demographic for this car – but given the notable movements being made by its rivals (especially from the burgeoning Chinese SUV quarter), the line between consistency and complacency on Subaru’s part is becoming a little more blurred.

Subaru Forester 2.5 Premium CVT specifications
Price: R830 000
Powertrain: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, petrol
Transmission: CVT
Driven wheels: All
Power: 136 kW
Torque: 247 N.m
0-100 km/h: 9.7 seconds (claimed)
Top speed: 204 km/h (claimed)
Fuel consumption: 7.9 L/100 km (claimed)

www.carmag.co.za

Review: 2025 Subaru Forester

Subaru sticks to its guns with the sixth-generation Forester. We sample the new model in Cape Town. First impressions here...
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za
 
REVIEW: I thought the new Subaru Forester would be uninspiring. Then I drove it

VERDICT

It might seem nondescript on the surface, but spend some time with the Subaru Forester and you will surely come to appreciate its attributes. It's built like a rock, engaging to drive and oh-so practical. It's not trying to be fancy, just a good and solid SUV that's made for life.

The downside is below-average fuel economy, and at R740,000 for the 2.5i Touring (the range starts at R699,000 and rises to R830,000), it is a little on the pricey side. It’s competitive against the RAV4 and X-Trail, but you can get a whole lot more Chinese SUV for a whole lot less. None of the latter will come close to matching the Subaru’s quality, though, that I can assure you.

 
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