The Subaru Forester is a versatile vehicle and worth considering, but there are cheaper alternatives. Here are four models to take a look at.
The Subaru Forester has been one of the most popular models in their lineup. It was launched back in 1998 and since then has been the go-to family crossover for those who want a practical family SUV which is also pretty capable off-road due to its symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. The Forester is not just popular with families but has also been the go-to vehicle for enthusiasts over the years.
Subaru recently updated the model, and the 2025 Subaru Forester starts from $29,995. The base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter boxer-four engine, which produces 180 bhp and 178 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), and the AWD comes as standard on all the trim levels. Subaru also released a new hybrid version which starts from $36,595 and has the same boxer-four engine, but it produces 194 bhp and 199 lb-ft of torque.
Subaru also offers its Eyesight driver assist technology as standard on all the trim levels. All decked out, the Subaru Forester Touring versions cost $41,595 for the non-hybrid and $43,295 for the hybrid. While the Forester ticks quite a few boxes for many families, there are quite a few cheaper alternatives and in some ways are better in terms of overall quality and the amount of features that they offer as standard.2025 Mazda CX-5
The Mazda CX-5 with a starting price of $28,770 comes in just around a thousand dollars cheaper than the Forester. The CX-5 is one of the more premium crossovers in this segment. The CX-5 comes with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-four cylinder engine, which produces 187 bhp and 186 lb-ft of torque. For those who want more power, there is a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine as well, which produces 227 bhp and 320 lb-ft of power. But the turbo variants start from $37,200. Both the engines come paired with a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
The CX-5 also comes with i-ACTIV AWD as standard, and it also gets most of the driver assistance features as standard. In terms of tech, the Mazda is loaded much better as well and gets a 10.
