It’s true that Subaru’s lineup was hybrid-free in 2024, but that allowed the company to finish development on the new hybrid powertrain for the also-new 2025 Subaru Forester. And it’s a good thing, too, since Americans can’t get enough of hybrid cars nowadays. The Forester debuted earlier this year, and it’s doing much more than just keeping up with the Joneses.
Subaru supports its active branding with a hybrid setup that’s specifically engineered to work without any loss of trail-friendly capability. According to our own Andy Kalmowitz, it’s an impressive effort that delivers noticeably better off-road performance than the hybrid versions of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. There is a bit of an efficiency tradeoff, though, especially compared to the Toyota. The Forester Hybrid puts up an efficiency line of 35/34/35, with the RAV4 checking in at 41/38/39.
Part of the reason for both differences is the way Subaru has implemented its hybrid system. More street-focused SUVs, like that RAV4, power the rear wheels of their all-wheel-drive systems only as needed and only with an electric motor; the gas engine and another electric motor power the front wheels. The Forester, on the other hand, maintains Subaru’s always-on all-wheel drive by having the engine and an electric motor powering both axles. In addition, the same holds true for the second Subaru hybrid of 2025.
What happened to the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid?
The new Forester is the first of a new wave of hybrid offerings from the brand, but it’s hardly the brand’s first hybrid. Nor is the Forester the second Subaru hybrid. The same SUV holds those two titles, although in two slightly different flavors. First was the 2014-2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid, and then Subaru tried again, but only with a plug-in setup, in the 2019-2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid. Neither exactly connected with drivers: The former didn’t provide much in the way of efficiency gains, and the latter was hampered by the hassle of having to plug in for a relatively limited EV range of 17 miles (on top of a gas range of more than 460 miles). It was only sold in a limited number of states, too.
But now comes the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, scheduled to drop along with the leaves this autumn. Like the ’25 Forester, the ’26 Crosstrek will appeal to the brand’s loyal following with all the typical electronics and deluxe features as its competitors, including EyeSight driver-assistance tech, and complement those goodies with Subaru’s next-gen hybrid setup. So, it should also out-perform rivals with electric-only AWD, like the Toyota Corolla Cross.
Will the Subaru Outback get into the hybrid game?
We’ve already seen that the 2026 Subaru Outback gives people even more of what they want, including a fantastic interior with more space and more technology. However, a hybrid powertrain wasn’t among the options — at least not yet. But if anyone’s wondering whether that will change, the ol’ Jalopnik Magic 8 Ball says signs point to yes. There’s a good chance the Subaru Ascent may join the party as well. At that stage, is you include the Subaru Solterra EV, Subaru’s entire SUV lineup would be electrified in one way or another.
Plus, not only does it make sense from a sales perspective, but Subaru also makes it easy from an engineering perspective. Remember, nearly all the brand’s vehicles ride on the same global platform that was developed with adaptability in mind, making it simpler from the start to fit different powertrain types to the same vehicles. Subaru’s thinking actually goes back more than a decade, when the brand decided to make global auto platforms part of its plans to take over America. Which seem to be working pretty well.
