11/12/2025
SUBARU · Cars&TechSG Reviews
Subaru
Car Reviews
Subaru does things its own way: flat boxer engines that sit low in the body, Symmetrical all-wheel drive on every model, and EyeSight driver assistance watching the road ahead. The result is an SUV that feels planted rather than flashy.
At Cars&TechSG we've driven two generations of the Forester on local roads — the 2.0-litre e-Boxer mild hybrid, and the newer 2.5-litre Strong Hybrid with its much larger electric motor. Every review is honest, and aimed at buyers who want the real picture before they commit.
AWDSymmetrical, standard
1,655LMax boot · Strong Hybrid
13.1km/L · Strong Hybrid
4.0EyeSight generation
SUBARU2 Reviewed
Models We've Tested
Two generations of Forester hybrid, driven on local roads.
New · Strong Hybrid
⛽⚡ Hybrid SUV · 2.5L e-BOXER
Forester Strong Hybrid
9.4s0–100
13.1km/L
484LBoot
162bhp engine + 120bhp motor (276Nm) · Symmetrical AWD · 11.6" portrait screen · Harman Kardon · EyeSight 4.0
Read the review
e-Boxer
⛽⚡ Mild Hybrid SUV · 2.0L Boxer
Forester e-Boxer Hybrid
148bhp
11.8s0–100
520LBoot
194Nm · AWD · 9.6L/100km · up to 392km range · 8" screen · EyeSight, X-MODE, SI-DRIVE
Read the review
Forester: Then vs Now
The e-Boxer mild hybrid against the 2025 Strong Hybrid. Swipe the table on mobile.
| Spec | Forester e-Boxer | Forester Strong Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid system | 2.0L boxer + mild hybrid | 2.5L e-BOXER Strong Hybrid |
| Engine output | 148bhp · 194Nm | 162bhp · 209Nm |
| Electric motor | Mild hybrid assist | 120bhp · 276Nm |
| 0–100km/h | 11.8s | 9.4s |
| Fuel economy | 10.4km/L (9.6L/100km) | 13.1km/L |
| Drivetrain | AWD | Symmetrical AWD |
| Boot | 520L | 484L (~1,655L folded) |
| Main screen | 8" | 11.6" portrait |
| Audio | Standard system | Harman Kardon |
| Driver assist | EyeSight | EyeSight 4.0 |
| COE | Cat B | Cat B |
| Road tax / year | $1,206 | $1,796 |
Gold marks the stronger figure in each row. Fuel economy is from our media drives — the e-Boxer's 9.6L/100km works out to about 10.4km/L.
The Subaru Difference
Three things you get on every Forester we've tested.
Boxer Engine
Cylinders lie flat and opposed instead of upright, keeping weight low in the body and the car settled through corners.
Symmetrical AWD
All-wheel drive comes standard, laid out evenly left to right for balanced traction in the wet — useful all year here.
EyeSight Assistance
Version 4.0 on the 2025 car adds lane centering, emergency steering, blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from buyers researching Subaru — answered from real driving experience.
What's the difference between Subaru's e-Boxer mild hybrid and the Strong Hybrid?
The e-Boxer Forester we tested pairs a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated boxer engine with a small mild-hybrid motor for 148bhp and 194Nm, reaching 100km/h in 11.8s. The 2025 Forester Strong Hybrid uses a bigger 2.5-litre e-BOXER setup: a 121kW (162bhp) petrol engine with 209Nm, working alongside a 90kW (120bhp) electric motor that alone makes 276Nm, through a Hybrid Lineartronic CVT. It's quicker at 9.4s to 100km/h and more efficient too, returning 13.1km/L on our media drive against the e-Boxer's 9.6L/100km (about 10.4km/L).
What is Symmetrical AWD and a boxer engine?
They're Subaru's two signatures. A boxer engine lays its cylinders flat and opposed rather than upright, which lowers the car's centre of gravity. Symmetrical AWD then sends drive to all four wheels along a layout that's balanced left to right. The combination is why Subarus tend to feel planted and predictable, and both Foresters we tested use it.
What does Subaru EyeSight 4.0 include?
On the 2025 Forester Strong Hybrid, EyeSight 4.0 bundles pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane centering, autonomous emergency steering, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a 360-degree camera. The earlier e-Boxer Forester has an older EyeSight generation covering adaptive cruise, lane keep and pre-collision braking, plus X-MODE and SI-DRIVE for rougher going.
Which Forester is more practical?
The e-Boxer has the marginally bigger boot at 520L against the Strong Hybrid's 484L. The 2025 car claws it back with the seats down, opening up to around 1,655L, and it moves to an 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen with a Harman Kardon system, where the older car makes do with an 8-inch screen.
What do the two Foresters cost to run?
Road tax is $1,206 a year for the e-Boxer and $1,796 for the 2025 Strong Hybrid, but the newer car claws some of that back at the pump: 13.1km/L on our media drive against the e-Boxer's 9.6L/100km, or roughly 10.4km/L. The e-Boxer quotes up to 392km of range on a tank (380km on our media drive). At the time of that review it was around S$175,000 depending on COE.
Are Subarus Cat A or Cat B cars?
Both Foresters we've tested are Cat B. The 2025 Strong Hybrid's review lists Category B, and the e-Boxer's 1,995cc engine is above the 1,600cc ceiling for Cat A.
