Subaru used the 2026 Chicago Auto Show to introduce the 2025 Forester hybrid, addressing a hole in the compact SUV's powertrain lineup. Later this year, the smaller 2026 Subaru Crosstrek will go on sale with the same hybrid system. And the Japanese brand is not expected to stop there.

The current plan is to make the hybrid setup an option on the Premium and Limited trim levels of the Forester and make it standard on the Touring. It is not available on the base model, and notably is missing from the off-road-focused 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness that also made its global debut in Chicago.

But wait, there's more!

Subaru is considering offering a Forester Wilderness with a hybrid, says senior vice president of marketing Alan Bethke. “I like the idea,” he tells MotorTrend. “We think people would like that,” he says of adding the hybrid to the more rugged Wilderness.

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How soon could that happen? “Pretty soon,” he says. “It would be in the not-overly distant future if Subaru were to do that. I can’t say exactly.” He would not say if it could be done in time for the launch of the 2026 Wilderness this fall. The 2026 Forester Wilderness does not go on sale until late summer, but that might be too soon. Bethke would not divulge if that is possible.

The Forester Hybrid goes on sale in April or May with a starting price of $36,415 and the ability to travel 581 miles on a tank of gas, get 35 mpg, and drive in EV only up to 19 mph. The hybrid has unique features such as a new digital display and black roof. The digital display will migrate to the 2026 Crosstrek coming this fall.

The hybrid in the Forester is different from the plug-in hybrid system with a larger battery that debuted in the Crosstrek but was dropped with the 2024 model. Bethke would not talk about the possibility of bringing back a plug-in hybrid. Like the rest of the industry, Subaru wants more clarity on regulations under the new administration in the U.S.

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Hybrids for the Subaru Outback and Ascent?

The larger Ascent and Outback do not have hybrids yet “so we’re working on plans for that,” Bethke says. The larger vehicles would need a different hybrid powertrain to couple with their larger engines and to ensure enough power for the bigger and heavier vehicles.

It will be a busy year for Subaru. A new Outback is expected to debut at the New York auto show this spring, as well as a pair of electric vehicles — including a new nameplate.

Photos by MotorTrend and manufacturer