Subaru Improves Hybrid For 2025 Crosstrek And Forester

Subaru has introduced a new hybrid powertrain for the Japanese market Crosstrek subcompact crossover, and all indications suggest that it may soon find its way under the hood of the US-market 2025 Crosstrek and likely (for the first time) the larger Forester compact crossover. This would be a welcomed arrival, as Subaru’s hybrid offerings have historically come up a bit short regarding technology and efficiency.

Automotive enthusiasts recall that the first-generation Crosstrek Hybrid was fitted with a gasoline-fed 2.0-liter Boxer flat-4 engine with an electric motor integrated into its continuously variable transmission (CVT). Electrical energy from braking regeneration was stored in a tiny 0.6-kWh battery pack. Its EPA ratings were a modest 29 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined—about a 3 mpg improvement overall.

The second-generation Subaru hybrid was a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with two motor/generator units, still working with a combustion-powered 2.0-liter Boxer flat-4 engine. Subaru fitted an 8.8 kWh battery pack, optimistically delivering 17 miles of pure-EV driving. In terms of EPA ratings, it earned a rating of 35 mpg and 90 mpg-e combined—most consumers didn’t think that was impressive enough to justify its $36,000 sticker price.

The Japanese market has been introduced to the third-generation Crosstrek Hybrid, and it looks great on paper. First, it’s not going to be a PHEV. Subaru studied owner behavior and realized they weren’t using the plug-in capability, so they dropped it. They also realized that they needed to offer more power. On that note, gone is the lethargic 2.0-liter Boxer flat-4. Now, Subaru is utilizing a more powerful 2.5-liter Boxer flat-4 engine that develops 160 hp and 154 lb-ft of torque. The engineers mated it to a planetary CVT with a pair of motor/generator units (the electric traction motor delivers 118 hp on electrons). Energy storage comes from a 1.1 kWh battery pack.

The new configuration is called a strong-hybrid system because it is a series-parallel system that propels the vehicle with either the combustion engine or the electric motor—depending on the driver’s needs (throttle position) and the driving situation. It’s similar to the system found in the Toyota Prius. (Remember, Toyota owns 20 percent of Subaru, and the two companies frequently collaborate on EV technology.)

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The driveline will be all-wheel-drive, part of Subaru’s long-standing DNA. But instead of running the rear wheels with an electric motor, which has become almost industry standard for simplicity (and cost), the Crosstrek uses a conventional coupling in its transaxle, so it has a traditional all-wheel-drive system.

As an added benefit, Subaru bumped up the fuel tank's capacity—from 13.2 gallons to 16.6 gallons, mirroring the non-hybrid model. The company is promising a 20 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and backing that with a claim that the Crosstrek Hybrid can drive more than 621 miles on a single tank of fuel.

If Subaru can deliver all it promises with its third-generation hybrid powertrain and fit it to the US-bound Crosstrek and Forester, that’s something to be excited about. Stay tuned as we learn more over the next several months.