2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs 2025 Subaru Forester

The 2025 Subaru Forester underwent a noticeable visual transformation, focusing on a more generic design while maintaining its function-first approach. The exterior featured standard roof rails and 17-inch alloy wheels, with higher trims offering larger wheels and distinctive accents. The Forester Sport, for instance, showcased bronze trim accents and 19-inch wheels, while the Touring trim included a low-profile roof rack and chrome badging. Inside, the Forester introduced a more intentional design with structural dash elements and various upholstery options, including the easy-to-clean StarTex material in the Sport trim. The cabin's overall look was more refined, with genuine leather seating surfaces available in higher trims.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 retained its distinctive retro-inspired appearance, with minor updates to the lower front fascia and new wheel designs. The XRT trim stood out with red tow hooks, black plastic bumper cladding, and a digital camouflage pattern. The Ioniq 5's color palette expanded, offering exclusive colors for the XRT and new options for other trims. Inside, the Ioniq 5 maintained its open and modern feel, with a revised center console for improved functionality. The XRT trim featured a dark interior with all-weather floor mats and debossed logos, while the overall cabin remained minimalistic and uncluttered.

The 2025 Subaru Forester featured a 2.5-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine, producing 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain was paired with a Lineartonic CVT and Subaru's Symmetrical AWD system, providing a stable and confident driving experience. The Forester's X-Mode system, standard from the Premium trim, enhanced stability and traction on challenging terrain. The Sport and higher trims offered a dual-function version of X-Mode. Despite its improvements, the Forester's acceleration remained modest, but its steering was smooth and fluid. Fuel economy was rated at 26 mpg city, 33 highway, and 29 combined, with slight variations for Sport and Touring trims.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 offered a range of powertrain options, with RWD models producing 168 to 225 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, depending on the battery choice. AWD models featured dual motors, delivering 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. The Ioniq 5's battery capacity increased for 2025, resulting in longer ranges: up to 318 miles for RWD models and 259 miles for the AWD-only XRT. The Ioniq 5's Terrain Mode button allowed easy access to drive modes like Snow, Mud, and Sand, optimizing performance on various surfaces. The XRT trim handled off-road conditions well, with regenerative braking enhancing control.

The 2025 Subaru Forester introduced a hands-free power liftgate, available from the Sport trim and foot-activated on the Limited. The rear glass's vertical angle increased cargo space slightly, measuring 29.6 cubic feet with rear seats up and 74.4 cubic feet with them folded. The Forester's cargo area included eight heavy-duty hooks, and the roomy second row contributed to its competitive interior space. The Premium trim offered a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, with additional features like heated seats and driver’s seat memory available in higher trims.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 addressed previous complaints by adding a rear windshield wiper. The interior featured a movable center console with fore-and-aft cupholders and a wireless charging pad. Heated front seats were standard, with additional features like a heated steering wheel and front seat ventilation available in higher trims. Interior dimensions remained unchanged, with generous head and legroom. Cargo space measured 26.3 cubic feet with rear seats up and 58.5 cubic feet with them folded, plus a small frunk. The Ioniq 5's transition to the NACS charging system allowed access to Tesla's Supercharger network, enhancing its charging capabilities.

The 2025 Subaru Forester introduced an 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus infotainment system, standard on all but the base trim, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base trim retained two 7-inch touchscreens with wired smartphone projection. Higher trims offered additional features like dual USB ports, a wireless charging pad, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. The Touring trim included a navigation system with voice activation and an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, available as an option on Sport and Limited trims. Subaru's Starlink connected services suite expanded with new capabilities for 2025.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 maintained its dual 12.3-inch screens for infotainment and digital instrumentation, with improved functionality and faster processing speeds. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto became standard, and the Bose Premium Audio system was available on the XRT and Limited trims. The SE and SEL trims featured a six-speaker sound system, with standard navigation, dynamic voice recognition, and multiple USB-C ports. The Ioniq 5's head-up display was exclusive to the Limited trim, and a wireless charging pad was available from the SEL trim.

The 2025 Subaru Forester offered a new safety feature, Emergency Stop Assist, available on the Touring trim. This feature worked with adaptive cruise control to stop the vehicle and notify emergency services if the driver became unresponsive. The Forester's EyeSight suite of advanced driver-assistance technology was standard, with enhancements like a wider field of view and an electric brake booster. The 2025 Forester had not yet been crash-tested, but the 2024 model received high safety ratings, suggesting similar expectations for the new model.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 continued to receive high safety ratings, with a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. New standard safety features included an enhanced driver attention system, reverse and forward parking-distance warning, and additional monitors on higher trims. Highway Driving Assist 1 and 2 were available, with the latter offering lane-changing capability and machine learning. The Ioniq 5 SE trim no longer included blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, but it retained blind-spot collision warning.