Latest news with #Foresters
Miami Herald
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Subaru Is Making a Huge Bet on the Forester to Navigate Trump Tariffs
Japanese automaker Subaru is resting on its bestseller, the Forester crossover SUV, to be its north star as it navigates the rough seas caused by the Trump administration's heavy automotive tariffs. According to a new report by Nikkei Asia, Subaru hopes the new Forester SUV will help cushion the blow from steep tariffs and keep its footing in its most important market. At the company's annual shareholder meeting in Tokyo this week, Subaru President Atsushi Osaki made it clear that Subaru will stay committed to its stateside customers. "We'll overcome this by maintaining the U.S. as our main market and balancing it with Japan and Canada," Subaru President Atsushi Osaki said at the automaker's annual shareholder meeting on June 25. To say that Subaru depends on the United States auto market to survive would be an understatement. According to its figures, more than 70% of Subaru's global sales are in the United States-far more than its Japanese automaking rivals like Honda and Toyota. In fiscal 2024, Subaru sold 662,000 vehicles in the U.S., or 71% of its total global sales of 936,000. Despite this, Subaru's manufacturing situation leaves it vulnerable to Trump's tariffs. Roughly half of Subarus sold in the States are Japanese imports, which means they're now subject to the 25% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration earlier this year. Subaru estimates those tariffs could cost the company $2.5 billion if they do not work proactively, making its $2.79 billion operating profit from the 2024-2025 fiscal year useless. However, the atmosphere around the shareholder meeting suggested that Subaru would heavily rely on the Forester as a savior for the marque. The latest version of the brand's most popular SUV first went on sale in the U.S. in 2024 with a purely gasoline version, followed by a Toyota-developed hybrid model released earlier this year. Demand is already strong. According to figures from Subaru of America, 15,434 Foresters moved off dealer lots and into the driveways of new owners in May 2025. As of last month, 84,629 Foresters had been sold since the start of this year, a 3.5% year-over-year increase. In addition, Osaki noted that strong Forester sales in Japan could reduce the impact of U.S. tariffs. "The new Forester is performing extremely well," Osaki said. He also added that the hybrid version was selling beyond its expectations. To help further cushion its tariff impact, Subaru plans to ramp up production in its U.S. factory in Indiana, its only overseas plant that makes finished cars. Starting this fall, Subaru will invest 40 billion yen (~$277 million) to begin producing the new Forester at the plant. The factory currently churns out around 340,000 to 350,000 vehicles annually, but Osaki said it could push past 400,000 with the new investment. Still, shifting more production away from Japan caused concern among shareholders. Subaru's domestic manufacturing operations are centered in Gunma prefecture, where many of its suppliers are also based. Osaki acknowledged the dilemma, noting that boosting U.S. output is impossible without its suppliers. "It's true that it would improve our ability to deal with the tariffs, but it would be would be difficult without cooperation from all of our suppliers," Osaki said in response to shareholder questions. "We need to think about this comprehensively." Subaru itself is in a precarious position. Last month, it informed dealers that price increases would add an additional $750 and $2,055 to the cost of vehicles, depending on the model and trim. Specifically, Forester buyers got a price hike between $1,075 and $1,600, depending on trim, while Crosstrek and Impreza buyers got hit by a $750 price bump. At the time, Subaru did not explicitly cite the tariffs as the reason behind the price bumps but noted that they are a response to "current market conditions." "The changes were made to offset increased costs while maintaining a solid value proposition for the customer. Subaru pricing is not based on the country of origin of its products," it said. Fast-forward to now, it seems that Subaru is proactive in recognizing what is working and what is not, though it is tough to tell what the tariff picture will be. According to a new report by Bloomberg, Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is on his way to Washington, D.C., to hold his seventh round of trade negotiations with his American counterparts. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
View Exterior Photos of the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid
Read the full review The Subaru Forester gains a hybrid powertrain for the first time ever. The Forester Hybrid combines a 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine and two motor-generators. Total output is 194 horsepower, 14 more than the regular Forester, but the hybrid is also about 300 pounds heavier. As with other Foresters, all-wheel drive is standard. The Forester Hybrid has 8.7 inches of ground clearance. EPA combined fuel economy is 35 mpg, which is 6–7 mpg better than the standard Forester. The Forester Hybrid skips the base trim level. Pricing starts at $36,415 for the Premium and tops out at $43,115 for the Touring, which is roughly $1400 more than equivalent nonhybrid models. Keep scrolling to see more pictures of the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council criticised for spending £50k on ecologist
The former leader of a council has criticised the authority's decision to spend £50,000 on hiring an ecologist "responsible for the ocean". Forest of Dean District Council plans to recruit an "oceans officer", with the Green leadership saying the post will help protect the "precious" environment in the Severn and Wye rivers. But former council leader, Tim Gwilliam, who represents the Progressive Independent party, has criticised the decision to spend money on something he does not believe to be the council's responsibility. Current leader, Adrian Birch, said the plans had been progressed correctly with "clear support" from the council. The council approved its budget in February, which included an agreement to allocate £50,000 for an ecologist to help deliver the council's rivers and oceans motion, to tackle pollution. "I'm sure Foresters in their ocean-fronted homes in Bream and Bicknor will be well pleased," said Gwilliam. "I noted with some irony that the cabinet member said when asked about possibly funding libraries or road improvements that were not Forest of Dean District Council responsibility at the very same time he and his cabinet were committing to spend tens of thousands of pounds on an oceans officer," he added. The Severn is identified as the worst river in England for sewage pollution, jeopardising ecological, economic, and recreational activity and human health, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Green councillors said the rivers are being polluted by farm and sewage run-off, affecting salmon and eel populations. They also raised the issue of plastic polluting the ocean. Birch said questions over the role had been repeatedly answered. "There is clearly more we can do to work alongside others to protect our precious river environment, but we cannot do this without the necessary additional resource," he said. "We will now be progressing this important work and recruiting to this post. We sincerely hope that all elected members will now get behind us and support this initiative." Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Gloucestershire faces decision on 'super council' Thousands to see council tax go up in Gloucestershire New role to help bring life back into market towns Talks underway to decide if county should split in two Fly-tipping fines more than double in new measures Forest of Dean District Council
Associated Press
10-02-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
NEW 2025 SUBARU FORESTER NAMED PARENTS BEST CROSSOVER
Subaru Forester named Best Crossover by expert panel Forester noted for safety, versatility, and value Sixth-generation Forester starts at $29,995 MSRP CAMDEN, N.J., Feb. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today announced the new 2025 Subaru Forester was named a winner in the 2025 PARENTS Best Family Cars Awards as Best Crossover. PARENTS Best Family Cars Awards recognizes a selection of new model vehicles with high-tech performance, safety, and convenience features across multiple categories to fit a family's specific needs, including minivans, three-row SUVs, electric vehicles, and sedans. Technology and entertainment systems were also awarded. To arrive at this year's list of honorees, PARENTS experts considered more than 180 cars from a field that aced the industry's safety tests. More than 20 winning models passed test drive standards, car seat compatibility tests, and were designated safe and efficient for families for years to come and made PARENTS list of 2025 Best Family Cars Awards. The five-seat 2025 Subaru Forester was recently named a TOP SAFETY PICK+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, its highest designation, and features a suite of standard safety features, including the award-winning EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology, Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering and Steering Responsive LED Headlights. All Foresters are equipped with Subaru's legendary Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System for enhanced capability and control. Additional available active safety features include Reverse Automatic Braking, Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Emergency Stop Assist. All 2025 Foresters have a Rear Seat Reminder that can alert drivers to check the rear seat for occupants or pets to prevent trapping them alone in the vehicle. For families busy with everyday life, the 2025 Subaru Forester features an updated, quieter interior thanks to more sound-absorbing materials, more robust welding techniques, and additional structural adhesives, including a 39% improvement in noise attenuation from the roof panel. Textured trim accents were designed to withstand the rigors of daily life, while a dark headliner was strategically intended to hide scuffs and scratches from loading gear, people, and pets into the spacious rear seat and cargo area. Behind the rear seats, the Forester holds up to 29.6 cubic feet of cargo, and when the standard 60/40-split folding rear seats are tumbled forward, the crossover holds up to 74.4 cubic feet of cargo. For more information about the new 2025 Subaru Forester, visit About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of about 640 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants, including Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $320 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged over 100,000 volunteer hours. Subaru is dedicated to being More Than a Car Company® and to making the world a better place. For additional information, visit Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. 856.488.8615 Aaron Cole Product Communications Manager 720.231.0809 [email protected] Miranda Jimenez Product Communications Specialist 949.394.3460
