Subaru Forester

Transmission, start-stop, premium fuel and flex-fuel by model year, 2010–2026

TransmissionThe 2026 Subaru Forester uses a CVT in every configuration EPA tested.

Auto start-stopYes. Every 2026 Subaru Forester configuration EPA tested has auto start-stop.

Premium fuelEPA tested the 2026 Subaru Forester on regular gasoline, not premium; your owner's manual or fuel-door label is the authority.

Flex-fuel (E85)No. EPA does not list any 2026 Subaru Forester configuration as a flex-fuel vehicle (FFV).

2026 at a glance

4 configurations tested by EPA

CVTAll

4 of 4

1 hybrid eCVT

ManualNone

0 of 4

Not offered

Auto start-stopAll

4 of 4

Premium fuelNone

0 of 4

EPA test fuel

Flex-fuel (E85)None

0 of 4

No FFV versions

EPA lists a manual transmission for the Subaru Forester in these model years: 2010–2018 (9 years of data from 2010–2026).

Subaru Forester features by model year

Which Subaru Forester model years have each feature. Each cell links to that year's configurations.
	’10	’11	’12	’13	’14	’15	’16	’17	’18	’19	’20	’21	’22	’23	’24	’25	’26
CVT	2010 CVT: None	2011 CVT: None	2012 CVT: None	2013 CVT: None	2014 CVT: Some	2015 CVT: Some	2016 CVT: Some	2017 CVT: Some	2018 CVT: Some	2019 CVT: All	2020 CVT: All	2021 CVT: All	2022 CVT: All	2023 CVT: All	2024 CVT: All	2025 CVT: All	2026 CVT: All
Manual	2010 Manual: Some	2011 Manual: Some	2012 Manual: Some	2013 Manual: Some	2014 Manual: Some	2015 Manual: Some	2016 Manual: Some	2017 Manual: Some	2018 Manual: Some	2019 Manual: None	2020 Manual: None	2021 Manual: None	2022 Manual: None	2023 Manual: None	2024 Manual: None	2025 Manual: None	2026 Manual: None
Automated manual	2010 Automated manual: None	2011 Automated manual: None	2012 Automated manual: None	2013 Automated manual: None	2014 Automated manual: None	2015 Automated manual: None	2016 Automated manual: None	2017 Automated manual: None	2018 Automated manual: None	2019 Automated manual: None	2020 Automated manual: None	2021 Automated manual: None	2022 Automated manual: None	2023 Automated manual: None	2024 Automated manual: None	2025 Automated manual: None	2026 Automated manual: None
Automatic	2010 Automatic: Some	2011 Automatic: Some	2012 Automatic: Some	2013 Automatic: Some	2014 Automatic: None	2015 Automatic: None	2016 Automatic: None	2017 Automatic: None	2018 Automatic: None	2019 Automatic: None	2020 Automatic: None	2021 Automatic: None	2022 Automatic: None	2023 Automatic: None	2024 Automatic: None	2025 Automatic: None	2026 Automatic: None
Start-stop	2010 Start-stop: Not reported	2011 Start-stop: Not reported	2012 Start-stop: Not reported	2013 Start-stop: None	2014 Start-stop: None	2015 Start-stop: None	2016 Start-stop: None	2017 Start-stop: None	2018 Start-stop: None	2019 Start-stop: All	2020 Start-stop: All	2021 Start-stop: All	2022 Start-stop: All	2023 Start-stop: All	2024 Start-stop: All	2025 Start-stop: All	2026 Start-stop: All
Premium fuel	2010 Premium fuel: Some	2011 Premium fuel: Some	2012 Premium fuel: Some	2013 Premium fuel: Some	2014 Premium fuel: Some	2015 Premium fuel: Some	2016 Premium fuel: Some	2017 Premium fuel: Some	2018 Premium fuel: Some	2019 Premium fuel: None	2020 Premium fuel: None	2021 Premium fuel: None	2022 Premium fuel: None	2023 Premium fuel: None	2024 Premium fuel: None	2025 Premium fuel: None	2026 Premium fuel: None
Flex-fuel	2010 Flex-fuel: None	2011 Flex-fuel: None	2012 Flex-fuel: None	2013 Flex-fuel: None	2014 Flex-fuel: None	2015 Flex-fuel: None	2016 Flex-fuel: None	2017 Flex-fuel: None	2018 Flex-fuel: None	2019 Flex-fuel: None	2020 Flex-fuel: None	2021 Flex-fuel: None	2022 Flex-fuel: None	2023 Flex-fuel: None	2024 Flex-fuel: None	2025 Flex-fuel: None	2026 Flex-fuel: None

All configurationsSome configurationsNoneNot reported by EPA

Configurations by year

2026 Subaru Forester

4 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Hybrid AWD	2.5L 4-cyl hybrid	CVT (hybrid eCVT)AV-S6	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Sport/Touring AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Wilderness AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2025 Subaru Forester

4 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Hybrid AWD	2.5L 4-cyl hybrid	CVT (hybrid eCVT)AV-S6	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Sport/Touring AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Wilderness AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2024 Subaru Forester

2 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Wilderness AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2023 Subaru Forester

2 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S7	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Wilderness AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2022 Subaru Forester

2 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S7	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No
Forester Wilderness AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2021 Subaru Forester

1 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S7	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2020 Subaru Forester

1 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S7	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2019 Subaru Forester

1 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S7	All-Wheel	Yes	Regular	No

2018 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	No	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTAV-S6	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	6-speed manual6-spd	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No

2017 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	No	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTvariable gear ratios	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	6-speed manual6-spd	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No

2016 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	No	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTvariable gear ratios	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	6-speed manual6-spd	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No

2015 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	CVTAV-S8	All-Wheel	No	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTvariable gear ratios	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	6-speed manual6-spd	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No

2014 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	CVTvariable gear ratios	All-Wheel	No	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	CVTvariable gear ratios	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	6-speed manual6-spd	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No

2013 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl turbo	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	No	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	5-speed manual5-spd	All-Wheel	No	Regular	No

2012 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	Not reported	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl turbo	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	Not reported	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	5-speed manual5-spd	All-Wheel	Not reported	Regular	No

2011 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	Not reported	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl turbo	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	Not reported	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	5-speed manual5-spd	All-Wheel	Not reported	Regular	No

2010 Subaru Forester

3 configurations

EPA model name	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Start-stop	EPA test fuel	Flex-fuel
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	Not reported	Regular	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl turbo	4-speed automaticS4	All-Wheel	Not reported	Premium	No
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	5-speed manual5-spd	All-Wheel	Not reported	Regular	No

Check before you buy or refuel Confirm on the window sticker, owner's manual or with the dealer. Trims and options can differ from the configurations EPA tested.

About premium fuel EPA data shows the fuel a vehicle was tested on. It does not say whether premium is required or only recommended. Your owner's manual or fuel-door label is the authority.

Before using E85 Confirm the vehicle is a flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) in the owner's manual, or look for a yellow gas cap or an "FFV" badge. Not every version of a model is flex-fuel.

Source: U.S. EPA / Department of Energy vehicle data fromFuelEconomy.gov, data as of September 29, 2026.See how we classify vehicles.

Subaru Forester

2026 at a glance

Subaru Forester features by model year

Configurations by year

2026 Subaru Forester

2025 Subaru Forester

2024 Subaru Forester

2023 Subaru Forester

2022 Subaru Forester

2021 Subaru Forester

2020 Subaru Forester

2019 Subaru Forester

2018 Subaru Forester

2017 Subaru Forester

2016 Subaru Forester

2015 Subaru Forester

2014 Subaru Forester

2013 Subaru Forester

2012 Subaru Forester

2011 Subaru Forester

2010 Subaru Forester

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