The 2025 Subaru Forester is a capable two-car-seat vehicle without being a frictionless one. It does not fit three car seats across.
Fit grades from Cars.com's Car Seat Check, conducted by certified child passenger safety technicians. Seat dimensions are the manufacturers' published figures for the products we carry. Which seats we recommend, and why, is our own editorial judgment, from the catalog we stock and fit in person in Sumner, WA.
Which car seats we would put in a 2025 Subaru Forester
These picks are shaped by what the fit check actually found here: the head restraint has to move before a seat sits flush; the buckles are hard for a child to work unaided. Widths are the widest published figure the manufacturer gives. Stock and pricing as of 2026-08-04. We stock 17 car seats with a published width, so the same names recur across our guides; the ordering and the reasoning are what differ.
The picks above are chosen on width, which is what decides whether another seat or an adult fits beside them. The measured width and depth of every car seat we carry is published in one place, so you can check our reasoning against your own measurements.
The grades at a glance
| Test | Grade |
|---|---|
| LATCH | A |
| Infant seat | A |
| Rear-facing convertible | A |
| Forward-facing convertible | A |
| Booster | B |
Where the anchors are
Two sets plus one extra anchor in the middle seat. Cars.com found all of them easy to find and use.
Three midway down the seatbacks, easy to find and use.
Installing an infant seat
LATCH connection was easy and the seat fit well. Notably, Cars.com tested with a 5-foot-7-inch front passenger, who still had enough room in front of it.
Installing a convertible
Easy on the lower anchors. It takes a little more room than the infant seat, but the front passenger stayed comfortable.
Easy to install with no trouble reaching the top tether. Fits well once the head restraint is removed.
Check your vehicle manual before moving or removing a head restraint. Not every restraint is designed to come out, and where one is removed the seating position still has to give your child head support to the top of the ears, either from the vehicle seat back or from the car seat itself.
Boosters and the buckle-yourself years
Needs the head restraint out for a good fit, and the buckles sit low in the seat cushion, so buckling up independently will be tough for younger kids. Cars.com also notes that a booster installed in the middle position puts the ceiling-mounted belt across the driver's line of sight.
Check your vehicle manual before moving or removing a head restraint. Not every restraint is designed to come out, and where one is removed the seating position still has to give your child head support to the top of the ears, either from the vehicle seat back or from the car seat itself.
Three car seats across
No. 2025 Subaru Forester does not take three car seats across. If a third seat is coming, the deciding factor is whether the second row is a bench or captain's chairs, not the size of the vehicle. Our three-across guide covers which vehicles do, and which seat combinations fit them.
Which strollers suit a midsize cargo area
Most single strollers fit. The question is what is left over once the stroller is in.
Everything below folds to 27.0" wide or less, which is what makes it a realistic candidate here. Measure your opening at its narrowest point, usually between the wheel arches, then check it against these numbers.
| Stroller | Folded (L x W x H) | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Stokke YOYO³ Stroller From 6 Months | 20.5" x 7.1" x 17.3" | $399 |
| UPPAbaby Minu V3 Stroller | 10.0" x 18.0" x 21.5" | $500 |
| Romer Lani Ultra-Compact Travel Stroller | 10.0" x 18.0" x 22.0" | $600 |
| UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller | 17.5" x 12.0" x 41.7" | $250 |
| Veer &Roll Frame for Switchback Seat | 11.0" x 25.5" x 33.0" | $499 |
| Nuna VIAA™ cabn Stroller | 20.5" x 16.5" x 9.5" | $550 |
| Silver Cross Clic Compact Stroller | 21.0" x 18.0" x 9.0" | $450 |
| UPPAbaby Cruz V3 Stroller | 17.0" x 22.5" x 32.4" | $750 |
Compare every stroller side by side.
Four things that apply whatever you drive
Lower anchors have a weight limit, and it is lower than most parents expect. NHTSA advises against using the lower anchors once the combined weight of your child and the car seat reaches 65 pounds. Your seat's label or manual gives the maximum child weight for lower-anchor use; where it does not, subtract the seat's own weight from 65. Past that point the seat belt install is the correct one, and it is no less safe.
Use the top tether on every forward-facing install. NHTSA recommends it whether the seat is installed with the lower anchors or the seat belt, as long as both the car seat manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer permit it. Check your car seat's tether weight limit too, and stop using the tether once your child exceeds it even while they still fit the seat.
Do not borrow outboard lower anchors for the center seat. Unless your vehicle manual specifically says the center position may use the inner anchors from the two outboard positions, it may not. Where the center has no anchors of its own, install there with the seat belt.
Rear-facing for as long as the seat allows. Keep your child rear-facing until they reach the height or weight maximum of their convertible seat, not until a birthday. Our guides to how long to stay rear-facing, LATCH versus the seat belt and booster readiness cover each of these properly.
Not sure which seat is right yet? Our car seat finder narrows the catalog in six questions, and the comparison tool puts any two side by side.
Subaru Forester car seat questions
Does the 2025 Subaru Forester fit three car seats across?
No. The 2025 Subaru Forester does not fit three car seats across, according to Cars.com's fit check.
Where are the LATCH anchors in the 2025 Subaru Forester?
Two sets plus one extra anchor in the middle seat. Cars.com found all of them easy to find and use.
Will a rear-facing car seat fit in the 2025 Subaru Forester without moving the front seat forward?
Easy on the lower anchors. It takes a little more room than the infant seat, but the front passenger stayed comfortable.
Can kids buckle themselves in the 2025 Subaru Forester?
Needs the head restraint out for a good fit, and the buckles sit low in the seat cushion, so buckling up independently will be tough for younger kids. Cars.com also notes that a booster installed in the middle position puts the ceiling-mounted belt across the driver's line of sight.
What is the narrowest car seat that fits the 2025 Subaru Forester?
Of the seats we stock and can ship today, the Romer Juni Infant Car Seat with Versa Base is the narrowest at 16.9 inches wide. Width is the number that decides whether another seat or an adult fits beside it.
Which car seats fit best in the 2025 Subaru Forester?
Romer Juni Infant Car Seat with Versa Base (16.9"), Romer Veni Convertible Car Seat (17.0"), UPPAbaby Alta V2 Booster Seat (17.5"). Each was chosen against what the fit check found in this vehicle. Several of these come up repeatedly across our guides, because they are the narrowest and shallowest seats we stock and those are the two dimensions most vehicles are short of. What changes between cars is which one we would reach for first, and why.
More car seat help: Car Seat Safety Guide · All buying guides
Educational information only. This guide is for general education. It is not professional, medical, legal, or safety advice, and it does not create any advisory or professional relationship between you and SugarBabies. You are responsible for the safe selection, installation, and use of any car seat.
How a car seat fits and installs depends on your exact vehicle (its model year, trim, and seating configuration) and your exact car seat model. The instructions that came with your car seat and your vehicle owner’s manual always control. If anything in this article ever conflicts with those instructions, or with current guidance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), follow the manufacturer instructions, your vehicle manual, and NHTSA, not this article.
Vehicle fit grades are compiled from third-party sources, including independent car seat fit testing performed by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians. Product dimensions are the manufacturer’s published figures for the items we stock, and are the widest published measurement where more than one is given. Any combination total is simple arithmetic with no allowance for shell overlap, and is a shortlist to check rather than a guarantee of fit. Specifications, model years, configurations, pricing and stock change, and we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or current status of any of it. This article does not replace a hands-on check by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). If you are near Sumner, Washington, a fit check and install help come with every car seat we sell.
Which seats we recommend on a given vehicle is our own editorial judgment, formed from those published dimensions and those third-party fit findings. It is not the result of testing that seat in that vehicle, and we have not verified any combination of seats side by side in any vehicle on this page. Buckle position, belt-path interference between neighboring seats and recline angle all affect real-world fit and none of them are captured by a width measurement.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and SugarBabies and its owners, employees, and affiliates are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential injury, loss, or damage arising from the use of or reliance on this article. Nothing in this disclaimer limits any liability that cannot be limited under Washington law. Some products we recommend and link to are sold by SugarBabies, and we make money when you buy them.