Subaru of Indiana Automotive Begins Hybrid Production

Forester is first hybrid vehicle to be produced by the automaker in the U.S.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive began hybrid production today with a 2026 Forester Hybrid Premium in Autumn Green Metallic driven off one of its assembly lines at 11:53 a.m. EST.

“Bringing hybrid vehicle assembly to our facility has been in the works for five years,” said Scott Brand, president and chief operating officer of SIA. “Seeing the start of mass production is highly rewarding and the culmination of a lot of hard work by our associates.”

The Forester is the first hybrid vehicle to be produced by Subaru in the U.S. With its start, all Subaru Forester models sold in the U.S. are now assembled at the automaker’s facility in Lafayette, Ind. SIA began production of the 2026 Forester gas model on Oct. 7.

“Since joining the Subaru lineup in 1997, the Forester has been a popular vehicle,” said Brand. “With its addition to our product mix, along with the Crosstrek, we’re now producing the two most popular Subaru models in the U.S.”

The 2026 Subaru Forester is available in six trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Touring, and Wilderness trim levels, and is available at Subaru retailers nationwide. The Subaru Forester Hybrid is available in Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring trim levels, and is available at Subaru retailers.

Every 2026 Forester is equipped with the latest generation of Subaru EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology, including advanced active safety features including Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering, Steering Responsive Headlights, and High Beam Assist.

Additionally, the 2026 Forester has earned the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award following the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s latest round of vehicle ratings. The rating applies to all trim levels of the Subaru Forester, including the Subaru Forester Hybrid, marking Subaru Forester’s 10th IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.

SIA is Subaru’s only manufacturing facility outside of Japan and currently assembles the Ascent, Crosstrek, and Forester models. Since beginning production in 1989, the facility has assembled more than 6 million Subaru vehicles.

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