Subaru has begun U.S. production of its first domestically assembled hybrid vehicle, with the 2026 Forester Hybrid rolling off the assembly line at its Indiana plant, the company said.
Production started on Feb. 2, 2026, at Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), when a Forester Hybrid Premium in Autumn Green Metallic was completed at 11:53 a.m. EST. The launch follows five years of preparation to equip the facility with hybrid assembly capabilities.
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The move consolidates all U.S.-market Forester production at the Lafayette site, covering both gasoline and hybrid variants. The plant began building the 2026 Forester gasoline model in October 2025 and now produces two of Subaru’s top-selling U.S. vehicles, the Forester and the Crosstrek.
“Bringing hybrid vehicle assembly to our facility has been in the works for five years,” said Scott Brand. “Seeing the start of mass production is the culmination of a lot of hard work by our associates.”
The 2026 Forester Hybrid is offered in Premium, Sport, Limited and Touring trims, while the gasoline Forester is available in Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Touring and Wilderness versions. All models are sold nationwide through Subaru retailers.
Subaru said the 2026 Forester has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating for the 10th consecutive year, covering all trim levels including the hybrid. Standard equipment across the range includes the latest generation of Subaru EyeSight driver-assistance technology, featuring advanced adaptive cruise control with lane centering, steering-responsive headlights and high-beam assist.
SIA is Subaru’s only manufacturing operation outside Japan and currently assembles the Ascent, Crosstrek and Forester. The facility employs about 6,500 people and has produced more than 6 million vehicles since operations began in 1989.
