In a sign of shifting demand, Subaru has started producing a hybrid version of its popular Forester SUV at its only U.S. plant.

It’s the first hybrid vehicle the Japanese automaker has made in the U.S., a move Subaru said has been in the works for five years.

The first hybrid unit of the compact crossover rolled off the assembly line with a green metallic body on Feb. 3, Subaru said. 

Many automakers have recently put more emphasis on hybrid production as some major markets, including the U.S., de-emphasize purely electric models and early adopters are already on board. The Trump administration sought last fall’s end of a federal tax credit that had spurred electric-vehicle sales and leases.

The administration instituted trade tariffs last year, including15% on imports from Japan, and is still working on trade deals in various parts of the world, with one stated goal being moving more manufacturing to the U.S. 

With Subaru's hybrid addition, all Foresters sold in the U.S. are now made at the Lafayette plant, which entered operation in 1989. The facility also assembles the automaker’s Ascent midsize crossover and Crosstrek, another compact crossover, and has produced more than six million units in its history.

The 2026 model-year hybrid Foresters come in the Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring trim levels.

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