Subaru is rolling out a raft of updated and refreshed models for the 2026 model year. The Japanese manufacturer took the wraps off a redesigned Outback and Outback Wilderness earlier this year (to mixed reviews of its aggressive styling), and the 2026 Crosstrek gets a hybrid version that addresses nearly all the shortcomings of the old one. Subaru is not neglecting the Forester, either—the mid-size SUV is a key sales leader for the brand, and the heavily revised model that came out for the 2025 model year is finally getting the trim everyone in the adventure travel world was waiting for. Enter the 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness.
The Forester’s Legacy
One of Subaru’s legendary Q-ships was the 2004-2018 Forester XT. Stuffed with a detuned version of the WRX or WRX STI turbo four-cylinder, the unassuming AWD wagon could be tweaked with just a few mods to be a Corvette slayer. This was an era when Subaru was still leaning into its quirkier side, building unexpected and affordable cars that danced to a different drummer. In fact, their performance lineup not only included the Forester and the WRX, but also turbo Legacies, Bajas, and Outbacks.
But in recent years, Subaru has slowly wound down the rally-inspired turbo party and moved its focus toward the outdoor and adventure set. In the process, they drained out a lot of the weirdness that historically defined the six-star-badged cars. Subarus are downright normal these days, and on the performance front, only the WRX tS remains in 2025—it’s the only Suby you can buy with a manual transmission. A 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is available on the new Outback Wilderness, as well as the Ascent, and certain Legacy models, but the Forester is still stuck with the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat four for 2026, and no turbo option.
With roots stretching back to the late 20th century, this distinctive boxer engine has been the primary workhorse across an array of Subaru models. These days, it is a thoroughly modern powerplant with decent if not astounding fuel efficiency (28 miles per gallon in the bigger Outback; Forester fuel economy is not confirmed yet), and middle-of-the-road power and torque numbers for a naturally aspirated motor (180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet, respectively). It’s a faithful, but not particularly inspiring, driving companion.
The Drive
The direct-fuel injection flat-four does sit low in the engine bay, keeping the center of gravity low as well. With the standard symmetrical all-wheel drive system that one expects from a Subaru, the Forester Wilderness felt planted on the winding rural highways that rise from the Columbia River onto the benchlands and volcanic slopes of southern Washington mountain ranges. On first drives, Subaru always treats journalists to engaging and genuinely challenging driving routes, both on tarmac and off. There’s very little hand-holding, mostly a route book and a hearty good luck, which means doing things like this:
Ok, so maximum wheel travel is not necessarily the Forester Wilderness’s strong suit (it is still an independent suspension AWD car, after all). However, the boosted 9.3 inches of ground clearance, legit aluminum under-body armor, 180-degree front view monitor, and Yokohama all-terrain tires (235/60 R17 with a full-size spare) mean even potentially nerve-wracking cross-axle terrain obstacles can be dispatched with confidence. In addition to those physical upgrades, Subaru claims the X-Mode dual-mode powertrain management system receives revised programming for quicker center differential lockup and reduced wheelspin. Settings for deep snow/mud and snow/dirt are standard, as are hill descent control and low-speed/low-ratio gradient control. There’s no stand-alone switch for locking the rear differential—only computers here.
Those electronic aids worked seamlessly in low-pace trail work, especially the hill descent control. The driver modulates the set speed of the descent intuitively with just the throttle, and the front-view camera highlights terrain features with exceptional clarity on the 11.6-inch center screen. The shorter final drive ratio (4.11 versus 3.7) and manual mode (actuated by flappy paddles) for the Lineartronic CVT also help with vehicle control at walking speeds. The approach (23.5 degrees), breakover (21 degrees), and departure (25.5 degrees) angles are improved thanks not only to the increased ride height, but the carved out body work as well. In my own travels across the American West, I often find Subarus of all stripes parked at the end of very gnarly trails, so the Forester Wilderness’s acumen off-road is not especially a surprise.
The Forester’s skid plates got in some good work on our drive.
Besides technical terrain, the car was also playful on flowing gravel tracks, a nod to Subaru’s rally heritage, and suspension travel was well-controlled and predictable. Returning to the highway, what was not predictable was the EyeSight driver assist technology’s lane assist feature. Perhaps the system on my particular pre-production car was not yet fully calibrated, but set in cruise control (fully adaptive), the lane assist would allow the Forester to drift gradually toward the center line or shoulder before abruptly counter-steering back to center, and then promptly repeat the cycle. It was disconcerting at best, and I mostly steered the car myself on the freeway segments of the drive. SI-Drive engine management offers distinct settings particularly for throttle response, and Sport-Sharp mode enhances tip-in noticeably, perhaps too much.
Adventure Inside and Out
Aesthetically, there are a number of design cues that distinguish the Wilderness trim from other Foresters in the lineup. The hexagonal theme found on the Outback and Crosstrek Wilderness models shows up here in the shape of the standard LED fog lights and in the grill. Contrasting color body cladding is not just for looks, Subaru says it helps shrug off mild trail damage, and the matte black 17-inch rims are found only on the Wilderness. So is the copper finish on many trim pieces and the front and rear fully-rated tow points, as well as the blackout decal on the hood to reduce glare.
Inside, the hexagons reappear on the dash panels, and the copper accents continue in the door card and seat stitching, and on the steering wheel and shift lever for the CVT. The Forester Wilderness also features the excellent grey StarTex upholstery that’s water-resistant, pet damage-resistant, and journalist pen ink-resistant. This soft-touch fabric alone is worth upgrading to the Wilderness—it somehow feels like a premium interior appointment, while simultaneously being tough-as-nails. The standard rubber floor mats and cargo liner enhance the all-conditions usability of the interior, and there are some whimsical design touches, like the topo map contour lines and hiking boot prints molded into the cargo tray, and the small hummingbird decal flitting across the top of the windshield. The huge power moonroof is best in class.
In typical Subaru fashion, the cockpit is an all-business affair, with just enough technology to feel contemporary, but not overwhelming. There is an optional 12.3-inch digital dash to complement the central digital screen, but its functionality is relatively limited in comparison to the digital IPs from some of the Forester’s competitors—it mostly displays a virtual speedometer and tachometer that are not that different from the analog versions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and the native maps app is surprisingly robust despite being quietly branded as TomTom, a name I haven’t seen or heard in the satellite navigation world in a long time. The on-board nav and the digital dash are part of the only option package available on the Forester Wilderness, and it also includes a Harmon/Kardon stereo system and a power rear gate—the package costs $2,200.
Forester Wilderness as Overlander
In the wider world of trail-oriented small SUVs, we know that Subaru’s improvements over its base models are more than just window dressing. In addition to the range of equipment already highlighted above, the Forester Wilderness also features other, less flashy upgrades that quietly boost its performance in difficult terrain and conditions. The roof rack supports an impressive 800 pounds of static weight. Thanks to a revised transmission cooler, the Forester Wilderness can now tow 3,500 pounds, theoretically putting plenty of small travel trailers in play. The rear differential is larger than standard and has a dedicated temperature sensor. An external engine oil cooler keeps the boxer happily growling along. These are the kinds of subtle upgrades that offer more peace of mind for travelers who push their vehicles a little harder and drive them a little farther.
Subaru sees other trail-trim CUVs as the Forester Wilderness’s primary competition—such as the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands, the Toyota RAV4 Woodland Edition, the Nissan Rogue Rock Creek, and the Honda CR-V TrailSport. But in my view, the Forester Wilderness’s ride height and enhanced AWD system alone bump it into a superior category, even before considering the other truly functional options that define the Wilderness models. The data shows that almost 50 percent of Forester Wilderness buyers use their vehicles off-road (compared to 9.3 percent for the small SUV segment), and 13.5 percent use them for towing (compared to just 2.0 percent for the segment). Subaru notes that even Jeep Wrangler owners often cross-shop the Outback Wilderness, in large part due to the lure of its better highway manners and its turbocharged engine.
That 2.4-liter flat-four makes 80 more horsepower and 100 more pound-feet of torque than the 2.5-liter lump found in the Forester. More than once on this first drive, I found myself wondering how that motor would transform the Forester Wilderness, usually while the overworked boxer strained in concert with the CVT to safely complete the pass of a logging truck on a two-lane road. The car weighs almost 3,700 pounds, not far off the 2025 Outback Wilderness at 3,900 pounds. I had a hard time imagining towing anything close to the 3,500-pound limit with the Forester and making much forward progress. We always pine for a little more horsepower, no matter what we’re driving. The turbo engine is already in the stable, maybe it’s time for Subaru to do something a little weird again.
Pros:
- Legit off-road chops, with functional trail upgrades
- Comfortable and rugged interior
- Useful payload, roof rack rating, and towing capacity
Cons:
- Twitchy EyeSight driver assist
- Slooooooow
From $38,385, price as tested $42,430 | subaru.com
Read more:
Subaru Outback Pricing for 2026 Announced
The Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness: A Small and Mighty Approach to Adventure Vehicles
Images: Stephan Edwards, Subaru
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