2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Road Test and Review

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Every 2026 Subaru Forester is a hardy little crossover. Stubby and boxy, equipped with Subaru’s famous symmetrical all-wheel drive, and boasting an above-average 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the Forester stands apart from rival SUVs that are dressed up to look fancy. 

The newly redesigned 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness takes that vibe to the next level. It pairs last year’s upgrades to the broad Forester lineup with an extra level of off-road kit and more rugged styling. (The 2025 Forester Wilderness was still based on the previous-generation Forester.) 

To explore the changes, we drove the redesigned Forester Wilderness at a media event and then followed up by testing one for a week. Keep reading to learn about its pros and cons to see whether Subaru makes the best tougher-than-usual compact crossover for you.  

Midlevel Model

It would be natural to think of the Wilderness as the pinnacle of the Forester lineup. Actually, the off-road king slots somewhere in the middle. 

The Wilderness starts at $38,385 versus $29,995 for a base model and $41,595 for a top Touring (prices exclude a mandatory $1,450 destination charge). Our test vehicle came to $42,430 with destination, extra-cost paint, and a $2,200 options package that included a premium Harman Kardon stereo, a power liftgate, and a GPS navigation system that can show on either the dashboard or a digital gauge cluster. 

In terms of everyday amenities, the Wilderness is most similar to the $33,385 Premium model, though it also has the sturdy, water-resistant StarTex leatherette upholstery from the $36,105 Sport rather than the Premium’s cloth. For another twist, you can’t get the Harman Kardon stereo on the Premium, you can’t get the power liftgate on the Sport, and you can’t get either with a nav system. 

The biggest differences between the Wilderness and other Foresters are mechanical. The Wilderness gets its body lifted to 9.3 inches off the ground – half an inch higher than other Foresters and a smidge more than last year’s Wilderness. An aluminium skid plate protects the Wilderness’s oil pan if you drag it against a higher obstacle. It comes with five all-terrain tires – even the spare tire, so you a flat won’t strand you in the woods. And the transmission is reprogrammed to prioritize low-speed control, and an upgraded transmission cooler boosts its towing capacity to 3,500 pounds. That’s up from 3,000 pounds in last year’s Wilderness and just 1,500 pounds in other 2026 Forester models.  

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Two-Tone Style

Another difference is visual. Especially in a lighter color, like our River Rock Pearl test vehicle, you’ll instantly spot the Wilderness’s black-clad front and rear bumpers. We didn’t perform a torture test to see whether this material is any more scratch-proof than an ordinary Forester’s smooth body-colored bumpers, but it certainly looks the part. You’ll also find a dark-colored “anti-glare hood decal,” a Wilderness signature. 

The front bumper is also reshaped to curve up and away from the ground. This improves the Forester Wilderness’s approach angle – its ability to drive up to a slope or raised obstacle without snagging its bumper. It also reduces the standard Forester’s big-nosed look in profile. Subaru also improved the Wilderness’s breakover and departure angles this year. 

The biggest differences to this year’s Forester Wilderness come from its starting point. While every previous-generation Forester was an angular-looking box, the new generation has softer, gentler details around its similar shape. This makes a bigger difference than before, since other Foresters look less like off-road machines. Also, last year’s Forester Wilderness was dressed up primarily up at the front, while the new model also has black cladding on the rear bumper. It’s not a pretty SUV, but it’s not supposed to be. Ugly and functional is a Subaru staple, and the Forester Wilderness leans into that. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Big Screen and Sturdy Interior Trim

Inside, the Forester Wilderness interior has a simple and sturdy vibe, just like Foresters have been for years. It’s well-built, while focusing on “doesn’t break” rather than “feels fancy.” The Wilderness is dressed up with a few bits of bronze trim on the steering wheel, gear selector, and passenger side of the dashboard. Otherwise, it’s shared with other new Foresters – for better and for worse. 

Last year’s Forester Wilderness had a modestly sized 8-inch touchscreen on its dashboard. This year, that stretches to 11.6 inches, with a vertical screen filling much of the dashboard’s center. The chunky-looking dashboard still isn’t styled to chase the screen-focused trend, but you have easier access to radio presets and a bigger space to see your GPS map. You can also now connect your phone’s apps wirelessly through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; last year, you had to plug in your phone to see Google Maps on the dashboard screen. 

However, if we had to choose, we’d have picked a smaller screen that made room for some more physical controls. Subaru shifted most climate functions into the screen, which makes them harder to operate even when the screen is cooperating. The seat heaters are especially galling – they require multiple taps on the screen, which is sometimes slow to respond. You can’t use them with gloves on, and the Forester Wilderness lacks a heated steering wheel (it’s reserved for luxury-focused Forester models). And sometimes the screen is slow to respond to inputs. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Ample Passenger Room

With its high roof and big windows, the Forester has ample space for passengers inside along with class-leading visibility. The Forester Wilderness takes advantage as well; it’s easier to avoid off-road obstacles if you can see them. A forward-view camera also displays on the infotainment screen, but you can’t get a surround-view camera like on luxury-trim Foresters. 

It doesn’t feel like a huge, airy car inside. It’s not wide. But it’s a small car that doesn’t crowd anyone, thanks to its well-shaped front and rear seats and its tons of headroom. Every Forester Wilderness has Subaru’s StarTex leatherette upholstery and heated front seats, but heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel aren’t available. StarTex is built for easy cleaning rather than plush softness – the precise priority we’d expect from a Forester Wilderness customer. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Useful Cargo Hold

When it comes to cargo, the Forester’s boxy shape still doesn’t yield as much total volume as some competing compact crossovers. That’s in part because the Forester is built to handle tougher conditions. Sturdier suspensions force the cargo floor higher. So does the Forester’s spare tire, which some rivals like the Honda CR-V TrailSport don’t offer. 

Still, the Forester has room for a fair bit of camping gear in its 27.5 cubic feet of luggage space behind the rear seat. And when you’re going with just one more person, you can fold down the rear seat to get 69.1 cubic feet of space. Those are the same numbers as last year’s model. You can carry 176 pounds of overflow cargo on the roof (though last year’s Wilderness could handle 220 pounds). And while you’re parked, the rack is rated to hold 800 pounds – perfect for a rooftop tent. As we noted, the 2026 Forester Wilderness can also tow up to 3,500 pounds, which is 500 pounds more than last year. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Gentle Suspension, But Off-Road Ready

The Wilderness is the Forester’s off-road-ready model. But that doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable to drive on pavement. The same gentle suspension that helps on bumpy terrain is also welcome on potholed city streets. Just don’t look for sporty on-road handling. It’s easy to drive, but you won’t be pushing the Forester Wilderness around a fast curve – even by CR-V standards. 

When you travel off-road, keep in mind that the Forester Wilderness isn’t a Jeep Wrangler. Don’t plan to scramble over large boulders or charge through deep mud puddles. But between its elevated ground clearance, all-terrain tires, proven AWD system, sturdy skid plates, and choice of off-road driving modes – snow/dirt and deep snow/mud – it’ll be more comfortable out of civilization than the typical crossover. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Mileage Hit

Like all Foresters, the Wilderness comes with a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine making 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. It largely carries over from last year’s model. Most competitors deliver quicker, quieter acceleration. Putting your foot down doesn’t yield much power. The next-size-up Subaru Outback Wilderness ($44,995) comes with a much livelier turbo version of this engine.  

Even without a ton of power, the Forester Wilderness isn’t a gas sipper. Its raised, boxy body isn’t built for aerodynamics. And its continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is programmed for low-speed off-roading rather than extra-efficient cruising. In EPA testing, the Forester Wilderness gets just 24 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined – 2 to 3 mpg less than most other Foresters. And you can’t get the Wilderness with the recently introduced gas-electric Forester Hybrid powertrain that returns 35 mpg. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Forester Wilderness vs. the Competition

The Forester Wilderness faces a number of off-road-focused rivals in the compact crossover class. Nearly every model now has a version with rugged-looking trim and all-terrain tires. These include the extra-capable Ford Bronco Sport Badlands and Jeep Compass Trailhawk, along with lighter-duty upgrades like the Honda CR-V TrailSport, Hyundai Tucson XRT, Kia Sportage X-Pro, Nissan Rogue Rock Creek Edition, and Toyota RAV4 Woodland. 

Off-road, the Forester Wilderness is most aligned with the Compass and Bronco Sport. But it’s roomier than those rivals, has a smoother on-road ride, and is much easier to see out of. Plus, it has a higher ground clearance. On the other hand, the Jeep and Ford both have more power and livelier on-road handling.

In comparing the Forester Wilderness to the latter group of rivals, the question is the level of off-roading that you’re looking for – and what you’re ready to sacrifice to get it. They’re all simultaneously quicker, more fuel-efficient, and more agile on the road than the Forester Wilderness. They all have more cargo room, too. The RAV4 and the CR-V TrailSport are both sold exclusively as fuel-sipping hybrids, and you can also get the Tucson X-Pro in hybrid form. But their off-road upgrades are less comprehensive than the Forester Wilderness’s, and the base Forester is a more advanced starting point. 

2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Not a Pretend Off-Roader

The redesigned 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness provides meaningful off-road updates to a compact crossover that’s already capable for its class. It lets the Forester’s gangly, utilitarian vibe shine all the way through. The Wilderness is the purest form of Forester – not an unnatural retrofit. 

With its cushy ride and comfortable interior, it’s also an agreeable car for everyday use. And by using a relatively affordable Forester as a starting point, the Wilderness avoids being over-the-top expensive. 

The Forester Wilderness shares some flaws with the standard Forester. The big new touchscreen complicates some functions. The new generation hasn’t gotten any faster or more fun to drive on the road. Its gas mileage still isn’t great for a small SUV. And we wish Subaru had granted it a heated steering wheel. 

The new generation isn’t a dramatic advance from its predecessor. It combines a familiar package with slightly better off-road specs, a little more towing capacity, and a more modern dashboard. And it’s still more capable than any other small crossover with this much interior space. It’s not the best in every way, but it’s still the segment’s best blend of off-road capability with everyday spaciousness and comfort. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness ・ Photo by Brady Holt