This week we have the opportunity to test drive the 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness for the first time. This is an important car for Subaru, as the Forester from year to year usually vies with the Outback for the top sales spot in their lineup. With big changes in both style and price for the Outback and Outback Wilderness coming for 2026, the Forester will follow suit, but how will it differentiate itself from the Japanese brand’s flagship? Even more important, what do you want to know about the revised Forester and its Wilderness trim?
Subaru says the new 2026 Forester Wilderness features “an impressive 9.3 inches of ground clearance and offers true off-road capabilities thanks to key upgrades to take adventure further beyond the trail.” It has also announced pricing across the board for the 2026 Forester, with an impressive $29,995 starting MSRP (no increase over last year) for the Portland-airport-rental-fleet Base model, and stretching up to the Touring model with all the premium add-ons for $41,595. The Wilderness starts at $38,385, but there is a desirable option package that adds $2,200 and includes the Subaru Multimedia System with Navigation that features a 11.6-inch screen, a Harman Kardon speaker system with 11 speakers, a new 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and a power rear gate.
The Wilderness trim on the Forester also duplicates many of the standard trail-oriented upgrades found on the Outback and Crosstrek, such as the X-Mode Dual Mode driving modes system with hill descent control, a front view monitor, Wilderness-tuned suspension, and a rear differential temperature sensor. The Wilderness-specific, hexagonally themed design aesthetic also carries onto the Forester, plus LED fog lights, a matte-black hood decal to reduce glare, and standard 235-millimeter Yokohama all-terrain tires mounted on 17-inch, matte-black rims. A revised front center console offers a new cupholder designed to accommodate 32-ounce water bottles for the extra thirsty. The familiar 2.5-liter flat-four engine rated at 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque carries over from the previous model, as does the Lineartronic CVT.
The off-road chops on the Wilderness version of the Forester improve with some massaging of the approach, departure, and breakover angles. The approach angle has also been uprated to 23.5 degrees compared to 19 degrees, the breakover angle improves up to 21 degrees, and the departure angle moves upward to 25.5 degrees compared to 24.6 degrees. An upgraded transmission cooler offers an increased towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, which Subaru claims is the highest towing capacity ever offered on a Forester.
The proof is always in the driving, however, and we’ll be doing just that, including on some good trail sections in Washington state. Subaru always lets us play in the dirt, so let us know what you want to know about the Subaru Forester Wilderness for 2026, and we’ll do our best to answer those questions. Look for a full review on Expedition Portal on October 1.
Images: Subaru
Read more:
Subaru Outback Pricing for 2026 Announced
The Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness: A Small and Mighty Approach to Adventure Vehicles
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