Better Off-Road, More Tech, Tows More: 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Review

When Subaru launched its Wilderness sub-brand in 2021 (for model year 2022), it mostly just slapped some cladding, all-terrain tires, and an easy-to-clean interior on its vehicles. Subaru was and is responding to a specific slice of its customer base with these Wilderness models: the ones who actually use their vehicles everyday, venture beyond the pavement’s end on the weekends, have dogs, and engage in outdoor adventure sports.

Now in its second generation, the 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness arrives with meaningful improvements over its predecessor. After spending time behind the wheel on both paved roads around Portland, Ore., and some rocky and dusty trails in the Columbia River Gorge, it’s clear this isn’t just a mid-cycle refresh. Subaru engineered this Forester Wilderness from the ground up with outdoor adventurers in mind.

In short: The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness is a reliable all-weather daily driver that can also take you into the mountains adventuring on the weekends with ease. As long as you don’t expect it to do so quickly, mediocre seats and interior materials are okay, and a relatively large price tag won’t break your budget, as it’s a worthy outdoor lifestyle, one-vehicle solution.

What Makes the Wilderness Different

The Wilderness treatment has proven successful for Subaru. The models now account for 15-20% of the sales mix across the Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek lineups. With the latest-generation Forester hitting the market in the next few months and the Outback Wilderness refresh following soon, Subaru hopes to keep attracting adventurous, affluent, and younger customers.

The first Forester Wilderness arrived for the 2022 model year, built on the 2019 platform architecture. While capable, that initial attempt required compromises in both off-road ability and on-road manners because it was built with an already existing platform.

The 2026 model benefits from the sixth-generation Forester platform that debuted in spring 2024, which means Subaru could bake Wilderness capability into the vehicle from the start rather than adding it as an afterthought.

Who Buys a Wilderness?

Subaru’s internal data reveals that Wilderness buyers are younger and more affluent than standard model purchasers. They’re also more active outdoors, especially in outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and fishing. And, 58% are dog owners.

Most telling: 45.9% of Wilderness owners actually intend to use their vehicles off-road. That’s a remarkably high percentage for any SUV segment, where most “adventure-ready” vehicles never leave the pavement.

Also, 13.6% of Wilderness owners use their vehicles for towing, compared to just 2.1% for the average small SUV segment overall.

2026 Forester Wilderness Off-Road Updates

The 2026 Forester Wilderness receives a host of meaningful updates over the previous generation.

Subaru widened the tires by 10 mm to 235 mm (9.25 inches) for better traction and flotation in soft terrain, as well as surefootedness on-road. Those 28.1-inch–tall (235/60R17) all-terrain tires are wrapped around 17-inch matte black wheels.

And here’s something rare: The Forester Wilderness includes a full-size all-terrain spare tire as standard equipment. It’s the only vehicle in the segment to offer a standard A/T spare — with the Ford Bronco Sport offering one as an option.

Ground clearance increases to 9.3 inches, which is 0.1 inch more than before. But critically, it’s now 0.6 inches more than the standard Forester. That might not sound like much, but when you’re traveling down rutted two-track, washed-out gravel roads, unplowed snowy highways, and the like, every bit counts.

The approach angle improves to 23.5 degrees (from 19 degrees), the breakover angle increases to 21 degrees (from 19.6), and the departure angle edges up to 25.5 degrees (from 24.6). Those are legitimate off-road angles that provide real-world capability when navigating obstacles.

Dual tow and recovery points appear front and rear, integrated into redesigned bumpers. The front grille and bumper are new, along with the rear bumper and side rocker panel plastics. These aren’t just aesthetic changes — the design improves clearance and protection for off-road use.

Also, when you engage X-Mode (Subaru’s off-road driving mode), the front camera automatically activates. This gives you a view of what’s directly ahead when navigating obstacles at slow speeds.

2026 Forester Wilderness Other Updates

Towing capacity jumps to 3,500 pounds thanks to an uprated transmission cooler — a 500-pound increase over the outgoing model and the highest towing capacity ever offered on any Forester. That’s significant for buyers hauling dirt bikes, small camper trailers, or loaded cargo trailers into the backcountry.

The roof rack carries an impressive 800-pound static load or 176 pounds dynamically, with more integrated tie-down points than before. This allows for rooftop tents and/or easily secured bulky gear, like kayaks.

Inside, cupholders get bigger, especially rear passenger cupholders, which now accommodate 32-ounce Nalgene bottles. The drive selector shrinks in size and moves closer to the steering wheel for better ergonomics and more center console storage capacity. An optional 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster adds modern functionality.

The interior is also now completely made with animal-free materials. It also continues to feature water-resistant gray StarTex upholstery with copper stitching and the Wilderness logo embossed on the front headrests. All-weather floor mats and a cargo tray come standard — practical touches for muddy boots, dirty gear, and adventurous dogs.

A new River Rock Pearl paint option replaces Ice Silver Metallic in the color lineup. Anodized copper exterior accents on the bumper tow hook covers and roof rails remain.

All these updates add about $2,000 to the price compared to the 2025 model year. The base 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness now starts at $39,835 (including the $1,450 destination and delivery fee).

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Review

Driving Dynamics

The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness is powered by Subaru’s revised 2.5L Boxer engine, which produces 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a Lineartronic CVT featuring a shorter final drive ratio. That combo, and at roughly 3,700 pounds, means the Forester Wilderness isn’t quick. Passing other cars requires planning and commitment.

The CVT does its best to keep the boxer engine in its powerband, but there’s simply not much powerband to work with. I kept wishing it was offered with the hybrid powertrain, for a slight bump in horsepower and more usable torque, but it’s not on offer on Wilderness models.

On pavement, the Forester Wilderness drives like what it is — a price point SUV prioritizing capability over sportiness or comfort. The Wilderness-tuned suspension feels jostly over broken pavement, transmitting road impacts more directly than other Forester models.

The steering is direct and properly weighted, which I appreciated. However, it’s disconnected and numb, like most modern vehicles.

Off-Road Performance

The revised Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, shared across the sixth-generation Forester lineup, provides faster center differential lockup and reduced wheelspin. It also incorporates steering angle data for better stability when turning.

The wider and deeper lugged all-terrain tires provide noticeably better traction in loose dirt and gravel compared to the highway tires on standard Foresters. The Wilderness’s improved angles — and slightly improved ground clearance — make a real difference when navigating rocky terrain.

The X-Mode system with dual settings (Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud) manages traction aggressively. Perhaps too aggressively — when any wheel slips, the system cuts power harshly rather than allowing controlled wheelspin. This makes sense from a safety perspective, but can feel abrupt and frustrating when you’re trying to maintain momentum through soft and/or steep terrain.

The front camera, which activates automatically in X-Mode, is a great idea but suffers from low resolution, which makes it difficult to use effectively when traversing technical terrain.

Hill Descent Control works relatively smoothly, maintaining a controlled speed down steep grades without requiring you to constantly modulate the brakes.

The Forester Wilderness isn’t a Jeep Wrangler or Toyota 4Runner. It doesn’t have low-range gearing or locking differentials. But for the vast majority of forest service roads, fire roads, and maintained trails that most people actually encounter on their way to outdoor adventure locations, it’s more than capable. And, unlike hardcore off-roaders, it’s civilized enough for daily driving duties.

Cabin

I never quite found an ideal driving position that felt natural, and the seats weren’t the most comfortable, but they’re hard to complain about at this price point. The StarTex materials on the seats feel durable and look easy to clean, which matters when you’re using this vehicle as intended.

Gold — sorry, “anodized copper” — accents throughout the interior add a sporty vibe without feeling overdone. The star pattern on the interior is pretty cool, but feels more Mercedes than Subaru — which maybe isn’t a bad thing.

Inside, the 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen is impressively bright and reasonably responsive. However, I’m not a fan of the top scroll bar that remains permanently visible, eating screen real estate. The optional 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster looks modern but displays too much information at once, creating visual clutter when you’re trying to focus on the trail ahead.

The included burly, all-weather floor mats and cargo mat are legitimately useful and well-designed.

2026 Forester Wilderness Review: Conclusions

The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness improves on its predecessor in meaningful ways. Higher ground clearance, wider tires, better approach and departure angles, dual recovery points at both ends of the vehicle, and increased towing capacity make it a genuinely better adventure machine.

At $38,385 to start ($39,835 with destination), it’s not inexpensive. The loaded example with navigation, Harman Kardon audio, digital gauge cluster, and power liftgate runs $42,035. That’s midsize SUV money for a compact crossover.

But, among its peers, the 2026 Forester Wilderness even compares well on price — when you consider all it comes with standard. The Toyota Rav 4 Hybrid Woodland, Honda CR-V TrailSport Hybrid, Nissan Rogue Rock Creek, Hyundai Tucson XRT, and Ford Bronco Sport Badlands are key competitors. The Subaru offers best-in-class ground clearance, entry angle, breakover, and towing. It’s incredibly competitive in all other aspects as well.

If you’re among the nearly half of Wilderness buyers who actually use your vehicle off-road, you’ll appreciate the 2026 updates, especially the full-size spare tire, additional proper recovery points, wider tires, and more refined all-wheel-drive system.

The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness lands in a sweet spot for weekend adventurers who still need a daily driver. Just don’t expect it to get you to work or the trailhead quickly. And maybe skip the tech package ($2,200) to avoid the busy digital gauge cluster.