When Subaru debuted its next-generation 2024 Forester, one trim was missing: the popular Wilderness. A 2025 Forester Wilderness was still available but only on the outgoing platform and with limited production. Enter the 2026 model, keeping the off-road vibes going in Subaru’s top-selling compact SUV while adding a long list of changes. Fundamentally, this isn’t a huge departure from the previous Wilderness flavor, nor does it need to be. This latest update simply enhances its off-road chops while adding more refinement and durability inside.
We spent time with the new 2026 Forester Wilderness, driving along Oregon’s beautiful Columbia River Gorge on long stretches of highway, and, more importantly, taking the rugged family hauler off-road.
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What’s News For 2026
Out of the gate, the Forester’s new Subaru Global Platform adds improved rigidity, safety, and ride quality, along with advancements in welding. It’s the more mundane tweaks and changes that accompany a new architecture, and the new fifth-generation Forester takes full advantage of it all.
Competitors may dress up their small SUVs with adventurous trim names, but the Wilderness remains the real deal.
But Wilderness dials it up for those hitting the unbeaten path, which, according to Subaru, is a good thing, as most Forester Wilderness customers over-index off-roading when compared to its rivals.
Rivals? Ford’s Bronco Sport Sasquatch is the Only Real Threat (And It’ll Cost You)
Frankly, that doesn’t surprise us when you look at the lack of real rivals like the RAV4 Woodland, CR-V TrailSport, Rogue Rock Creek, and Tucson XRT. Ford is the closest competitor, first with the current Bronco Sport Badlands, and now with the new 2026 Bronco Sport with Sasquatch Package. The latter of the two is by far the closest competitor, but it’ll cost you: about $3,000 more for the Sasquatch Package, ballooning the total to around $44K for Bronco Sport. Compare that to the Forester Wilderness’ $38K-ish price point.
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The Off-Road Upgrades
Ground clearance increases to 9.3 inches compared to 9.2 inches in the outgoing model. Coupled with improved approach/breakover/departure angles and wider 235mm all-terrain tires on 17-inch black matte wheels, this not-so-compact compact SUV builds on what was already, and arguably, the most capable adventure-going SUV on the market when it first launched for 2022. The off-road spare tire is a nice bonus.
Subaru revised the all-wheel drive with quicker center differential lockup and reduced wheelspin, which made the Wilderness feel more planted and confident on loose surfaces. The CVT now features a shorter final-drive ratio for improved low-speed off-road control, which proved to be smoother and more confident on the steep, uneven trails we experienced.
Hill Decent Assist isn’t new, and it works just as it did before; it automatically kicks in when X-MODE is activated. The Wilderness’ dual-function X-MODE system is exclusive to this rugged trim, and we appreciate that, but locating it within the menu is a challenge. In our view, Subaru should keep it a hard switch or button, the way it used to be.
A new rear differential temperature sensor adds peace of mind on longer trail runs, letting you push without worrying about overheating. The upgraded transmission cooler lifts towing capacity to 3,500 pounds (the most ever for a Forester).
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Interior, Cargo, And Exterior Design Upgrades For 2026
The 2024-2026 Forester’s interior is redesigned, and those comfort and tech upgrades carry over to this 2026 Forester Wilderness. For the first time, the Forester Wilderness offers a digital gauge cluster, adding a nice touch of tech. Measuring 12.3 inches, it comes standard on the first-ever Forester Hybrid and, while an option with Wilderness, it adds some swanky Wilderness-specific graphics to the startup screen. For an extra $2,200, the Options Package dials up some tech with a HarmonKardon 11-speaker system and sub, navigation by TomTom, and a power rear gate.
Good news for cupholder fans and Moms with gargantuan Stanley cups: the cupholders are now larger, nestled inside a new center console layout with even more space, a bigger cargo box, and longer armrest. Rear seatbelt routing and mounting are improved for rear occupant comfort and safety.
Durability Inside And More Cargo Space
If there’s one thing Subaru does well and over and above the competitors, aside from all-wheel drive, it’s all the smart little features to protect the interior. Inside the 2026 model, the hinge points are more water-resistant than before, great for wet camping gear and melting ice from skies and snowboards. The entire cabin is pretty much water-resistant courtesy of the StarTex upholstery with the copper stitching touch. Wilderness logos are found throughout the cabin, including the headrests.
All Weather Package Comes Standard
Overall, expect more cargo and utility inside this 2026 Forester Wilderness, along with the standard all-weather floor mats and cargo trays for added durability and protection. A great addition, whether every Forester Wilderness customer needs it or not, is the standard All Weather Package, which adds heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors, and windshield wiper de-icer.
There’s a long list of other interior standard features. Some noteworthy ones include EyeSight Driver Assist (with a long list of its own features, including blind-spot monitoring, emergency lane keep assist, automatic emergency steering, and more); wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; the driver’s 10-way power seat with lumbar support; Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming.
Exterior Design
The quick giveaway you’re looking at a Subaru Wilderness model (Outback, Forester, or Crosstrek) are all those anodized copper accents scattered about, from the Wilderness-specific hexagonal grill to the raised ladder-type roof rails up top with an impressive 800-pound static load rating with Forester Wilderness.
Other exterior specs include the Wilderness-specific bumper, dual front and rear tow points, and redesigned side rocker protection and exclusive rear bumper. The hexagonal LED lights up front look sharp.
Takeaway
The latest Forester Wilderness isn’t radically different. Nor does it need to be. It builds on an already exceptional off-road compact SUV with proven all-wheel drive, a bulletproof 2.5-liter engine, and all the tough add-ons families expect from a rugged adventure machine…going well over and above the competitors.
That said, the new platform introduced with the 2024 redesign adds extra rigidity, increases towing capacity, improves CVT, and offers other performance upgrades, simply elevating all the features that matter. Inside, Subaru went further with added durability, more tech, including the optional digital gauge cluster, additional overall cargo space, and smart changes to things like the center storage area up front.
