2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness is ready for adventures

Subaru gives the all-new Forester the Wilderness treatment

Subarus and off-road go hand-in-hand, it seems. While the automaker now caters mostly to car buyers who rarely take their vehicles off the beaten path, that hasn't stopped Subaru from serving its core customers who aren't afraid to get their vehicles dirty.

With that, Subaru has just launched the 2026 Forester Wilderness, and it's ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at it. Based on the sixth-generation model that was recently launched in the country last weekend, the all-new Subaru Forester Wilderness trades domesticity for the great outdoors, and then some.

As before, the Forester Wilderness combines rugged looks and go-anywhere capability in a compact crossover package. It's equipped with an upgraded suspension, which increases its ground clearance to 236mm, 15mm more than the regular model. It also has 17-inch matte black alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires for extra traction over any type of terrain.

Thanks to the taller suspension, the Forester Wilderness also has better approach, departure, and breakover angles of 23.5 degrees, 25.5 degrees, and 21 degrees, respectively. Other key exterior changes include matte black trim accents on the front fascia & bodywork, a revised front grille, skid plates, and a matte black hood decal.

Hop aboard the Forester Wilderness, and the interior largely carries over from the regular version. However, it does get some neat color accents that are finished in a copper hue. These can be found on the steering wheel, gear selector, dashboard, and contrast stitching on the StarTex seats. Serving as a reminder for would-be owners that they are in something special are the embossed front headrests that show the Subaru Wilderness logo.

Since the Forester Wilderness is based on the top-of-the-line version, the 2026 Forester Wilderness gets plenty of amenities like 10-way power-adjustable front seats, a wireless charging pad, an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system, and a sunroof.

Powering the Subaru Forester Wilderness is a 2.5L naturally aspirated Boxer engine that makes 183 PS with 241 Nm of torque. It's the same engine that's available in the non-Wilderness models and is connected to a Lineatronic CVT and Symmetrical AWD system.

Since the Subaru Forester Wilderness is offered as a USDM model, there's little to no chance of it making its way here. But that doesn't mean gray market importers can't bring them into the country for those who would like to get one.