Subaru Forester Review 2026: What You’ll Love (and Hate)

from the experts at Invoice Pricing

2026

Subaru

Forester

Enhanced | Subaru | SUV

A Subaru Forester review that shows how the small SUV has changed since its first release as a boxy crossover that could be used for many things. The sixth version of the Forester came out last year. It looks more modern while still having some of its classic features. Each Forester comes with a flat-four motor, basic all-wheel drive, and enough ground clearance to make short trips off-road comfortable. The Forester isn’t completely out of date, though, because the cabin is roomy and made of modern materials that give it a modern feel. The Wilderness trim has finally joined the rest of the Forester range after a year of waiting. This is great news for people who like to go off-road. The Wilderness gets the same update as the basic models did last year. It gets bigger all-terrain tires, a new transmission tune that makes it easier to handle off-road, and a higher ride height of 9.3 inches. The Forester is different enough from earlier models to outperform them, but it looks like a rehash of newer rivals like the Ford Bronco Sport and Mazda CX-50.

What's New?

The all-terrain Wilderness trim gets the same styling update as the rest of the Forester range. It got lost in the woods and missed the redesign for the 2025 model year. The new Wilderness has a shorter final drive ratio for better off-road responsiveness, Snow/Dirt, and Deep Snow/Mud drive settings that can be chosen, a better transmission cooler, bigger all-terrain Yokohama Geolander tires, better approach, departure, and breakover angles to help you get over trail obstacles, and updated suspension tuning with a ground clearance of 9.3 inches (up from 8.7 inches on standard models).

Infotainment & Connectivity

All models except the base model include a huge 11.6-inch tablet for entertainment. The system also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly, as well as a charging spot for smartphones. The base model has two 7.0-inch screens that work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Engine and Performance

The 2.5-liter flat-four engine under the hood powers all four wheels, and a continuously variable gearbox shifts gears. It can only make 180 hp and 178 lb-ft of power. If you want extra speed, the next Forester Hybrid is the best choice. It’s supposed to have more go-pedal power. The Forester isn’t as fun to drive as the Subaru WRX, despite its dual-pinion electric power steering rack. The steering doesn’t feel very good, and the suspension is mostly set up for ease. If you back the Forester into a corner, it will move around a bit, which could be scary at first until it calms down. The Forester is a nice car to drive if you like to take it easy.

The flat-four engine in the Forester Sport we drove made noise as it went. It took 8.3 seconds to reach 60 mph. However, acceleration seems fine in town, and the engine’s harsh personality is less obvious when the accelerator is lightly pressed.

Fuel Economy

The EPA has not yet rated the 2026 Forester’s gas mileage, but it is likely to be about the same as the 2025 model. The EPA said that the 2025 Forester got 26 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, but the Sport and Touring trims got only 31 mpg in those categories. On our highway fuel-economy test route at 75 mph, the 2025 Forester in Sport grade got 31 mpg. With its longer final drive ratio and larger tires, the new Wilderness trim is expected to be less fuel-efficient than other trims, though we haven’t tested it yet.

Safety Features

All Subaru models come with EyeSight, a suite of camera-based driver assistance systems. The following are important safety features:

It comes with automatic emergency brakes.
Lane departure warning and assistance come standard to help you stay in your lane.
It comes with adaptive speed control.

Cargo and Towing Capacity

Thanks to a more efficient gearbox cooler, the Forester Wilderness can tow up to 3,500 pounds, the most in its class. The other versions of the 2026 Forester can pull up to 1,500 pounds.

Price and How to Choose

With different trims and choices, the 2026 Subaru Forester could cost anywhere from $33,000 to $43,000. LED headlights, remote keyless entry, and “welcome lighting,” which lights up the front door handles at night, are all standard on the Forester. The Sport trim level is our top pick because it has the right amount of price, style, and features. The Forester Sport has nice features like heated front seats and an 11.6-inch tablet for entertainment. It also has beautiful bronze trim and unique wheels. Off-road fans might like the new Wilderness trim, but choose the Sport until you’re sure you’ll use the bigger all-terrain tires and higher ground clearance. We’ll make changes to this page as soon as Subaru announces the final price of the 2026 Forester.