2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness: More rugged SUV leaked

Subaru is ready to unveil his next rough one Wilderness model, based on the new sixth generation Forest ranger.

YouTube channel Car Buyer’s Guide | Alex about cars last week posted a video highlighting the upcoming 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, but some eagle-eyed viewers spotted an apparently unreleased model in the background.

The sighting sparked speculation online, with the model believed to be the 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness – a more rugged version of the sixth-generation Forester that is already on sale in the US and will arrive locally sometime this year.

Alex about cars video has since been edited and reuploaded to hide the white SUV with a black box, but not before some viewers took a screenshot and posted it to social media. You can view the current timestamp images below:

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The channel makes it clear that showing the vehicle was not intentional, writing in a comment: “There was something in the background that we can’t talk about.”

In any case, the blurry screenshot was captured by the user and uploaded to Instagram child car shows the more robust Forester variant.

The striking changes compared to the regular Forester are highlighted by the extended black plastic cladding on the wheel arches and doors; a redesigned front bumper with larger black elements and a silver lower section; off-road tires; a slightly higher ride height; and sturdier roof racks with brightly colored accents, similar to those on previous Subaru Wilderness models.

Since the model seen in the video appears to be production-ready, we’d guess that a US debut won’t be far away.

However, it’s unclear whether it will join Subaru’s Australian lineup. The regular Forester is expected here sometime this year, but Subaru has not yet offered any Wilderness vehicles locally, although the company has previously indicated it would like to do so.

The Japanese brand already sells Wilderness versions of the Crosstrek, Outback and earlier fifth-generation Forester in North America.

Subaru Australia has previously indicated it is looking to introduce the Wilderness nameplate in Australia, although it confirmed early last year that plans for a local debut had been postponed due to various timing and demand challenges.

The Wilderness line launched in 2022 with the Subaru Outback, with changes including 20mm suspension for a 240mm ground clearance, 17-inch alloy wheels, extended black trim with integrated tow hooks, an upgraded 320kg roof rack and a shorter end silencer. drive ratio for “improved low-speed climbing”.

That model was followed by the Forester and Crosstrek Wilderness models in 2022 and 2023, both of which feature similar improvements to the Outback. The Crosstrek Wilderness also adds a continuously variable transmission (CVT) cooler for an increased towing capacity of 4,000 lbs.

All Wilderness models are currently built in the USA. Currently, no Subarus sold in Australia come from this country, although that could change if production for the Outback ends in Japan.

If the Outbacks for the Australian market are eventually built in the US, this would open the door for the introduction of the Wilderness variant.

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