- The Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid is Subaru’s most efficient Wilderness model.
- Hybrid powertrain with 194 combined horsepower and all-wheel drive.
- Available late 2026.
At the 2026 New York Auto show, Subaru debuted its newest addition to the Wilderness lineup, the 2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid.
The Forester Wilderness Hybrid will be the fourth vehicle to wear the Wilderness badge and the first Wilderness model to use Subaru’s hybrid powertrain, good for 194 combined horsepower.
Powertrain and Stats
Subaru is touting this new model as the “most fuel-efficient Wilderness model ever,” saying that it will get 25% better fuel economy than the Forester Wilderness.
Since the Subaru Forester Wilderness gets an estimated 26 MPG combined and the Subaru Forester Hybrid gets an estimated 35 MPG combined, it’s safe to assume that this model will land somewhere in between. The company hasn’t announced fuel economy numbers yet, but we would bet it will get around 32 or 33 MPG combined.
The 2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid is powered by Subaru’s 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a lithium-ion battery and a pair of electric motors to make that combined 194 hp number. It’s a parallel hybrid system so that it integrates more seamlessly with Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, and it gets an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT). It also comes with X-Mode, the terrain management system that includes hill descent control and has settings for Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud.
Tech and Safety
As standard, the Forester Wilderness Hybrid gets an 11.6-inch touchscreen with navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a configurable 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster with Apple Maps integration. It also comes with an 11-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.
Safety features include Subaru’s standard EyeSight system, which includes advanced adaptive cruise control with lane centering, lane change assist, blind-spot detection with rear cross traffic alert, automatic emergency steering, emergency lane keeping assist, emergency stop assist, and more.
Interior and Features
Continuing with the off-road theme, inside the 2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid you get Wilderness-exclusive weather resistant StarTex seating surfaces and standard all-weather mats, both of which make the interior easier to clean after hitting a muddy or dusty trail.
You don’t lose any interior space with the hybrid powertrain, either: The Forester Wilderness Hybrid still gets 27.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, and 69 cubic feet when you lay the second row flat.
Outside, the Wilderness version of the hybrid Forester gets 9.3-inches of ground clearance, which is up from the standard Forester Hybrid’s 8.7 inches.
Because it’s tuned for more off-roading activities, Subaru says it’s added sound absorbing materials and structural adhesives to make the cabin quieter. It also rides on larger, more off-road-friendly tires on 17-inch matte black wheels and gets ladder-style roof rails with an 800-pound static load capacity.
2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid On-Sale Date
The 2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness is slated to go on sale in late 2026. Pricing will be announced closer to its launch.
