- The Forester is still quite new, redesigned just last year, and gets a new off-road Wilderness trim this year
- Pricing starts at $31,445| Price it your way
- On sale now| See Subaru Forester models for sale near you
The Subaru Forester has a long, hard-earned reputation as a safe, reliable family car that can mix it up off-road more than most. The Subaru Forester saw a complete makeover for the 2025 model year, so it hasn’t needed much of an update to stay fresh for 2026. The big news is an off-road-oriented Wilderness trim with added ground clearance, modes for snow and mud, and all-terrain tires. Most Subaru vehicles are quite good off-road thanks to the brand’s well-regarded symmetrical all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, the Forester included. Add in more trail gear, and the Wilderness can go places many small SUVs can’t.
The Subaru Forester has six trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring. It competes against varied rivals like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-50, and Ford Bronco Sport.
Let’s take a look inside the 2026 Subaru Forester.
Passenger Room and Comfort
The 2026 Subaru Forester seats five and ensures plenty of shoulder room, around 57 inches. The front seats are comfortable and can be heated and cooled as you get into the higher trims. Some automakers skimp on seat bolstering in this price range, but Subaru added more in the most recent redesign. That helps reduce driver fatigue on longer trips.
As for the second row, the legroom is also generous, at 39.4 inches. While it’s a 5-passenger vehicle, you’re really looking at enough room for four 6-foot-tall people to fit comfortably. One thing to keep in mind is that the optional moonroof encroaches on headroom by an inch or two. That’s not a Forester thing — it’s true in every vehicle. Standard dual-zone climate control is a convenient perk.
Features and Tech
Subaru gives most of its vehicle a portrait-mounted touchscreen, which is fairly unique. Most automakers use landscape-mounted screens. Either approach can work. The base model Forester gets a pair of stacked 7-inch touchscreens. The top handles phone and audio functions, while the lower adjusts the climate and vehicle settings. All other trims feature an 11.6-inch touchscreen that handles most functions. All Forester trims except the base model come with a wireless charging pad in the center console. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard on all but the base model, which uses a wired connection.
Subaru is known for its safety as well as its off-road readiness. The latest edition of its EyeSight Driver Assist Technology continues the legacy. This suite of safety technology includes adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and more. Additionally, emergency stop assist activates if the driver becomes unresponsive while using advanced adaptive cruise control — a first for Subaru. Other available safety features include blind-spot monitoring and reverse automatic braking.
But the Forester’s best safety feature may be something more old-fashioned: its shape gives it the best visibility of any compact SUV. From the driver’s seat, you have a clearer view of the world around you in the 2026 Forester than any other SUV we’ve tested this year.
Despite that, we can all use a little help parking in tight spaces. You can upgrade to get the Surround View Monitor, which gives you a 360-degree view of the Forester from above. It’s helpful not only while parking but also in other situations where you really need to see what’s around the vehicle.
Materials and Design
Subaru owners are an active group, and as a result, can be tough on their vehicles. Subaru builds with that in mind.
The new Forester features contoured dash elements and textured trim pieces designed to avoid visible damage from daily use. Designers also added a dark headliner to hide scuffs from loading/unloading passengers and cargo. Subaru designed the greenhouse to allow in more light, including a revised pillar design, which gives the Forester a more spacious feel. A panoramic moonroof is an option, and rear dark-tint privacy glass is standard on all but the base trim.
We’re fans of StarTex, a faux leather Subaru uses on mid-level trims of the Forester. It feels convincingly like leather but holds up better over time, and wipes clean easily.
If you want the luxury of the real thing, the Forester Touring level offers perforated black or saddle brown leather upholstery and a 10-way power driver’s seat with 2-position memory (for both side mirrors and seat). The trim includes power lumbar support, an 8-way power front passenger seat, and heated rear seats.
Cargo Room and Flexibility
Behind the rear seats of the Forester is up to 29.6 cubic feet of luggage space. Fold the 60/40-split seats and that grows to up to 74.4 cubic feet. These figures are for the base trim; higher trims have slightly less. At 49.2 inches wide, the Forester’s rear aperture is huge, and when combined with the low lift-over height of 32.3 inches, loading anything from groceries to camping equipment gets much easier. Use the optional power liftgate to make it even more convenient.
Build and price your own 2026 Subaru Forester to see this week’s Fair Purchase Price, or check out Subaru Forester models for sale near you.
