2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid: Off-Road Power with 25% Better Fuel Economy

Subaru has a few niches: it'll make anyone an off-road-capable SUV or crossover. It'll probably do it while undercutting competitors, and it'll sell you a more efficient take on the aforementioned - usually in the form of a hybrid or an EV. The new 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid has a name as long as its list of duties, combining all of the above into a single vehicle.

The brand's off-road Wilderness lineup is already hugely successful, and the expansion to include its hybrid models seems like a logical evolution, as these off-road-focused vehicles usually have the worst fuel economy in the brand's lineup. That said, Subaru claims a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy over the standard gas-powered Forester Wilderness. However, actual numbers haven't been shared. Do a little math based on the Wilderness' current numbers, and it comes out to some 35 miles per gallon highway for the new hybrid.

The other benefit of the Forester Hybrid's powertrain is more power: 194 horsepower as opposed to the 180 hp the standard Wilderness churns out. The added torque from the electric motors should be a nice benefit off-road, too, where instant torque can always help get you out of a jam.

The rest of the Wilderness' arsenal of off-road improvements is still present. That means almost another inch of ground clearance over the standard model, all-terrain tires, off-road drive modes, special Wilderness aesthetic changes, skid plates, and unique suspension tuning. The new-ish model doesn't bring any updates to the Forester, which itself is still pretty darn new, having debuted with a new generation just a few years back. In addition to fuel economy figures, Subaru has yet to announce pricing. The current Wilderness starts at $39,835, so expect the hybrid model to begin life a few thousand dollars over the $40,000 mark.