2023 Subaru Forester Wilderness

The 2023 Forester is Subaru's compact SUV, slotting between the Crosstrek and the Outback with a tall, upright cabin and standard all-wheel drive. It competes with the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Mazda CX-5, offering a more rugged, outdoorsy character than most. The Forester rides with a soft, absorbent feel that suits rough roads, and its steering is light and easy around town. The cabin is roomy for the class, with generous headroom and a large cargo area behind the rear seats. Standard EyeSight driver assistance includes adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, and the available Starlink infotainment handles Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Wilderness gives up the Touring's leather and upgraded audio for a more rugged look with matte-black cladding, copper accents, and an 800-pound static roof load capacity. Its 2.5L I4 makes 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT and all-wheel drive that returns 26 mpg combined. The Wilderness-exclusive dual-function X-MODE with Deep Snow/Mud settings and a lower final drive ratio give it genuine off-road capability beyond what other Foresters offer.