Adventure Awaits and Subaru Is Ready: The All-New Forester Wilderness

All eyes were on Subaru in March 2021 when the automaker debuted its most rugged and capable model to date – the 2022 Outback Wilderness, which promised a new level of capability and builds on Subaru’s proven Boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive. As your New Jersey Subaru dealer, the team here at Richard Lucas Subaru couldn’t help but notice that Subaru’s announcement revealed the Outback is only the “first vehicle in the Wilderness family.” To us, and loyal Subaru drivers everywhere, that meant even bigger things were to come.

Fast forward several months, and we see exactly what Subaru meant by those words with the announcement of the 2022 Forester Wilderness. The popular SUV has undergone a significant facelift for the 2022 model year, and part of that was the addition of a Wilderness version that will ready it for any adventure on the trail. This is fitting since Subaru has always encouraged you to answer the call of the wild in their rugged SUV. So, what do we know about the Forester Wilderness, and what can the 2022 Outback Wilderness tell us about the new model? Let’s find out!

2022 Forester Wilderness: What We Know

Subaru kept a tight lid on the all-new 2022 Forester Wilderness. The automaker first released a teaser video that showed very little of the vehicle itself, leaving many to question whether it was the Forester or the Ascent. Subaru later confirmed the Forester as the SUV in question and followed up with a few details in its announcement. All we knew was that the SUV would sit higher with increased ground clearance, deliver better off-road capability, and boast a more rugged style that readies it for adventures on the trail. That’s pretty general, don’t you agree?

The experts over at Car and Driver are usually among the first to learn about new models, and so we turned to them for guidance on what we could expect from the new Forester Wilderness. Of course, it’s all still speculation, but it looks like the Forester Wilderness will share many of the same features as the 2022 Outback Wilderness, starting with the Geyser Blue exterior paint and the Wilderness badging. That’s why a closer look at the 2022 Outback Wilderness might tell us more about the upcoming Forester and everything the SUV will offer.

2022 Outback Wilderness: A Blueprint for the Wilderness Family

The 2022 Outback Wilderness will likely be a blueprint for Subaru’s Wilderness family and is a great starting point for what we anticipate the Forester Wilderness will offer. The Outback Wilderness is marketed as the most capable Outback in Subaru history, and we expect the same level of capability in the Forester Wilderness. This starts with the heartbeat of the SUVs – the engine and all-wheel-drive system.

Subaru’s iconic boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive system are among the best in the industry and lay the groundwork for every Subaru’s capability, agility, and stability. Why change a good thing? The Outback Wilderness is powered by its tried and true 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine and is equipped with standard symmetrical all-wheel-drive. The Forester Wilderness will be powered by the same 2.5-liter boxer engine found in the 2021 model and, like all Subaru SUVs, will come standard with symmetrical all-wheel drive.

For the Outback Wilderness, Subaru enhanced the SUV’s gear ratios to deliver better performance and low-end torque, which means better traction in off-road scenarios. Subaru also improved the dual-function X-MODE system (Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud) by enabling the system to automatically and seamlessly switch between modes without interrupting the SUV’s performance or power. We expect to see a similar feature on the 2022 Forester Wilderness.

Ground Clearance and Off-Road Angles

Subaru doesn’t have to change its engine or its all-wheel drive system, but it does make a few adjustments to the Outback Wilderness to improve its capability on the trail. We see this in the SUV’s class-leading 9.5 inches of ground clearance courtesy of a 0.8-inch suspension lift. The suspension is also enhanced, and the front and rear shock absorbers are extended to deliver better handling, performance, and overall comfort on even the harshest terrain.

These modifications, along with redesigned front and rear bumpers, lead to better approach, breakover, and departure angles. The standard Outback’s approach angle is 18.6 degrees, its breakover angle is 19.4 degrees, and its departure angle is 21.7 degrees. The Outback Wilderness drastically improves these figures with a 20.0-degree approach angle, 21.2-degree breakover angle, and 23.6-degree departure angle, which means more confidence on the trail to tackle water crossings, boulders, and more.

Tires

An adventure-ready rig like the Outback Wilderness can’t rely on the same all-season tires that are found on the Outback. That’s why Subaru equips the 2022 Outback Wilderness with Yokohama GEOLANDAR all-terrain tires. Mounted on smaller 17-inch wheels for increased rim protection, these tires ready the Outback Wilderness for adventure and can seamlessly take you from the trail to the highway. We expect the Forester Wilderness will see a similar upgrade from its standard all-season tires to an all-terrain set that will ready it to answer the call of the wild.

Interior Ruggedness

When you’re answering that call of the wild, you shouldn’t have to worry about the interior of your vehicle, and that’s why Subaru outfits the Outback Wilderness with durable StarTex water-repellent material that features Wilderness-exclusive badging on the headrests. This interior is designed to withstand extensive wear and tear, which means you don’t have to think twice about how the seats or the all-weather floor mats will hold up to your adventures. The Gunmetal Gray headliner is also an excellent touch and is a great color that can easily hide the occasional dirt-smudged fingerprints.

With the Outback Wilderness offering StarTex upholstery, you can expect this to be a standard Wilderness feature. That means the Forester Wilderness will likely see the same adventure-ready interior that gives you the confidence you need to toss your gear in the backseat and head down the trail. You can also expect the same Wilderness badging on the headrests and the floor mats, which is just another detail that gives the Wilderness family its unique aesthetic.

More Accessories

Off-road enthusiasts love to modify their vehicles with accessories, and Subaru knows it. That’s why Subaru extended its accessory catalog for the Outback Wilderness. The catalog includes a variety of roof-rack systems, skid plates, and even a protector for the rear differential. We expect a similar list of accessories to extend to the Forester Wilderness as well.

The Wild Is Calling. Will You Answer?

Subaru’s reputation in the automotive industry is one of reliability, practicality, and capability, all of which starts with Subaru’s boxer engine and the automaker’s unique symmetrical all-wheel drive. Subarus are known for logging hundreds of thousands of miles with ease, whether that means cruising the highway or venturing off the pavement and down the trail. This is the reputation that Subaru is building on with the debut of the all-new Wilderness family.

The 2022 Outback Wilderness set the stage for the Wilderness family and will serve as the forerunner, ushering in a new standard of capability that we’ve yet to see from the Subaru lineup. Fortunately for us, that capability isn’t limited to the best-selling Outback but will soon find a home on the Forester Wilderness as well. Like any Subaru family, the Forester Wilderness continues to ask the question, “When the wild is calling, how will you answer?” Hopefully, behind the wheel of the Forester Wilderness.