The Subaru Forester is one of the automaker’s bestselling models in the US, sitting alongside the Crosstrek at the top of the Japanese automaker’s sales chart. Subaru sold 107,858 units of the nameplate – a 4.2% increase compared to the same period last year. If you think the star-spangled brand will try hard to keep the Forester’s pricing intact for 2026 to continue its sales momentum, you’d be correct. Well, mostly, as the Wilderness trim gets a hefty price hike compared to the rest of the range.
In fact, save for the toughest trim, the entire Forester lineup – from Base to Touring – didn’t get a price hike for the 2026 model year. This means the lineup still starts at $29,995 for the Base trim, and tops out at $41,595 for the Touring. Given the current climate in pricing among other brands, this will certainly give Subaru the leg up against the Forester’s rivals. Notably, the prices mentioned here don’t include destination charges, which have increased slightly from $1,420 to $1,450 for the 2026 model year.
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2026 Subaru Forester Pricing |
|
|---|---|
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Base |
$29,995 |
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Premium |
$33,385 |
|
Sport |
$36,105 |
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Wilderness |
$38,385 |
|
Limited |
$37,695 |
|
Touring |
$41,595 |
The Wilderness Transition Comes With A Huge Price Gap
However, those pining for the Wilderness trim have to soldier a $2,100 price hike, catapulting the rugged variant’s price from $36,285 to $38,385. Of course, the price increase for the Wilderness trim comes with significant changes as part of the transition to the new-generation model. If you recall, when the sixth-generation Forester arrived for the 2025 model year, the Wilderness variant was still based on the fifth generation. So, yes, two generations of the Forester coexisted in 2025, but that will come to an end as we enter the 2026 model year.
Obviously, the new-generation Forester Wilderness comes with a redesign that distinguishes it from the outgoing model. It still features typical Wilderness cues, including thicker cladding and more rugged bumpers. It also comes with matte black 17-inch alloys with all-terrain tires, hexagonal fog lights, copper accents, and an anti-glare hood decal.
A Better Forester Wilderness For 2026
There are also functional upgrades. The new Forester Wilderness now has a higher 9.3-inch ground clearance and a revised CVT with a shorter final drive. Its X-Mode comes with Dual Mode, featuring Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud functions, while the suspension tuning is specifically tailored to the Wilderness variant. The design update also enhanced the model’s off-road capabilities, particularly by improving its approach angle to 23.5°, departure angle to 25.5°, and breakover angle to 21°. Even its towing capacity has been increased to 3,500 lbs, which is the highest ever for the Forester nameplate.
The 2026 Forester Wilderness comes with an optional upgrade package worth $2,200, which includes a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a Harman Kardon audio system, an 11.6-inch infotainment system with navigation, and a power rear gate.
The entire 2026 Forester lineup is still built at Subaru’s factory in Indiana, alongside the three-row Ascent and the smaller Crosstrek. It will arrive at Subaru dealers this fall.
Source: Subaru
