Is the 2026 Subaru Forester a good car?

The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness earns a 7.5/10 expert rating. The standout strength is Safety at 9/10.

For you, the big appeal is that Subaru built this version for drivers who want a crossover that can go well beyond pavement. The Wilderness adds all-terrain tires, more ground clearance, improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, extra underbody protection, and a full-size all-terrain spare tire. That makes it more confident in rough conditions than a typical crossover SUV, while the rugged styling and easy-to-clean interior reinforce its outdoors-first mission.

The trade-offs are clear: the design may be polarizing, performance is described as sluggish, and the infotainment system is a weak point.

That said, the market still shows meaningful availability, with 33.4% of listings marked as good or great deals.

Is the 2026 Subaru Forester reliable?

The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness is presented as a reassuring choice for buyers who want capability without giving up everyday usability. Subaru’s focus on traction, underbody protection, and a full-size spare tire points to a vehicle designed to handle rough use with less drama, and the updated rear-passenger protection adds to the sense that this model year was improved with safety in mind.

The performance setup is straightforward rather than complicated: you get a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a CVT, and standard all-wheel drive with off-road-oriented traction settings. That simplicity can be a plus for long-term ownership, especially if you value a proven layout over a more complex powertrain.

Subaru also includes a maintenance perk in the ownership experience, which helps soften early running costs.

For used buyers, the main long-term risk is that the Wilderness’s off-road hardware and rugged use case make condition and maintenance history especially important.

What should I look for when buying a used 2026 Subaru Forester?

Accident-free inventory is excellent at 97.6% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.

You should still run a history report and prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if the vehicle has seen trail use or towing. Focus on signs of underbody wear, tire condition, suspension damage, and any evidence that the vehicle has been used harder than a typical commuter crossover. The rugged equipment is a selling point, but it also makes condition more important than on a standard pavement-only SUV.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The Wilderness stands apart with a lifted suspension, all-terrain tires, extra body cladding, and copper accents, while seat ventilation is unavailable.
• Powertrain: The 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, and Subaru says the CVT’s shorter final-drive ratio improves low-speed responsiveness off-road.
• Safety package: EyeSight includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. It also adds automatic throttle management and Lead Vehicle Start Alert, plus blind-spot monitoring with steering intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, Automatic Emergency Steering, and Emergency Stop Assist with Safe Lane Selection.
• Infotainment: The available 11.6-inch touchscreen includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, Wi-Fi hotspot access, and connected services. A 12.3-inch digital instrument panel is available with the option package.
• Fuel efficiency: Subaru estimates 26 mpg in combined driving, and the evaluation average was 22.7 mpg.

Which 2026 Subaru Forester trim should I buy?

The 2026 Subaru Forester is offered in 6 trim levels: base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Wilderness, and Touring.

Here's the short version:

• Base trim: It is the entry point, but the Wilderness-specific safety and off-road upgrades are what define this model year’s standout character.
• Sweet-spot trim: The Wilderness is the one to target if you want the year’s core appeal: stronger off-road hardware, better traction, and the most distinctive utility-focused setup.
• Premium/top trim: Touring is the most upscale gas-model trim name explicitly listed, but the Wilderness is the more compelling choice if your priority is capability rather than luxury.
• Off-road trim: Wilderness is the trim that makes sense if you actually plan to use the Forester beyond pavement.

The safety package note is simple: EyeSight is standard, and the Wilderness also adds blind-spot steering assist, rear cross-traffic alert, Automatic Emergency Steering, and Emergency Stop Assist with Safe Lane Selection.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2026 Subaru Forester?

This is a moderate, selective-buyer market, so you have room to shop carefully without expecting every listing to be a bargain.

• Deal availability: 33.4% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 4,073 listings available.
• Clean inventory: 97.6% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $34,397.26, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

Is the 2026 Subaru Forester safe?

The Forester earned a Top Safety Pick rating from IIHS, and the redesigned 2025 Forester received five-star ratings in each individual NHTSA assessment, plus a four-star rollover resistance rating.

It earns a 9/10 safety score from our experts.

Subaru’s EyeSight suite includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. It also adds automatic throttle management when you accelerate toward an obstacle and Lead Vehicle Start Alert. Beyond that, the Wilderness includes active blind-spot monitoring with steering intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, Automatic Emergency Steering, and Emergency Stop Assist with Safe Lane Selection.

One caveat is that the Forester did not receive the highest IIHS honor, and the rear-passenger crash result was the area that held it back.

Should I buy a 2026 Subaru Forester or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2026 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2026 if:

• 33.4% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is excellent at 97.6% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.
• Subaru adds all-terrain tires, more ground clearance, improved angles, and updated rear-passenger protection for this year.

Consider the 2025 if:

• It refines the Forester with a better-equipped base model and quieter cabin.

The bottom line: If you want the most capability-focused Forester, the 2026 is the better pick because it adds the Wilderness treatment and meaningful safety updates. If your priority is value and you want a more conventional Forester experience, the 2025 remains the sensible alternative for price-sensitive buyers.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from August 21, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.