New & Used 2026 Subaru Forester for Sale nearWilmington, NC

Compare 2026 Subaru Forester Trims

The Forester lineup offers a range of trims from budget-friendly options to adventure-ready models, all featuring AWD for versatile driving.

• Starting at $29,534
• Best MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Most Popular: Premium Crossover AWD

Trim Overview

Prices updated weekly from CarGurus listings.

Quick Compare Table

Listing prices sourced from CarGurus — updated weekly. OEM specs from manufacturer data.

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Trim Deep Dives

Crossover AWD — "Who It's For"

The Crossover AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a budget-friendly option without sacrificing essential features.

• Avg. market price: $29,534 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 669 listings
• View Crossover AWD listings

Premium Crossover AWD — "Who It's For"

The Premium Crossover AWD is the pick for shoppers who want extra comfort and features without stepping up to the higher trims.

• Avg. market price: $32,635 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 3,164 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Premium Crossover AWD listings

Sport Crossover AWD — "Who It's For"

The Sport Crossover AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a stylish and sporty option without the luxury price tag.

• Avg. market price: $35,490 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 25 city / 32 hwy
• Inventory: 1,437 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Sport Crossover AWD listings

Limited Crossover AWD — "Who It's For"

The Limited Crossover AWD is the pick for shoppers who want luxury features and comfort without going to the top trim.

• Avg. market price: $36,136 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 1,775 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Limited Crossover AWD listings

Wilderness Crossover AWD — "Who It's For"

The Wilderness Crossover AWD is the pick for shoppers who want rugged capability and off-road features without a significant price increase.

• Avg. market price: $37,153 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 24 city / 28 hwy
• Inventory: 1,473 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Wilderness Crossover AWD listings

Touring Crossover AWD — "Who It's For"

The Touring Crossover AWD is the pick for shoppers who want the most advanced tech and luxury features in the lineup.

• Avg. market price: $39,243 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 25 city / 32 hwy
• Inventory: 1,142 listings — widest selection in the lineup
• View Touring Crossover AWD listings

Trim Recommendations

Most Popular — Premium Crossover AWD

With 3,164 active listings, the Premium Crossover AWD is the clear volume leader in the lineup.

Browse Premium Crossover AWD listings

Best Budget Option — Crossover AWD

At $29,534 avg market price — below the lineup median of $35,813 — it's the most accessible entry point.

Browse Crossover AWD listings

Best for Fuel Economy — Crossover AWD

The Crossover AWD offers the best fuel economy in the lineup with 26/33 MPG/MPGe.

Browse Crossover AWD listings

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 2, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.

Is the 2026 Subaru Forester a good car?

The 7.5/10 expert rating points to a Forester that is especially compelling if you want a crossover SUV that can go beyond pavement. The standout strength is Safety at 9/10. Subaru’s Wilderness treatment adds all-terrain tires, increased ground clearance, improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, drivetrain changes that improve traction, underbody protection, and a full-size all-terrain spare tire, so you get real capability rather than just rugged styling. The trade-offs are clear too: the design may not be for everyone, performance is described as sluggish, and the infotainment system is a weak point. Even so, the overall package makes sense if you want utility, reassurance, and off-road confidence in a compact SUV, and 33.1% of listings are priced as good or great deals.

Is the 2026 Subaru Forester reliable?

The 2026 Forester is presented as a reassuring choice for long-term use because Subaru emphasizes durability-minded changes, including added protection for rear passengers and a chassis setup aimed at handling rough conditions with more confidence than a typical crossover SUV. The performance setup also supports that mission: the standard 2.5-liter engine, CVT tuning, shorter final-drive ratio, and improved transmission cooling are all aimed at keeping the vehicle usable in demanding conditions, while Subaru’s all-wheel-drive system and traction settings are designed to reduce wheelspin on loose or slippery surfaces. Subaru also includes a maintenance perk in the ownership story by making the first scheduled maintenance visit complimentary. For used buyers, the main long-term risk is that the Wilderness’s more specialized hardware and off-road use could mean you should be especially careful about wear, abuse, and maintenance history.

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

Accident-free inventory is excellent at 97.5% — 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 underbody condition, tire wear, suspension wear, and any signs that the off-road equipment has been stressed. It also makes sense to verify that the infotainment and camera systems work properly, since those are among the model’s weaker points.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The Wilderness stands apart with lifted suspension, all-terrain tires, extra body cladding, anodized copper accents, Wilderness badges, and an interior designed for easy clean-up. It also lacks seat ventilation, which is worth noting if comfort features matter to you.
• Powertrain: The Wilderness uses a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT that has eight programmed ratios. Subaru says the shorter final-drive ratio improves low-speed responsiveness off-road, and towing capacity rises to 3,500 pounds.
• Safety package: EyeSight includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, automatic throttle management, and Lead Vehicle Start Alert. The Wilderness also adds active blind-spot monitoring with steering intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, Automatic Emergency Steering, and Emergency Stop Assist with Safe Lane Selection.
• Infotainment: The available setup includes a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and an 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Wi-Fi hotspot access, and connected services, but it does not include a conversational digital voice assistant.
• Fuel efficiency: Subaru estimates 26 mpg in combined driving.

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: This is the entry point if you want the Forester’s core practicality and standard all-wheel-drive foundation without paying for the Wilderness’s specialized hardware.
• Premium: This is the trim to target if you want a stronger value balance, since it should add useful everyday equipment without pushing you into the highest-priced versions.
• Sport: Choose this if you want a more style-forward step up from the lower trims while staying within the mainstream Forester lineup.
• Limited: This is the better pick if you want a more upscale-feeling Forester with more comfort and convenience content.
• Wilderness: This is the one to buy if you want the most capability. It adds the off-road-focused hardware, the rugged interior treatment, and the strongest trail-ready character in the lineup.
• Touring: Pick this if you want the most fully equipped Forester and care most about comfort and convenience.

The Wilderness also comes with a safety package that includes EyeSight, blind-spot intervention, 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 looks like a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you can shop carefully without assuming every listing is a bargain.

• Deal availability: 33.1% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 4,094 listings available.
• Clean inventory: 97.5% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $34,268.39, 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, lane-centering assist, automatic throttle management, and Lead Vehicle Start Alert. The Wilderness also adds active blind-spot monitoring with steering intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, Automatic Emergency Steering, and Emergency Stop Assist with Safe Lane Selection. Subaru has also improved the rear seatbelts for 2026, which is part of its effort to address the rear-passenger safety issue that kept the previous Forester from earning the higher IIHS honor.

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:

• 33.1% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is excellent at 97.5% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.
• Subaru adds a redesigned Wilderness model with real off-road hardware and improved rear-passenger protection.

Consider the 2025 if:

• It refines the formula with a better-equipped base model, more advanced tech and safety, and a quieter cabin.

The bottom line: If you want the most capable and safety-forward Forester in this generation, the 2026 is the better target. If your priority is value and you’re less focused on the Wilderness-specific upgrades, the 2025 remains a smart alternative, especially if you find a cleaner or cheaper example.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 4, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.