Later this year, Subaru will likely offer the Wilderness package on the 2025 Forester. Ideally, it will be a trim level for the 2025 model year, but it could also be a 2026 model. All Foresters should have the same four-cylinder, 180-hp engine that will power the Wilderness. The new Wilderness will stand out from the rest of the next-generation Forester models because it has shorter gears, a unique look, and better ground clearance. When it goes on sale in early 2024, the 2025 Subaru Forester will be available in basic, Premium, Sport, Touring, and Limited trims. A year after its release, the new small SUV will probably get a trim level called “Wilderness” designed for off-road use. It can’t be stopped, like the tides in the ocean. We’re really excited to see this tougher Forester version. That’s enough to pay for a drawing of how the new Forester might look in the wild. Let’s make it seem like the made-up Forester Wilderness has a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the WRX that makes 271 horsepower. That’s how the desert is now talked about. We’re afraid that the next Forester Wilderness will have the same heavy track marks as the current model and will use the same 2.5-liter, four-cylinder, 180-hp engine that is in all 2025 Forester models. There is a continuously variable automatic transmission built in, but the ratio spread may be wider than in the current Wilderness. The Wilderness would have a shorter final-drive ratio, which would give it more power than other Forester types. It will also be easy to drive the boxy SUV in muddy areas. This is likely to be the least useful Forester model because it has lower gears and All-Terrain tires made specifically for use in the wild. Still, it will keep or even slightly beat the EPA’s estimates for its predecessor’s gas mileage: 25 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg total. The Wilderness will undoubtedly have a higher suspension tuned to its trim level. The new Forester’s 8.7-inch ground clearance, which is the same as the outgoing Forester when it’s not a Wilderness, will be about the same as the current Wilderness’s 9.2-inch clearance. Subaru hasn’t said how much the next-generation Forester can tow, but we think the Wilderness will be able to do more than the regular models. The 2024 Wilderness can pull 3000 pounds, which is twice as much as a regular Forester because it has an extra oil cooler. The Forester Wilderness already has a standard front skid plate. Adding more underbody protection is probably the most surprising thing Subaru could do to better protect parts like the gas tank and rear axle- weird things. People are interested in buying Subaru cars because they are reliable. Because of this, Subaru will not make any big changes to the Wilderness’s basic form. Yes, the new Forester’s body panels will make the next Wilderness look very different from the current model. However, the internal design will stay the same. This includes new wheels, an orange trim, a matte-black decal on the hood, and redesigned front and back fascias that make the approach and departure angles much steeper. Even though it’s pretty standard, Subaru’s Wilderness trim is a good choice for Forester buyers who want to take their car off the beaten road or who want a car that looks like the more traditional SUVs of the past. For all we know, Subaru might surprise us with a Forester series with a turbocharger called the Wilderness WRX (WildernessRX?). Don’t we all get to dream?
