Sep 10, 2021
A blue 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness driving down a wooded path.

Subaru has long been a brand with a strong connection to the outdoors. As one of the first auto manufacturers to offer all-wheel drive on large SUVs, it’s no wonder Subaru has become a favorite among adventure-ready drivers who expect a little more versatility from their vehicles. Now, an intriguing new model is arriving at Charlotte car dealerships, seeking to build on that stellar reputation. The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness gives an off-road upgrade to Subaru’s most popular compact SUV. Following in the trail blazed earlier this year by a Wilderness edition of the 2022 Subaru Outback, the 2022 Forester Wilderness is the second – but probably not the last – Subaru to get an outdoorsy upgrade.

The newest edition of the best-selling SUV integrates a number of trail-worthy upgrades on both the design and performance sides of the equation. From sleek new contours and interior upgrades to a lifted chassis and purpose-built suspension, the 2022 Forester is hiding some intriguing surprises behind its new Wilderness badge. This mid-cycle reimagining of the fifth-generation SUV results in a compact crossover that’s not only stylish, fun to drive, and more than capable of holding its own off-road but also solidifies the Forester’s reputation as a family-friendly vehicle that isn’t afraid to get a little dirty.?

A Legacy In The Wilderness

Subaru’s reputation as the go-to choice for the backpack-and-hiking-boot set cannot be understated. The brand has long captured the imagination of this outdoorsy segment thanks to its standard symmetrical all-wheel drive performance, but even that can’t fully explain its popularity. A quick visual survey of cars on the road underscores this point; while no one keeps statistics on such things, we bet you’d be hard-pressed to find any automobile brands on the road toting more kayaks and mountain bikes than Subaru.

Perhaps it’s the 76 cubic feet of cargo room in the Forester, giving drivers the opportunity to easily tote everything they need for a weekend off the grid – or provide some overnight shelter should the forecast turn against you. Maybe it’s the impressive fuel economy and ground clearance, making the Forester an exceedingly practical choice for everyday driving; a well-rounded vehicle that’s equally at home on the gravel roads of a state park as it is navigating dense city traffic. Drivers and critics alike have recognized the SUV’s backwoods bona fides, with the Forester even being named the Edmunds’ best all-in-one camping vehicle in its segment.

Whatever it is, there’s little question that Subaru has become adept at designing the type of vehicles that appeal to this demographic. This reputation has almost become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy over the years: outdoorsy people drive Subarus, and Subarus are perfect for outdoorsy people. Subaru has taken advantage of this positive feedback loop, leaning into its legacy and continually pushing the envelope with adventurous vehicles that yearn to kick up a little gravel.

Subaru has made similar overtures to the kayak crowd before, collaborating with a legacy outdoors retailer in the early 2000s to offer the Forester L.L. Bean edition. A unique trim package featuring many of the era’s top-of-the-line features, the L.L. Bean edition included a wood-accented Momo steering wheel, panoramic moonroof, leather seats emblazoned with L.L. Bean branding, and rear self-leveling suspension for a smoother ride on uneven terrain.

The new Wilderness editions seem to take up this muddy mantle, offering popular models kitted out with the type of off-road upgrades that individual Subaru owners have been undertaking on their own for years. As we look forward to the Forester Wilderness arriving at our Charlotte dealership, a look at the recently released Outback Wilderness should give us a hint of what’s in store.

A close up of the badging on the trunk of a blue 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness.

Style, Performance Upgrades Lend Off-Road Cred

Unveiled in March, The Outback was the first Subaru to get the Wilderness treatment, but every indication says that it won’t be the last. While Subaru hasn’t officially announced its plans for the Wilderness family, we expect that the Subaru Ascent and Subaru Crosstrek are next in line after the Subaru Wilderness. The Wilderness Outback is a striking departure from the base model, with some distinctive performance tweaks and design flourishes that immediately set it apart in the crowded SUV market.

At first glance, the Wilderness Outback looks like a slightly beefier model of the best-selling compact crossover, but these small changes go a long way in earning the Outback some backcountry cred. Adding nearly an inch in ground clearance, the Outback rides a generous 9.5 inches above the trail with an added skid plate and redesigned bumpers allowing for more aggressive approach and departure angles. Yokohama GEOLANDAR tires and off-road wheels will give drivers confidence in adverse conditions, and a full-size spare ensures you’ll never be stranded if worse comes to worst.

From a design perspective, there’s no denying the more aggressive silhouette of the Wilderness Outback. Black exterior trim, ample, chunky cladding around the wheel arches, and Anodized Copper accents add a decidedly sporty and functional look to the SUV. These splashes of yellow and gold on the roof and tail are a novel way to draw attention to the Outback’s gear-towing capabilities, drawing the eye to the points where one can easily mount gear and tents or tow trailers and boats. With a reimagined roof rack that can accommodate up to 700 pounds when stationary, the Wilderness edition is also the perfect Outback for the increasingly popular rooftop tent. The interior keeps the focus on functionality with fold-flat rear seats, an LED cargo lamp integrated into the rear gate, and StarTex water-repellent fabric that guarantees the memories of your weekend adventures will live on in your mind, not your upholstery.

On the performance side, a turbocharged Subaru Boxer engine earns the Outback an impressive tow rating of 3,500 pounds. The 260-horsepower engine offers 277 pound-feet of torque, as well as upgraded gear ratios to aid in ascending steeper grades. Subaru’s popular X-Mode has seen an update here as well, offering the standard Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud driving modes and adding a function that enables the vehicles to shift from low-speed driving to full speed without an abrupt change in performance.

A blue 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness driving on winding path through the woods.

A Sibling Resemblance

The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness includes many of these same design upgrades, with promotional material hinting at similarly squared-off headlights, bold accent ridges, and protective cladding over the wheel arches, as well as new fog lamp housings seamlessly integrated into the front bumper cover. Just as in the Outback Wilderness, the front and rear bumpers of the Forester Wilderness have been reimagined to improve approach and departure angles, giving the SUV the ability to tackle steeper obstacles without having to worry about the paint job.

Similarities between the Wilderness Outback and Forester continue on the performance side, with both vehicles tweaking their suspensions to offer a softer ride in bumpy, off-road conditions as well as offering a skid plate and Yokohama GEOLANDAR tires. Subaru’s growing Wilderness family is far more than the outdoorsy appearance packages offered by other brands. With the new version of the Outback and the Forester, Subaru has demonstrated once again that it understands what adventure-seeking Charlotte-area drivers require to get out into the wild.