I just wrote a comment about his signal light as well hahaha. Got me so frustrated 🤣 I scrolled down yhe comments to see if anyone else commented about it as well hahaha
@@CptSchmidt why doesn't it flash in other scenes and why only the driver side... If you are right, its funnier to joke that its the signal light hahaha
I love that Subaru is listening to its customers and giving them what they want. I have a 2011 forester XT and a 2018 Outback 3.6R. The Outback is by far the best road trip vehicle we have ever owned. I can’t say enough good things about it. I absolutely love it, and this wilderness edition just makes it even better for us outdoor junkies.
I used to have a 2004 Impreza wagon. 65000 miles and 14 years old when I sold it. No issues. I now have a 2011 Forester XT with 97000 miles. No major issues. We also have a 2018 Outback 3.6R with 20000 miles. No issues. We take good care of our vehicles, but they all have been very reliable.
To be fair, that sounds a lot nicer to me than joining the endless rows of dodge Rams lined up at Walmart so Cletus can pack it with industrial sized packs of mountain dew for his step kids.
Was just about to post this. It def seems more capable than a regular outback or xt (given how easy Subaru’s own courses for those were) but this is a first drive. The real test is yet to be seen. I hope they give the forester the same wilderness treatment: despite its smaller cargo area, it’s body shape seems more geared for off roading.
You don't need hundreds of lbs of torque to crawl off road. Off road is not about power its about control and traction. I am sure Subaru will fine tune the CVT to be just as good as a geared transmission eventually
@Jay Zhang My dude it's not a Jatco unit with a belt in it. It's a chain. It's rated for 300f-lb or more (depending on the exact model). It's limitation offroad isn't durability. It's that they made the pulley ratios for maximum fuel economy but the lowest final drive ratio available just wasn't that low.
I like that this video shows Subaru for what it is. It seems like most videos you see making negative comments about Subaru’s are trying to test it to the standards of a true 4x4 with a transfer case. I’ve never had an issue getting my 2013 Outback wherever I wanted to go but then again, I’m not taking it rock crawling either.
“I am Torso-Leg proportionate.” At first I thought this was a bit odd to hear, but then I realized that’s actually pretty useful because a lot of tall folks are more leggy
Yes, some people also have a long back/torso. I'm 4 cm taller than my wife so standing next to each other I'm noticeably taller but I'm leggy with a short back, she has short legs and a longer back. When we sit next to each other she is taller than me.
@@realrusskij1 lol sure. You could say this about most car features. Backup cam? Just turn around. Heated seats? Use a blanket. Navigation console? Use your phone. Etc. Etc.
To anyone considering one: There is no competition. It has the personality, quirkiness, style, power, and feel that this type of overlander should. Comfortable and quick too. Definitely a happy purchase for me.
I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with this in 5-10 years time. I love my Outback and would be quite interested in getting a more advanced version of this that is more thoroughly thought out. It seems like for now they're just making small tweaks and modifications to the existing Outback in the right places. I hope this sells well so that they will continue development of this model and think it through more fully. I'd also like to see a turbocharged H6 in this thing to give it some real pep. Imagine if one day Subaru made a completely new vehicle to compete directly with Jeep. Now _that_ would be really interesting.
TFL sucks when it comes to off-roading....they seem to always be afraid of giving it any beans and they never like to get any momentum when off-roading.....it makes no sense how TFL aren’t capable of conquering some relatively easy obstacles with Subaru’s yet this channel and everyone else are able to take the same Subaru’s and conquer off-road obstacles that are just as hard or even harder.....on the other hand I do like Nathan from TFL...
@@aktsly9237 CVT's are trash in just about every vehicle, if Subaru offered another engine option other than a boxer setup with a traditional 6 or 8 speed trans they would take over.
@@JS-qi1ou The Boxer powertrain is fine for this type of vehicle. It’s the drivetrain (regular CVT) that’s the down side of serious off-roaring situations. But it also depends on how experience or inexperience the driver might be. Subarus are not designed to “rock crawl” or do “mud bogs”. I can’t believe that some people don’t understand this. BTW, Australia says ‘hello’ as they drive their Subarus all over the Outback.
Ideally with an upgraded console too. And hopefully built in roof racks like the outback - it seems ridiculous that the outback is the only model that has them.
@Jay Zhang did you watch the video? Climbed easily. I think you might not know how to drive your car properly. Been many places with my wife’s forester.
Hope they chop the bumper a bit for the crosstrek and forester wilderness builds to clear the space in front of the front tires and behind the rear or creat a full offroad steel bumper set
@Jay Zhang in myt experience it has been the approach and departure angles that limit subarus more than the CVT. and i go off-roading and overlanding every week. its why most people who off-road in a subie replace their bumpers with after market options or cut half their bumper off.
It's the largest Achilles Heel of Subaru. It's because symmetric AWD requires the whole engine be forward of the front axle. It's why they use the boxer: because it's wider than long. But having to have it forward of the front axle is still a limitation. A Jeep, in contrast, has basically the whole engine behind the front axle. But the way the power is sent there from the transfer case is offset to the side, which is why you can see an that the front differential pumpkin is offset to the side.
Love it! Now if Subaru would only make options like the heated steering wheel and Harmon Kardan stereo available on the Wilderness Edition, it would be absolutely perfect
You do get heated seats but heated steering is only for colder regions which is weird, they should make harman kardon speakers an option, it's doesn't make sense to remove it.
@@MaJaGa86 I am debating between the 2023 onyx xt and wilderness. I can't believe the speakers/stereo can't be upgraded in either. Any other feedback you have for me? I live at the beach and mountains and was thinking about adding the paddleboard rack and I have two dogs. Don't really go off roading but I like the wheels on the wilderness. I don't care for the anti glare sticker or the wilderness tags and emblem on the headrest and mats. I heard the xt is a better ride long distance.
this is by far the best video you ever made, lots of informative details, beautiful scenery, and most important of all was a difficult road. thank you very much.
Drive a 2020 Outback. The adaptive cruse and self steering is a gem when you have had a long day at work and wanna zone a bit on the 55mph straight away. Love that fricken car so much. Glad to see Subaru going in this direction.
@@kingchakazulu7762 I happen to live in farm country with mostly straight line roads. That being said I drove it from Washington to Florida last November on a road trip with my gf and it works well on highways and interstates. You probably drive a puddle jumper huh?
@@bakedinspiration No idea what a "puddle jumper" is, must be farm country slang. I had a WRX, it was a fun car, but it had way too many little problems and then one big one, the transmission. I would never buy another overrated Subaru again, cheap interior oil burning rust bucket with low MPGs. I cant even imagine how slow your junk box CVT is. I drive an E400 coupe little fella, step your game up son.
Best review video I've ever seen. I have one reserved, first car I've ever bought, other than buying cars from family members. I'm so excited. Thanks for the very thorough review.
13:12 This is why cars that are great on a trail can also make fantastic daily drivers. The same things that make navigating a trail easier (great visibility and a tight turning radius) also make it very easy to negotiate partaking lots and small towns.
Subaru as a whole is an amazing thing! All their vehicles are awesome! Once you get on a Subaru, you never get off of it! I own a Forester II 2.0 XT 2003 and an Impreza STI 2011. All I can say is THEY ARE JUST AMAZING !!! I love them!
Great review! The Outback Wilderness seems pretty capable; not a boulder-roller. I hope Subaru comes out with a Forester Wilderness with the same powertrain.
I was hoping for the same - super disappointed they aren’t offering the turbo on the Forester Wilderness. Would love to understand their reasoning for that decision.
My son bought a 2022 Wilderness .. after riding in my built Crosstrek Sport! I actually suggested the Outback v/s the Crosstrek because there are him and the wife .. so the added size makes sense. I did a Rough Country 2" lift along with 225/65 17" BFG KO2's .. Primitive Racing skid plate and the front struts are braced. Modified the exhaust .. took off the resonator and the stock muffler and replaced it with a Magnaflow .. sounds much better. That tent on the roof or even a roof rack will cost you up to 4 mpg .. found out the hard way. THe Trek now has 14" at the rear end. 🤠
Looking forward to the Forester and even Crosstrek versions! I really wish it were common to find front cameras, including cameras near each headlight corner, to display on demand. So helpful for climbs where the road is hard to see AND for daily driving like parking, etc. where you're making tight turns without scratching cars and walls, etc.
I always like your reviews/testing scenarios however this review doesnt show any obstacle(s) that my 2" lifted 2015 3.6R CVT Outback hasnt already conquered... I've actually conquered much tougher terrain! But can tell that this was a very controlled Subaru test so I look forward to you doing YOUR OWN test with no Subaru influnce 😁. Keep up the great work. Cheers!
@@ScatteredDreams120 I have a stock 2018 outback with 225/65R17 toyo open country at3 AT tires, I've never had issues with climbing any hills regardless of terrain, I also turn off Traction control when in most offroad situations. I've noticed the subarus with cvts that struggle more on hills are either lifted or have oversized offroad tires or both, also they tend to be the ones with the more stronger engine/cvt....that's just my experience...
thank you for the review, I am patiently waiting for my Wilderness to arrive the end of July. I was looking at the onyx or maybe the 3.6 in order to get it lifted in order to make it capable of getting to some of the trail heads I like to go to in Colorado. When the Wilderness was released I reserved one ASAP since it will give me most everything I am looking for in my next vehicle.
The paddle shifters are kind of boring on normal driving / speed driving. But, they come in handy perhaps while offroad, or, while going down a steep hill (or up one). To keep transmission in a low setting. Of course it depends on the vehicle and how good (if it has it) it's hill descent control is. But, I'd rather control the car than a computer, whenever possible.
I have fallen wild peaks on my 2011 forester. 1 great traction on mud dirt snow and ice. It is nice on wet pavement. 2 no new noise 3 mpg down by 2. So my summer avg is 25 instead of 27. I love these tires.
Would love to see you do that climb with a boot full of camping gear, and passengers. The CVT is quite capable when it's only 1 or 2 people in the car with nothing else.
I’ve owned a legacy gt wagon which my wife pleaded with me to sell because I drove it a tad too fast for her comfort, a Forrester and a cross trek. I liked all of them. My best friend sold Subarus before anyone knew what they were and I just always liked the brand because of my buddy. I’m pondering trading in my current ride for one of these. I like it especially that turbo. Now that I’m older and wiser I won’t show her all the fun you can have here. 😀
I took my '22 Outback Wilderness out for a test run this past weekend, it did really well. It could be lifted a little more and it really needs different tires, overall it did fine.
Thanks for the great review Ryan. I keep looking at the competition and keep coming back to the Outback. I like the added benefits the Wilderness edition has to offer although I'm not sure if it's significantly different enough from the Onyx (Outdoor) version. I'm a bit disappointed the Outdoor model will be cancelled in Canada, pushing the price tag up a few grand. The price point is not far off from something with a rear locker and more capable off road vehicle. Would love to see you get a long term loaner from Subaru though. As always, good work Ryan.
I just ordered a Wilderness precisely because I couldn't find any Outdoor XTs for sale anywhere (outside of a black one and I don't like the monochromatic look). I wanted the more durable interior and the dual X-Mode. Without the Outdoor XT the Wilderness is now the only Outback to have those. It's unfortunate they don't offer these features on more cars - I think they might actually sell more Limited and Premier models if they had more enhanced off-road features.
Looks like a great car. I have been driving the 2020 Outback Touring XT for 2 years now. They should give some of the touring features to the wilderness, like ventilated front seats and facial recognition.
Better get the "optional" under protection before trying any rock crawling . Seems like something that important should be standard. Especially when the commercial implies its capable.
Bronco Sport would easily beat it on any off road test. Bronco Sport has a traditional automatic transmission whereas the Subaru is a cvt with torque limitations.
And it goes beyond that, cheaper Bronco Sport with break traction control as this Subaru can also pre close center clutch with button, better version with rear vectoring axle has button to close rear clutches... I really wish Subaru would do one model just like that with traditional automatic
I'd certainly give the edge to the Bronco Sport for heavier off road but having test drove both, the Subbie is leaps ahead in comfort, features, cargo capabilities and overall driving experience.
16:20 as a CVT Sceptic Seeing that it came to a stop BECAUSE of the CVT but only went up to 2500rpm to get going again was VERY encouraging to see. i would stress if the CVT was being pushed past 3000rpm. Thats good to see
The XP function was confusing to me; however, after watch many of your videos, I am now comfortable with it. I plan to purchase the same model ‘24 / ‘25. Being frugal it is hard to give up the MPG of the 2.5L. SUBSCRIBED
We didn’t get near enough time with the vehicle to test it thoroughly. Hopefully this is a good start. We plan to do a more comprehensive off-road test with it later when we can set up our own courses.
Just picked up my new one yesterday...traded my 2017 Outback Limited, which I loved, but.....now I can't wait to head for the Rockies, and I'm dreaming of that first big snow.
I would love to see a Crosstrek or Forester Wilderness edition, but with the dual-range manual transmission that is available in some markets. Also, it is kind of ridiculous to me that you can't get X-mode on a manual transmission model when it's main feature is to apply the brakes to individual wheels to stop them from spinning away power, as well as reducing engine output when necessary. X-mode really has very little to do with the transmission, but Subaru only offers it on CVT equipped models. It is very frustrating for those of us who like the sportier driving experience of a manual transmission, but want the added traction X-mode offers in slippery/wintry conditions.
@@Hallowsaw Personally, I want the Forester or Crosstrek because they are a bit shorter than the Outback with the same ground clearance. I don't need the little bit of extra cargo space the Outback has, so the added length just makes it harder to park with no upside for me. I currently have a 2006 Impreza wagon (manual of course) and love how sporty it is to drive with plenty of room for anything I would typically need to haul. However, we get a lot of snow where I live and the roads aren't always well plowed, so I want to upgrade to a Subaru with more ground clearance. I have family members who own both an Outback and a Crosstrek, and the Crosstrek is much more maneuverable. The Outback does have slightly more comfortable seats, but since I don't take many long trips it isn't worth the several thousand dollars more to buy an Outback over a Crosstrek or Forester. I imagine a lot of other people are of a similar mindset, which is why the Forester has been Subaru's number one selling vehicle for several years, and why the Crosstrek is the fastest growing seller for Subaru for the last few years with nearly as many units sold as the Forester this year.
@@xxxWINTERMUTExxx Last I checked you could get a dual-range manual on the Forester in Australia, and there are a few models available in some Southeast Asian countries. I haven't looked into it since 2017, so they may not offer them anymore, but they did at that time.
@@r.j.bedore9884 I’m in Aus, I’ve seen a dual range in up to the SH Forester. Not sure after that. But now OB Forester and XV all are CVT only. I won’t be letting go of my manual Forester any time soon
Just drove a black-on-black Outback off the lot yesterday. The looks I'm getting from other Subaru drivers are priceless. It's a very pretty, and future first car. It has weird issues with the Android Auto not showing up as portrait (unlike carplay), the CVT is a bit squishy, and you STILL can't save the AutoStop/AutoBrake settings. You have to turn those features on/off with every start of the car. Otherwise, the car is perfect.
Man, this review is incredible! I was thinking between rav4 hybrid and onyx before this video. Now, this?! Any advice Mr. Ryan? I live in the city but love the outdoors. I snowboard a lot in winter and hike the rest of the season, not to mention camping. I am hoping for an all-around, reliable vehicle with decent mpg.
hard to find a used subaru that doesnt have either a blown head gasket or bad transmission, or bad wheel bearing. hopefully subaru gets these issues addressed
There is a reason they showcase the Geyser Blue - Normally am not given to Blue vehicles - But this Wilderness does pop with the accents n hues in the Geyser Blue - Definitely ordering in GB
9:58 I have a 2018 Outback and the paddle “shifters” are extremely useful in hilly environments like SoCal or mountainous regions the car is designed for, because I always downshift to save my brakes. Hope I’m not creating extra wear on the much more expensive drive belt.
Subaru partnered with Toyota? cool.. I emailed Subaru asking about their possible EVs in near future so I can hold off purchasing new vehicle for now... their response was unclear only and asked me to wait
Great review! Did you do most of the road test with your left turn signal on or was that just some weird modulation in the LED picked up by the camera? 😂
I was interested in the wilderness, but I have an immediate need, so I just got the Onyx today and did a lift with different wheels/tires. I kinda hate the cladding on the wilderness but the better approaches would be welcome. also like the beefier rack and the improved x-mode. maybe there's an optional update for the better x-mode, though honestly, I doubt I'll notice. great review, btw.
@@carolynsmith6673 hi, yep we went xt (i think onyx is only xt, or at least that's how it was). been with it for a little over a year. Now that I've seen the wilderness out and about, I'm definitely happy we went with the Onyx. I just prefer the aesthetic overall, but it's a rather subjective reason. I personally don't like the orange accents, the cladding, or the wheels on the wilderness (and don't feel like those things would grow on me). good luck!
I currently have a 2016 Outback 3.6r with a 2inch lift, getting 10 inches of clearance. I REALLY want an Outback Wilderness now. I take my current Outback on moderate difficulty jeep trains pretty easy. I can imagine the Wilderness would do even better.
Thank you for this! I'm waiting patiently for info on the Forester Wilderness. Forester already has better approach and departure angles than an Outback. If they put the 2.4 turbo in there as well it should be quite the package. Honestly though, if I have enough willpower, I'll wait for their Solterra EV. I drive an EV now and REALLY don't want to go back to gas.
I really wish they would put this engine in the Forester. Ever since they discontinued the turbo in the XT everyone has been waiting for it's return. Although this car is nice, I just can't see myself driving a "wagon".
nitpick -@17:30 eLocker suggests an electrically actuated locker, but I know you mean electronically simulated locker. I know you know the difference, just pointing out for the sake of the comments that this Subaru does NOT have a locking differential of any kind, rather a good brake-based traction control. It would be cool if Subaru finally got around to a locker for the outback. You can get a lunchbox locker, but then you have to deal with the click. No thanks. A user-selectable locker would go a long way as these simulated ones rob some of your power just to feed it to the brakes. A real locker would make better use of the gearing and power, but I think Subaru knows thats beyond the scope of the product.
I actually calculated this car can climb a 45deg slope (assuming there is enough friction) with 5 large adults inside. and this is actually better than some of the low-power Discovery 5 (SD4 and SI4) can do. The XV won't even climb a 30deg slope like that.
Good as always!! I would love to see a good modern 4x4 and a “old school” 4x4 on a longer trail comparison with this. Of course there are things it won’t be able to do but HDC which isn’t in most older 4x4s people don’t realize just how much the tech and ability the AWD systems help over classic technology on 4x4s.
Any old-school Jeep with just siped mudders and some cheap LockRight lunchbox lockers installed at both ends would walk away from a modern AWD in any serious terrain. Electronics can only do so much, and many AWDs don't have adequate winchmount provisions nor armor for serious offroading. AWDs are softroaders, maybe more suited to overlanding. This goes for the newer FWD-based Jeeps too. They can't use a bodylift. They can't use a suspension lift taller than 2-3". They can't be easily regeared. The bumpers and rockers are fragile. Etc.
@@RKmndo oh I totally agree! I’m well aware of the short comings but wouldn’t it be cool to see just how differently they perform on the same track? He could even use his 4Runner
Need more isolation every where around the passengers I wish they use last technology Cooling seat Center Fridge Thermal plate to cooling the SMART phone while charging like Hyundai Also cooling heating cup holder Connect the ac ducts to the doors like Mercedes Auto front camera below 20 Auto activate AHV power strut in doors ( auto open/ close ) like RANG ROVER
...and then they would add 10k to the msrp for a bunch of stuff that nobody needs. Subaru isn't a luxury brand and I feel like most people who buy subarus are completely ok with that.
Got mine two days ago, dark Grey, looks awesome, turning people's heads to look at it, the turbo works better on highway Still in Chicago, but will do some off road next year in Colorado and Death Valley. I will try to take it to Bear Pass
I hope they make a Crosstrek Wilderness. I took my Wife's Crosstrek up a mining trail in Rico Colorado and there were posted signs of "Jeep Only" but the crosstrek made it.
I have a 2010 4Runner with KDSS and all the trail stuff, but I am seriously considering getting one of these. I'm looking forward to seeing a head-to-head with the 4Runner as you mentioned before. Thanks for the video.
@@Itstherealdeal453 I did. My 4Runner got totalled by a semi so I needed a new vehicle and took the plunge. It's great except the electronics SUCK! (Slow and poor compared to anyone else's.)
