Here's Why the Subaru Forester Wilderness Represents Everything Subaru Does Best - 2023 Review 

Glad you found it helpful and thanks for the notes!

I mean… a 2.5L DOHC boxer engine, generating 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, isn’t as wild as you’ve made it sound!

If I remember correctly don't be Wilderness versions of the Outback and Crosstrek have slightly more ground clearance? I think I remember someone saying where the Forester was already a tall vehicle they had to sacrifice a small amount of ground clearance due to height Factory in Japan. I don't do any off-roading so the base Forester is fine for me, I just like watching the videos of the wilderness Suberus showing what they can do.

Lower gearing in a CVT?

Biger radiator moter in wilderness for better cooling

2024 Forester s have no Cd Players

​@@ItsAlive111lower gearing in the axle gear ratios. That is probably more responsible for the loss of fuel economy than the small 1/2" increase in ground clearance and the all terrain type tires.

@@gregrose8941 No cassette player either

I've been tempted to do this on mine lol but been hesitant due to the mpg's. How much are you getting?

I appreciate that!

Well said, totally agree. Real world fuel economy is much different than ratings.

Good information Jeffer, I have a 22 Rogue with the 1.5T and I'm thinking of getting a Forester Wilderness because I'd like to go back to a normally aspirated 4 banger. I just think the 60 series tires (I like the wheels) just look too small from the side view. I'd like to go with a 65 sidewall, maybe 235 on width. Do you know if I could do that without any modification or lift? (I think it looks lifed enough for what it is) I'll probably never take it off road.

Enjoy it!

Enjoy it!

I test drive the Outback and Forester Wilderness. The difference in acceleration wasn’t huge. Outback was faster with its turbo, but the forester in sport sharp wasn’t exactly a slouch. I bought the forester.

People who complain about the lack of power don't have any clue about driving in reality. Most people don't floorboard the accelerator every time they take off. Even merging onto the freeway doesn't require full throttle applications....anybody who doesn't think that car has enough power, try driving a 30+ year old pickup with a V6, which still has plenty of power in reality. Too much power just leads to premature wear of drivetrain components from boneheaded drivers....its also a waste of fuel. My 2005 Ford Taurus had less HP than these Subaru 2.5L 4 cylinder engines....about 30HP less actually, and it had plenty of power for everyday use, nope it wasn't a racecar, it wasn't built to do that, but it was reliable, and it got in the low to mid 30's for fuel economy too....more power means less fuel economy too. As does those undersized turbocharged engines....every time you ask for more power and you hear that turbo spool, your fuel economy just went way downhill....people don't seem to understand that putting a smaller engine in a vehicle that once had a larger engine, but adding a turbo to that little engine might sound cute on paper, but in reality, your overall performance and fuel efficiency goes out the window. Add to that they're typically far less reliable, even less so for those who do not maintain their vehicles properly....skipping or extending oil change intervals really shortens the life of a turbo, and starts clogging up the oil passages and lines pretty quickly.

I just test drove both the Outback and Forester Wilderness. You made the right choice. You’ll like a lot.

Update us for sure!

Thanks for sticking around!

Thank you very much for checking back!

Thank you Kevin! Really appreciate the kind words.

Thank you Dale!

Excellent choice! Glad you're enjoying it.

If you don’t mind me asking, what made you change your mind?

@@Nightwatch1986 I liked the look of the forester more. Inside felt more spacious. The forester cabin isn’t as long but it is taller with larger windows. The engine performance is “noticeable”, but not worth the extra cost and maintenance “noticeable”. The forester still has plenty of grunt. It also seemed to drive/handle better. Overall it just felt better.

@@Nightwatch1986 I’ll also say the infotainment center on the outback was god awful. All the features were buried in a large touch screen display. Forester has a nice touchscreen, but also solid buttons and nobs. This is the 2024 model year.

@@kjamesjr Great explanation, thank you! Initially, the Outback caught my attention because of the extra power and ground clearance. But after seeing them on the road I think I came to the conclusion that I don’t like the way they look. Too wagon-ny! I like that the Forester looks more like an suv plus with the other things you mentioned my gut is leaning more to the Forester. Thanks again.

@@Nightwatch1986 You just need to test drive them both. Everyone has different preferences. I thought I wanted the outback until I saw the Forester. Then when I drove both my heart was set on the forester.

Thanks! 👍

got that, I don't need a larger screen. the outbacks is way too large.

just bought mine (leased with the option to buy 20K at the end of lease), tryna save a little on the monthly payments for now. im so excited to pick mine up but i opted to not include this package. i really dont care for the power liftgate, and the subaru speakers are generally good anyway.

Glad it was helpful!

Awesome, thank you!

🙏

Very glad you found the review helpful! Excellent choice as well, I hope you enjoy your new Subaru!

Pretty standard to have a lower towing requirement for trailers without brakes...makes 100% sense to not tow a heavy trailer if you don't have trailer brakes....it takes a lot of braking power to slow down a vehicle that is towing a trailer, and without the brakes on the trailer to help, it can lead to disasterous consequences, especially with the way a lot of people drive anymore not paying attention, and driving way too fast for conditions.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Same here in New Zealand..

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed,

Coming from a 2020 Crosstrek with the 2.0l, the 2022 Wilderness has plenty of power for everyday driving. Especially with the lower gears and S# if you're feeling spicy. Does the outback wilderness have more power? Absolutely, but I think it's inaccurate to say the Forester is less than adequate for getting on the HWY or passing.

@@animeuva agreed, around town or if you plan your merges/passes on the highway it would probably be fine. It just felt underpowered to me and really made me question how safe and or tolerable it would be loaded up for a trip, especially at elevation. Subaru should really toss a smaller turbo engine with ~30 more HP in it. That would be ideal.

@@huie1983 Look up scotty kilmer the mechanic. He's not a great fan of turbos. A hybrid would give better power and hold up better than a turbo.

Unless I'm mistaken, the Forester is built in Japan, while the Outback is built in the USA.

Correct, it is made in Japan. Less than a month old with 180 miles, it’s already broken. Apparently a bad relay. Zero sound from the alerts and turn signals even after a factory reset. I am beyond disappointed and have thrown away a LOT of money. Crappy dealership does not even care!!

@@jimbo0715 You've had to pay money to get that fixed????

No, but I took a loss - in my opinion, for the fully loaded Outback. The dealer seemed completely deaf to the issues I was having so I threw in the towel - had to pay for a new warranty, massive dealer new car fees - just to get rid of a problem. I probably should have fought harder and I will definitely raise holy hell when I drop the car off.

@@jimbo0715 Have you experienced any problems at all with the Forester?

Yes sir. In Colorado now!

At elevation towing you're going to be pinned with this N/A engine unfortunately. I'd recommend stepping up to a turbo model if you plan to tow often. The N/A is adequate by itself, but wouldn't want to tow with it.

Thank you! Sounds like the Outback Wilderness is the better option for me then.

@@EatSleepDrive actually landed on the Mazda CX-50 turbo instead after test driving.

It is AWD yes. There are no mechanical diff locks, however it has "X-Mode" which is what Subaru calls their ability to brake a wheel independently if it is a spinning and another is not.

How is it driving so far?

@@Gopinathk17It drives good. I also just bought one. 10/10 would recommend.

Colorado!

Glad you enjoyed it!

The problem is, like pretty much every crossover and SUV out there, you can load those bulky items, at the expense of no longer having passenger space LOL. Cool the bike fits, but everyone else is walking HAHA!!! I didn't realize the Forester had that much cargo space though with the seats folded down....means my choice for a new car will definitely work fine for my needs....I really want a Forester Wilderness...my wallet says no so....

A factory receiver is available. There are also aftermarket receivers available, but they may cost you some departure angle clearance and they don't necessarily look as clean as the factory receiver.

Definitely get the OEM hitch on this car and not a third party version.

Just took delivery and had the dealer installing OEM class 2 2-in receiver. Unfortunately they installed a four flat connector though. Without trailer brakes the max is 1,000 lb

It doesn’t.

I believe it's vinyl so could be easily removed. It's not paint.

@@EatSleepDrive it's not paint and appears to be black plastic like the other cladding on the car. Definitely not vinyl and doubt it can be removed. Edit: I see you're the video creator so if yoh say it is from touching and seeing it then I guess I'll believe you.

I've been averaging like 27.8 over 3,500 miles

Nope, sold it.

😂

That's a serious question. I also wish reviewers would address it. I'd like to know if on long trips I can pull over for a few hours and stretch out in a sleeping bag. It looks possible with the seats down, but reviewers don't crawl in there to give real perspective.

I was looking for a transmission comment. CVT is just a big putoff especially for an off-roader.

Can someone please educate me that why CVT transmissions is bad?? Thank you 😊

@@DC-od8cc Subaru's CVT's are considered the best in the market, don't let them scare you away. The Wilderness trims have transmission coolers and are geared lower as to not stress the CVT too much. I wasn't so sure about a CVT in my Outback but after having it for a month now I love it, so smooth.

@@DC-od8ccCVT is a continuous variable transmission. It uses a chain and spindle system versus clutch pads and gears. Subaru makes the best and they make them in house. Don’t be afraid of them. A lower gear ratio with a CVT cooler (on wilderness) and the CVT will last the life of the car with regular maintenance.

What’s wrong with the push start

read what is said again. @@ImaYam

@@MrApplesaucestuff are you limited to certain depths of words? Can you elaborate

There's a plastic panel where the normal key ignition would be in the base model. Kind of a strange thing to complain about lol I don't even notice it's there most of the time.

Some people really need something, anything to strongly complain about. I'd hate to see how Mr. Applesauce would react if somebody misgendered him 😂

The mileage isn’t horrible. It’s not as good as a Corolla. But it’s better than a Jeep. This isn’t an economy car.

@@kjamesjr My previous 11 RAV4 Limited 4WD with the 269hp 3.5 V6 with a 5spd geared automatic transmission got 28mpg on the freeway with the cruise control set on 75mph. My Forester Touring with the 2.5L 182hp 4cyl with a CVT gets 27mpg. So the Subaru with 87 LESS horsepower gets 1 mpg Less mpg because of the CVT. If Subaru would have told the truth about the fuel economy, I would have kept my RAV4 because it had a ton more horsepower and got 1 mpg Better fuel efficiency.

Oh you’re one of those people - the kind that jump at every chance you have to cry about some lackluster aspect of your life and reach for a way to correlate it with a fictitious problem you claim was caused by Biden. You cling to any shred of an opportunity to bring his name into virtually any unrelated topic

Thanks for watching!