The Forester Wilderness packs a suspension which raises its ground clearance to 9.2 inches (233.68 mm)—half an inch (12.7 mm) higher than the standard model. This was done through longer coil springs and shock absorbers, while special tuning maintains its handling and ride with the increased height.

At all four corners, the Forester Wilderness comes with 17-inch Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires for increased traction on muddy or gravel roads. Mounted on 17-inch alloy wheels in a matte black finish, the tires are embossed with raised white letters. A standard full-size tire is stored under the cargo the area, giving owners confidence while on the trails.

To visually communicate the more capable off-road performance, the Forester Wilderness adds exclusive styling with all-new front fascia with bold hexagonal front grille, larger wheel arch cladding, front skid plate, unique hexagonal LED fog lights, and an anti-glare hood decal in matte-black finish. It also has a ladder-type roof rack with a dynamic load capacity of 220 lbs. (99.7 kilograms), and can support up to 800 lbs. (362.8 kilograms) when parked, a capacity increase that allows for larger roof tents.

The Forester Wilderness, like all other 2022 Foresters get an improved version of Subaru’s EyeSight that increases its field of view and adds functions such as Automatic Emergency Steering and Lane Change Assist.

In the U.S., the Forester retains the services of the tried-and-tested FB25 2.5-liter Boxer engine that makes 182 horsepower and 238 Nm of torque. This is teamed with a Lineartronic CVT and Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System.