Subaru’s Wilderness subbrand gets its first electrified model in the form of the 2027 Forester Wilderness Hybrid.Like the nonhybrid Forester Wilderness, the hybrid has 9.3 inches of ground clearance, but it should deliver better fuel economy.The rugged hybrid SUV was unveiled at the 2026 New York auto show and will go on sale by the end of 2026.
Subaru is doubling down on its Wilderness subbrand by bringing a hybrid model into the fold. The 2027 Forester Wilderness Hybrid is the first electrified model to wear the Wilderness badge, and we suspect it won’t be the last.
Why? Because the company says it has sold almost 250,000 Wilderness-badged Subies since 2021. The nonhybrid Forester Wilderness accounts for over 13 percent of Forester sales, and adding the hybrid powertrain as an option should help that number grow.
The Forester Wilderness Hybrid will be sold in a single spec, but it’s basically loaded with goodies. Those include an 11-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo, a 12.3-inch digital gauge display, in-dash navigation, and a power liftgate—all items that remain optional on the nonhybrid Forester Wilderness.
The SUV is decked out in rugged design cues and rides on matte black 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. Ground clearance is 9.3 inches, which should give the Wilderness model a leg up over other hybrid Foresters when navigating uneven terrain. Additional underbody protection has also been added.
The hybrid powertrain makes slightly more horsepower and torque than the nonhybrid variant. Although in our testing, the hybrid Forester proved slightly slower than the nonhybrid, trailing its sibling to 60 mph by 0.3 second. Fuel economy is expected to be thriftier, though, but we’ll have to wait to get the Forester Wilderness Hybrid to our office before we can evaluate it on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route.
The 2027 Forester Wilderness Hybrid is on track to arrive at Subaru showrooms by the end of 2026. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but we expect a price tag of around $40,000.
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Drew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.