Those looking for a compact crossover that can handle a bit of off-road effort and return strong fuel economy figures may want to take a look at the latest offering from Subaru, the 2027 Forester Wilderness Hybrid. It’s the first Wilderness hybrid yet, and although Subaru’s hasn’t announced estimates EPA figures at this time, the automaker says it will deliver up to 25 percent better fuel economy. We expect the numbers to be similar to those of the U.S.-built 2026 Forester Hybrid AWD, which returns figures of 35/34/35 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. While we wait for Subaru to paint the full picture, let’s take a look at what we do know so far.
2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid: Subtle Changes
Kyle Edward/Autoblog
Like the existing Subaru Forester Wilderness, the hybrid has 9.3 inches of ground clearance (plus approach, breakover, and departure angles of 23.5, 20.6, and 25.5 degrees, respectively), upgraded suspension, 17-inch matte black Wilderness wheels wrapped in all-terrain Yokohama Geolandar tires, and Subaru’s famous symmetrical all-wheel-drive system with X-Mode and hill descent control. In the hybrid, the 2.5-liter boxer engine is supplemented by electric motors and a lithium-ion battery to deliver a total of 194 horsepower to the ground through a CVT, up from 180 hp in the regular Forester Wilderness.
Kyle Edward/Autoblog
Inside, you get a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and an 11.6-inch touchscreen display for infotainment (which works okay but not great), model-specific gray StarTex upholstery, and Subaru’s EyeSight advanced driver aids. Orange/copper accents on the steering wheel and gear lever (matching those on the body) and embossed headrests help the Wilderness stand out from other Forester models, though that will already be obvious from the several badges on the body and the 800-pound (static) roof rails. While we’re on the subject of practicality, the cargo area has 27.5 cubic feet of volume with the rear seats in place, and with them folded forward, over 69 cubes, accessed through a power tailgate. Remarkably, these figures are the same as the non-hybrid, so Subaru’s engineers clearly know how to play Tetris.
2027 Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid Convenience and On-Sale Date
Kyle Edward/Autoblog
The center touchscreen on the hybrid version of the off-road-biased Forester provides wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is enjoyed through an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with a 576-watt equivalent amplifier. The configurable dash display has Apple Maps integration, though native navigation is also included, and the aforementioned EyeSight suite includes emergency lane-keep assist, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, emergency stop assist, and a few other safety features. The Forester is one of the safest vehicles on the market, and this hybrid version should be just as trustworthy.
More information, including pricing, torque figures, EPA estimates, and more, will arrive closer to the Forester Wilderness Hybrid’s on-sale date, scheduled for sometime late in 2026.
Adam Lynton/Autoblog
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