It’s time to break the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness down to see if it’s worth the extra cash. The new Subaru Forester Wilderness incorporates tons of bereft off-roading upgrades to go further than ever before. 

Is the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness worth buying? 

Yes, the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness is worth every penny if you want the model that’s best equipped for off-roading. But it has a steep price of $32,820. The entry-level cost for the Subaru Forester is about $25,195. 

So, it costs about $7,625 to upgrade. Also, these prices are the MSRPs, so they are listed before the dealership markups, and destination fees have been added. Each model comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of torque. 

But even with the same engine, the Forester Wilderness is faster. Thanks to an updated pulley ratio and optimized rear axles, the Wilderness can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 8.6 seconds, which is one second faster than the Forester Touring. 

The regular Forester can tow 1,500 lbs, and the Forester Wilderness gained a transmission oil cooler that enables it to tow up to 3,000 lbs. It also tows smarter with trailer stability assist, an external air-cooled engineer cooler, and a rear differential oil temperature sensor. 

What comes with the Forester Wilderness? 

The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness comes with 17-inch Yokahama Geolander all-terrain tires. The regular Forester also comes with 17-inch tires, but they aren’t as knobby. Plus, a full-size spare is included. 

The Wilderness’s tires add a little road noise and are a bit harsher on the pavement, but that’s a fair trade-off for the enhanced grip on loose gravel and dirt roads. Improved coil spring and specially tuned shocks help control the ride over bumpy terrain, which may lead to a harsher ride on the pavement. 

You get a lifted suspension with the Wilderness that raises the ground clearance from 8.7 to 9.2 inches. That’s only a half-inch, but the approach angle is improved by 3.5 degrees, the departure angle is increased by 0.8 degrees, and the break-over angle is enhanced by 1.4 degrees. 

Each Forester model comes with standard all-wheel drive. X-Mode includes driving modes for Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud. There is also a new roll-angle indicator. 

Does the Forester Wildneress have better features? 

The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness has an enhanced look with beefier fender cladding, a front skid plate, LED fog lights, a matte black hood, a new hexagonal grille, textures black trim, and copper trim accents. 

Plus, the revised roof rack can support 220 lbs while moving and up to 800 lbs while parked. This is up from 176 and 700 lbs. 

Water-repellent StarTex seats with durable rubber floor mats, a rear cargo tray, and water-repellant seatbacks protect the interior from mud. The interior also includes an 8-inch touchscreen with integrated navigation, while a 6.5-inch screen is standard. 

One drawback to consider is the fact that the updated gearing drops the EPA-estimated fuel economy in the city down by five mpg. So it gets about 28 mpg instead of 33 mpg. 

So the Forester Wildness is a little stronger with more undercarriage protection. But it’s not much taller with minimal tech upgrades. If you want to tow more and go a little further, then the Forester Wilderness is worth considering, but it does lose some on-road comfort.