2026 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness vs. Forester Wilderness - We Compare and Contrast Them So You Can Decide Which Is the Right Choice for You

Among the many outstanding compact, five-passenger compact crossovers on the market today are the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek and Forester. Each is a great vehicle in its own right, and they do share quite a bit of their content. This article will help to explain how they are similar, where they differ, and which differences would appeal to which buyers. Our aim is to help a shopper decide which is the one that would align best with that shopper’s priorities and wish list.

In addition to having tested every Wilderness edition Subaru of every model year on and off pavement, I am a five-time Subaru owner in a family that has owned six Subarus, including both Foresters and Crosstreks. In this story, we’ll use our own 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness (with only 3,000 miles on the odometer) and a media loaner of the Forester Wilderness. We are testing them concurrently, back to back. The Forester we own is a current generation and representative of the version on sale in 2026.

Our testing took place in Metro West Boston, a long road trip over highways and also many great mountain passes to Stowe, Vermont, and a lot of off-pavement driving in central New Hampshire in the Monadnock region. 

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness vs. Crosstrek Wilderness- Size - Advantage: Forester
The most obvious difference between the Forester and Crosstrek is the size. The Forester is the larger of the two. You can feel the difference in virtually every area of the vehicle. The front is a bit roomier, and the windshield feels noticeably taller. There is more rear seat area. Overall, there is roughly 30% more interior volume in the Forester. The biggest difference is in the cargo area. The Forester has 27.5 cu ft of volume and the Crosstrek has noticeably less at 20 cu ft. As you stand facing the two with the hatches open, the Crosstrek’s cargo area look a lot less deep, meaning back edge to the rear seats.

Specs aside, the Crosstrek does not “feel small” from a driver’s perspective. I’m six feet tall and 200 pounds. I fit great inside the Crosstrek. The only noticeable difference is that the windshield header height feels taller in the Forester.  

If you plan to use your Subaru as a family vehicle, loading in a lot of gear and putting kids in back in car seats, go with the Forester. If you have big dogs, the Forester may also be better due to its size. If you are a solo adventurer or have a spouse with no children to regularly transport, the Crosstrek offers plenty of size for that.

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness vs. Crosstrek Wilderness - Visibility - Advantage Forester
One great thing about all of Subaru’s crossover SUVs is that they offer outstanding visibility. In this category, the Forester wins hands down. The reason is the Subaru EyeSight system. It takes up a lot of the top center of the windshield. In the Forester, I never notice it is there. By contrast, in the Crosstrek, I do notice it. It seems to narrow the view ahead somewhat. If having the best view of the road possible is a big priority for you, go with the Forester.

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness vs. Crosstrek Wilderness - Powertrain - Tie
The Forester and Crosstrek have virtually identical powertrains. Same engine. Same transmission. Same CVT ratios. Both have paddle shifters, and if you use them, they have the same pre-set “gear-like” ratios.

So, of course, it is a tie. However, there is a bit more to the story. The Crosstrek is 300 pounds (roughly 9%) lighter. So, it should feel quicker. However, Subaru offers an S mode on both vehicles, and they are different. The Crosstrek has S mode, and it is helpful. It makes the Crosstrek feel a bit peppier, and you can drive with it on all the time without being annoyed by it. The Forester has an S# (call it sport sharp) mode, and the S# feels snappier than the Crosstrek’s regular S mode does. It evens up the game a bit. The only downside is that in my expert opinion, the S# mode is a bit annoying if you drive with it on all the time. 

Overall, the differences in this category are minor. Neither model has enough power to really be fun and exciting in the way that a Ford Bronco Sport Badlands or Mazda CX-30 Turbo is.  The 178 lb-ft of torque at a high 3,700 RPM is the biggest downside to both of these vehicles. They each would benefit from a 2.0-liter turbo option with 250 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 RPMs badly. Sadly, Subaru simply refuses to make a turbo version. 

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness vs. Forester Wilderness - Driving Enjoyment - Advantage Crosstrek
Here’s where opinion comes in. I’ve back-to-backed these vehicles this month, and have owned a Forester and a Crosstrek. I prefer to drive the Crosstrek. It just feels a smidge more fun and zippy. I can’t give you an engineering reason for it. Perhaps it is the lower weight. The slightly smaller feel to it. On a back-country road - and I drive them all the time - I’d always take the Crosstrek. Forester is close, but I just don't get the same vibe from it. If driving pleasure is a top priority for you and you have no kids, the Crosstrek is our suggestion.

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness vs. Crosstrek Wilderness - Tires - Advantage Forester
The Wilderness edition Subarus are all very off-pavement capable and can be used off-road in some situations. They also make ideal exploitation vehicles. A spare tire is a huge advantage in such vehicles, and really a necessity. The Forester has a large spare that is for temporary use. It is not “matching.” It’s not the same tire brand or model as the four awesome Yokohama Geolandar G015 all-terrain tire on the corners, and it’s 10 mm narrower (235 instead of 235mm). This tire would work fine as a replacement on a holiday weekend with family, and would mean not having to deal with a replacement while away. It would also get you out of the woods.

The Crosstrek has a donut spare. Still great. Perfect for emergencies, so you don’t have to get towed, but not as good as the Forester's spare. If the Forester’s spare was truly matching, it would be a meaningful advantage. Since it isn’t, my opinion is that this section is a virtual tie. It’s great that Subaru offers spare tires in these vehicles. Beware the hybrid trims, which have no spare tire of any kind.

2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness vs. Crosstrek Wilderness - Safety - Advantage Forester
Subaru has built part of its brand reputation around safety. The Forester is the safer vehicle for three reasons. First, the Forester is a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS. The Crosstrek is not because it only scored Marginal on the moderate front overlap test. Second, the Forester has 300 pounds more heft. Mass matters in a crash. Third, you sit a bit higher up in the Forester, better in a side impact. All advantages over the Crosstrek. If we wanted to go one step further here, we could add that the Forester also has better visibility.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness vs. Forester Wilderness - Price Advantage - Crosstrek
The 2026 Forester Wilderness has a price without options of $39,835, including Destination and Delivery. The Crosstrek has a price of $35,215. That is a HUGE difference in our opinion. $4,620 is more than 10% and a very meaningful amount of money. Think of it this way. You could buy with those savings:
 - 2 Kayaks
 - 2 Mountain Bikes
 - A bunch of ski and snowboard gear
 - A roof and a hitch rack for all that stuff

You may also be able to add in some nifty features to the Crosstrek with those savings. Option package OP23 adds premium sound, a moonroof, and a power driver’s seat. We’d want all of those, and the price is $2,270. Don’t forget to add your dealer's doc fee of about $500.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness vs. Forester Wilderness - Reliability
Both the Forester and Crosstrek earn good reliability scores, but the Crosstrek has a meaningful advantage in Consumer Reports rankings. We know they are very similar designs, but facts are facts. In both the predicted reliability for 2026 and the Actual reliability based on owner reports for 2025, the Crosstrek performed better than the Forester. If you have a Consumer Reports subscription, you can look it up yourself. We don't give out their fine details in stories as part of our cooperation agreement with the CR team.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness vs. Forester Wilderness - Off-Road & Snow - Crosstrek Has an Edge
Let’s call this section off-road, but acknowledge that means dirt roads, trailheads leading to kayak launches, and some easy-to-moderate off-road trails. This one is a tie, but we’d pick the Crosstrek in New England simply because smaller vehicles are easier to fit through trees and turn around. In winter, I prefer the Crosstrek’s physical seat heat toggles on the center console to the Forester’s screen-mounted touch pad controls. Small things, but real.

2026 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness vs. Forester Wilderness - Which Is Your Choice?
We’ve broken down these two great crossovers in fine detail. If you have kids in car seats, the Forester is the only way to go. If you value the driving experience above all else and don’t have kids, choose the Crosstrek. Which one would you pick and why? Tell us in the comments section below. 

About The Author

John Goreham is 14 year veteran of Torque News. An accomplished writer and a long-time expert in vehicle testing, Goreham also serves as the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and has a growing social media presence. He’s also a 10-year staff writer and community moderator for Car Talk. Goreham holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an undergraduate Certificate in Marketing. In addition to vehicle and tire content, he offers deep dives into market trends and opinion pieces. You can follow John Goreham on X and TikTok, and connect with him on LinkedIn.

Images by John Goreham