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The One New Subaru Forester Wilderness Upgrade You Really Want

The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness is coming soon for outdoor enthusiasts. There is one upgrade Subaru should make that would transform the new rugged sub-brand.

If you haven't heard, a new 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness trim level is coming soon for outdoor enthusiasts. The Subaru Forester is in its fourth year of the compact SUVs model life cycle, and Subaru of America gets another unique Wilderness model for its active customers. The more rugged model is for customers who want to get further away from civilization.

The 2022 Subaru Forester will get a "refresh" with some exterior and interior modifications to upgrade its appearance, but the significant changes will come on the new rugged sub-brand trim. Forester Wilderness will come with an advanced dual function X-Mode, elevated 9.5-inch ground clearance, standard front and rear skid plates, and an upgraded suspension like the Outback Wilderness.

2022 Subaru Forester, 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness, features, specs

One new upgrade would transform the Forester Wilderness

What engine will power the all-new adventure-ready 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness trim? Subaru is upgrading many of its next-generation models with the 2.4-liter FA24 Boxer engine. Outback was the first to get the new direct-injection powerplant. The 2022 BRZ gets a naturally-aspirated version, and the 2022 WRX is also expected to get a more powerful turbocharged FA24 Boxer.

The 2021 Forester compact SUV comes with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder powerplant producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. This is a good engine for city commuting and light off-pavement excursions.

2022 Subaru Forester, 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness, features, specs

The more rugged 2022 Forester Wilderness trim needs a turbocharged engine. The best engine option would be the proven FA24 2.4-liter turbocharged engine producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque in the Outback and Ascent SUVs.

The additional power and torque would get the heavier Forester Wilderness up the mountain pass and a more capable off-road-ready vehicle for Subaru's active customers. The 2.4-liter turbocharged engine could also give Forester an increased tow rating for those wanting to tow a boat or small camper.

Subaru teased the Forester Wilderness and should release details soon. Subaru could transform the all-new 2022 Forester Wilderness with a 2.4-liter FA24 direct-injection turbocharged Boxer engine. It's what Subaru Forester fans want.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru USA

Comments

Jason (not verified)    August 11, 2021 - 12:55PM

Before everything goes EV, I'd really like to see one of two revisits for Subaru. One that I know, unfortunately, isn't even possible, would be to see an STI tuned XT6 with twin turbo's.

The other would be an STI tuned Legacy 3.6R with a more aggressive body package.

Hey as long as we're dreaming, why not?

Frank Martin (not verified)    August 11, 2021 - 2:17PM

Is there any way to know how many vehicles Subaru sells with each type of engine? Impreza, Forester, and Ascent do not have any engine options. Legacy, Crosstrek, and Outback have a choice of engines.

It seems obvious that the 152 hp engine quantities have dropped by a large percentage in 2021 for two reasons (the 152 hp engine for 2021 is only used for Crosstrek Base and Premium trims, and production of the Impreza has been curtailed due to chip shortage). I am curious as to exact statistics