2025 Subaru Forester Wilderness rendered

There’s a new-generation Subaru Forester headed to Australia next year and – at least in North America – it’s likely to be topped by another ‘Wilderness’ flagship that brings more off-road capability to the new model’s bold new look and extra tech.

But while an exact ETA and details for the new Forester are all yet to be locked in for Australia, local consumers are still wondering when and indeed whether the current-generation Wilderness flagship will materialise in Aussie showrooms, given Subaru Australia has insisted the tougher SUV is high on its agenda.

The current Subaru Forester Wilderness debuted globally in 2021 and instantly became one of the most sought-after variants in the US due to its enhanced off-road capability and more rugged persona, but now with the new-generation Foz on the horizon, questions of timing are starting to arise.

If the all-terrain hero isn’t confirmed soon for Australia, where it would undoubtedly spur sales of the existing Forester during its runout, there’s a good chance we’ll have to wait for the next-generation Wilderness.

Of course, we’re yet to see the latter officially, but that hasn’t stopped US website Car and Driver from publishing an unofficial render speculating what the next Forester Wilderness could look like.

Commissioned by Car and Driver but illustrated by Ben Summerell-Youde/Fox Syndication, this rendered 2025 Forester Wilderness follows the current model’s enhancements including an increased ride height, a heap of extra body cladding, unique blue paint job, orange accents, all-terrain tyres, black alloy wheels and an exclusive front-end treatment.

Other classic Wilderness enhancements include reinforced roof racks, water-resistant seat upholstery, revised (lower) gearing, myriad unique interior trim bits and a unique rear bumper.

Wishful thinking also sees the inclusion of an Outback XT-sourced 2.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, which would endear the flagship Forester with a healthy dollop of extra power and torque – useful off-road – and a whole lot more sex appeal.

Subaru Australia hinted last year that a turbocharged Forester was at least under study, but the trail has gone cold since then and so far doesn’t show any sign of warming up seeing as the new-generation Forester has been confirmed to bring a carry-over 2.5-litre engine.

The big hope is the Japanese marks persists with and eventually shares its turbocharged 1.8-litre lean-burn engine, which doesn’t develop any more power than the free-breathing 2.5 but crucially ups the torque factor (239Nm versus 300Nm).

Chances are we’ll see the Outback Wilderness or at least a local equivalent Down Under long-before the enhanced Forester arrives, possibly even before the new-generation mid-size SUV’s pricing is announced.

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