Is a Subaru Forester good for overlanding?

By Nick Marchenko, PhD

Updated: April 13, 2023

You can definitely overland in a Subaru Forester. A stock Forester is a decent SUV with some off-road properties that make it a fitting option for outdoor activities. And with all that, it also has enough versatility to be a vehicle for everyday use. Its fuel efficiency and driving comfort make it a perfect car for business and leisure alike.

Subaru Forester is only as good for overlanding as an SUV can possibly be. But nonetheless, it has great potential as a blank canvas for an overland build that will let it truly shine off the beaten path and compensate for any weak points.

Advantages of the Subaru Forester for Overlanding

All-wheel drive

Overlanding involves all sorts of terrains and weather conditions. Overcoming the obstacles and problems is, in fact, part of the thrill. But this activity requires traction and stability way above average. And all-wheel drive certainly helps Subaru Forester to deal with slippery soil, snow, rocky trails and other unpleasant surprises by offering a better grip on almost any surface.

Good ground clearance (for an SUV)

Decent ground clearance is a must for overlanding. Subaru Forester has 8.7 inches of clearance which is good enough for an SUV. This clearance allows Forester to safely traverse dirt roads, sand and some rocky patches. But this clearance cannot compare to 11 inches and higher for some off-road trucks like Toyota Tundra, for example. More clearance usually means more protection from whatever can be lying around or sticking out, waiting to puncture Forester’s underbelly.

Reliability

Subaru Forester is your best friend while overlanding, it is your trusted companion. This is a reliable vehicle that can bear the extra stress from off-roading on difficult terrain in pouring rain and deep snow. With a little tinkering and good care, it will remain as tough as you need.

Spacious interior

Forester has enough interior space to allow you to take whatever equipment you might need. Within the boundaries of common sense, of course. But you will learn to truly appreciate this feature once you start packing the stuff.

Potential Limitations of the Subaru Forester for Overlanding

Limited off-road capabilities

The name “Forester” hints at the purpose of the vehicle and its affinity for the wilderness. But things are rarely what they seem to be, and while Subaru Forester is okay, it is still not built for real hardcore off-roading. Without some crucial alterations and upgrades, it just barely gets a pass.

Limited towing capacity

Some people prefer traveling with comfort. Forester has a limited towing capacity, allowing it to pull small trailers and a moderate amount of equipment. Unfortunately, the weight of things you take with you onboard and the extra stress from off-roading severely decrease the towing capacity.

Shop From Amazon

Limited aftermarket support

Compared to the popular off-roading options like Jeeps or Toyotas, Forester does not have that many options for overlanding performance parts. You can still find all you need from the aftermarket part manufacturers, but just know that the choice is limited.

Ground clearance

Without a lift, your Forester will be at greater risk of getting stuck in mud or damaged. It lacks only a few inches to get to the bare minimum for serious overlanding.

What is the most off-road capable Forester?

The most off-road capable Forester is the accurately named 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness. The trim name just tells you straightforwardly what the vehicle is about. First of all, it gets a better clearance of 9.2 inches. But this is not all, Wilderness also comes with a standard skid plate for more protection, optimized bumpers for better angles in tight spots, descent assist, and better suspension.

Year	Engine	Trim Level	All-Wheel Drive	Ground Clearance	Focus
2022	2.5-liter flat-four	Forester Wilderness	Yes	9.2 inches	Off-road performance and safety equipment
2022	2.5-liter flat-four	Forester Sport	Yes	8.7 inches	Sport-tuned suspension
2022	2.5-liter flat-four	Forester Limited	Yes	8.7 inches	Comfort and luxury feel
2022	2.5-liter flat-four	Forester Touring	Yes	8.7 inches	Navigating city traffic
2022	2.5-liter flat-four	Forester Base	Yes	8.7 inches	City traffic and driver`s comfort

Ideas for Subaru Forester Overland Upgrades

Venturing into the wild with a stock Subaru Forester is not the best idea. Fortunately, this SUV is a wonderful base for building a good overland project. Here are just some of the ideas to transform your Subaru Forester into a perfect overlanding car:

Suspension lift kit

Adding special off-roading suspension to the Forester pays off. By lifting the car a few inches, you will get enough clearance to feel at ease on almost any road. The stock 8.7 and 9.2 for different trims is okay, but there is plenty of room for improvement. Our favorite lift kits are King Springs Lift Kit, Anderson Design & Fabrication (ADF) and Primitive Racing Lift Kit.

Shop From Amazon

Heavy-duty shocks and springs

Overland gear and some upgrades can weigh the car down, which is never a good thing for overlanding. But you can compensate for this with a set of off-roading shocks and springs like the Fox Shocks 2.0 Performance Series, Ironman 4x4 Foam Cell Pro or Bilstein 5100 series.

Skid plates

Unless you are lucky to have the Subaru Forester in a Wilderness trim, you will need a skid plate. This is by no means an extra measure, it is a requirement for safe overlanding. We recommend starting with these brands: LP Aventure, RalliTEK and Primitive Racing. They all offer some great skid plates for Subaru. 

Shop From Amazon

Off-road bumpers

The Forester Wilderness trim has some amazing bumpers for better departure angles, there is nothing wrong with them. But to get the same result with other trims you will need to go to the aftermarket. There are a lot of bumper manufacturers out there, but something like Rally Innovations, CBI Offroad and Subtle Solutions is a good start.

Shop From Amazon

Winch

There is no shame in getting stuck while overlanding. But it really is a shame if you don’t have a good winch for self-recovery. Grab one of these to avoid trouble: ComeUp USA (Seal Gen2 and DV-9s models), VR EVO by Warn Industries or Superwinch Tiger Shark.

Shop From Amazon

Off-road tires

Installing appropriate wheels for off-roading is important. Without them, you can basically forget about proper traction in mud and unstable surfaces. Some of the best options are BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3, Cooper Discoverer STT Pro and Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail.

Shop From Amazon

Locking differentials or limited-slip differentials

Unfortunately, if one Subaru Forester’s front wheel and one rear wheel start slipping on the slippery surface, they both might spin. Which is not what we are going for at all. Upgrading for locking differentials or limited-slip differentials will ensure a better grip in such situations. Our recommendations are Torsen T-2 and T-3 models, Powertrax Lock-Right and Grip Pro, Eaton Detroit Locker.

Snorkel

Depending on the season and geography of the area where you are going to overland, you might need to consider installing a snorkel. It will help you prevent your engine from drowning in a surprisingly deep puddle. Some of the best are TJM Airtec Snorkel T13, Offroad Animal ORA-SUB02 and Safari SS205HF.

Shop From Amazon

Rock sliders

Rocks are notorious for leaving scratches and dents, resulting in rust later on. To protect your car paint, add rock sliders like ARB, Primitive Racing or RalliTEK.

Roof rack

A sturdy roof rack will help you transport some equipment or set up a rooftop tent. Some of the most reliable options are Front Runner Slimline II, Rhino Rack Vortex Roof Rack System and Yakima JetStream Roof Rack System.

Shop From Amazon

Awning

An awning is not an essential part of overlanding with a Subaru Forester, but it can make your camping more comfortable. These products are among the most popular: Tepui Ayer 2 Awning, Smittybilt Overlander Tent Awning and ARB Awning 2000.

Roof-top tent

Sleeping is very important when traveling. Overlanding can get exhausting, and a well-protected rooftop tent can help you get that necessary quality sleep. Basically, anything made by Yakima, Thule or Tepui should work just fine.

Recovery gear

Trusty recovery gear is simply irreplaceable in your overlanding equipment. Without it you can get stuck for many hours in the middle of nowhere. So don’t forget to grab ARB TRED Pro Recovery Boards, Bubba Rope Gator-Jaw Synthetic Shackles and WARN 97570 Portable Winch for starters.

Shop From Amazon

Off-road lighting

Adding some extra light sources to increase visibility can be a good idea. LED light bars can help you see further ahead, make you seen from a long distance and also can be great at illuminating the campsite. There are many LED bars out there, but these three made it to our TOP-3: Vision X Xmitter Prime Xtreme LED Light Bar, Rigid Industries E-Series Pro and Auxbeam V-series.

Shop From Amazon

Storage solutions

Prepare your equipment and personal belongings for a shaky ride. This is just for your comfort and to avoid any damage inside the car, but getting cargo barriers is a useful tip nonetheless. The Raingler Nets Cargo Barrier, ARB Cargo Barrier and Travall Guard Cargo Barrier are all pretty good.

Auxiliary fuel tank

The Subaru Forester is a fuel-efficient car unlike any truck, but its fuel consumption still goes up during overlanding. If you plan to travel through a rather remote area, consider getting an auxiliary fuel tank from Long Range Automotive, RDS or Aluminum Tank Industries. They all have some quite good tanks in store.

Dual battery system

A dual battery system can be useful for serious and long overlanding with the Subaru Forester. By installing the Enerdrive, Odyssey Performance Series or National Luna Dual Battery System, you can power the camp and never worry about a dead car battery.

Shop From Amazon

Air compressor

Temperature fluctuations, heavy equipment and excessive pressure during off-roading can all influence tire pressure. Sometimes it is even necessary to lower it for better traction on difficult terrain or to avoid punctures. To bring the tire pressure back to normal, you will need an air compressor like PowerTank PT10-5240KIT, T-MAX Portable or Viair 400P Portable Air Compressor.

Communications equipment

Cell phones are often useless in remote areas away from civilization. To stay safe during overland trips, some enthusiasts take radios and other equipment. If anything happens, you will always be able to call for backup with something like Garmin inReach Mini Satellite Communicator, Midland MXT400 MicroMobile Two-Way Radio or Icom IC-2730A Dual Band VHF/UHF Mobile Radio.

Navigation system

A good GPS is a good GPS, you will need it to find your way through the wild trails. However, we also recommend an old analog map, just in case. As for the popular GPS options, we like Magellan TRX7 CS, DeLorme inReach Explorer+ and Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5x SplitShot.

Final Thoughts

There are many amazing Forester builds for overlanding in forum threads and blogs. But before you happily run off with these ideas, there is one important thing you should know about overland builds in general. Everyone’s experience with off-roading and overlanding is unique, and their needs can drastically vary from yours. 

One’s perfect overlanding build for Forester is another person’s waste of money. It all depends on the areas you want to visit, your driving style, the season and even your equipment. So, before you make a choice about the upgrades, establish your goals. Maybe take a two-three day overlanding to see what you might be lacking. Your preferences, environment and compatibility are the only important aspects aside from the budget, of course. Focus on them and make the right decision for your Subaru Forester project!