2026 Toyota RAV4 Woodland vs. 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness vs. 2026 Honda CR-V Trailsport: Which Is Best Off-Road?

The result was perhaps a predictable one. The Subaru made light work of the two tasks we set it. On its way up the hill, I was so confident I only really needed to use one hand, while on the way back down, the brakes were modulated so well that I didn’t even feel the need to use X-Mode (which works in a hill descent feature). Over the sandy washboard road, the Subaru was the most compliant, maintained the best contact with the trail, and its tires dug in the best, giving the most traction by far. 

The cons? There aren’t many. Fuel economy is subpar, and worse than the standard Forester’s due to that shorter final drive (just 26 mpg combined compared to the Honda’s 35 mpg and the Toyota’s 39 mpg combined). Its interior touchscreen is the worst here, too, with poor resolution from the camera that’s easily washed out in direct sunlight. It also only offers one camera view, and most of its climate controls are also relegated to the screen. 

But after a day in the dirt, the Subaru is the clear winner. It delivers the most confidence and is the easiest to get up to speed with, and its approach and departure angles mean your bumpers are the safest. If hitting the trailhead, camping, or even a touch of light rock climbing are on your agenda, this is the one to get. Forget about the bad tech and average fuel economy and let the Subie be your steed.