The 2026 Subaru Forester still wears a tall hex face

A dark grille is not enough to distinguish the 2026 Forester Sport Onyx Edition from Sport Hybrid. Subaru’s U.S. equipment release lists a gloss-black grille and bronze-finish 19-inch wheels for Sport Hybrid. Sport Onyx instead receives dark-metallic 19-inch wheels, dark-gray badges and black underguards with gloss-black inserts.

The powertrain distinction matters when a listing mixes those names. Sport Hybrid combines a 2.5-liter boxer engine with electric motors for 194 total system horsepower. Sport Onyx uses the non-hybrid 2.5-liter boxer rated at 180 hp. Both have Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, so the broad Forester face and an AWD description cannot establish which powertrain is fitted.

The interior is another check. Subaru specifies black-and-gray StarTex upholstery with brown stitching for Sport Onyx, rather than a generic claim of copper stitching. The trim descriptions provide the factory combinations. Confirm badges and the vehicle’s equipment record before using wheel color as proof, since wheels are replaceable.

The hexagonal outline in the title describes the grille’s general appearance. It should not be treated as a unique hybrid badge or as proof that a photographed Forester carries every option shown on another trim.