1. Lift kit (2" is the sweet spot)
The Wilderness sits about 0.8" higher than a Limited from the factory (9.5" vs. 8.7"), but because it also has larger tires, it looks significantly taller.
Many owners instead install:
- 1.5" LP Aventure lift
- 2" Ironman 4x4 ATS suspension lift
- 2" Readylift spacer kit
- ADF (Anderson Design & Fabrication) lift kit
A 2" suspension lift with slightly larger tires actually gives the Limited a more aggressive stance than a stock Wilderness.
2. Wheels and tires
This makes almost as much difference as the lift.
Typical setup:
- 17" wheels
- Black wheels
- 235/65R17 all-terrain tires
Popular tires:
- Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail
- Yokohama Geolandar A/T
- Toyo Open Country A/T III
3. Black cladding
The Wilderness has much chunkier plastic around:
- wheel arches
- rocker panels
- front bumper
- rear bumper
Some people source OEM Wilderness parts from salvage yards, while others use aftermarket pieces.
4. Front bumper
The Wilderness bumper has:
- more exposed black plastic
- integrated hex fog light bezels
- skid plate appearance
This is probably the hardest and most expensive cosmetic conversion.
5. Roof rack
A platform rack instantly changes the look.
Common choices include:
- Prinsu
- Front Runner
- Yakima LockNLoad
- Rhino Rack Pioneer
6. Bronze accents
Many owners copy the Wilderness look with:
- bronze wheels
- bronze Subaru badges
- bronze recovery points
- Wilderness decals