Subaru tweaks new Forester’s styling, tech
Subaru is sprucing up its hot-selling Forester for 2017.
The changes start up front, with subtle tweaks to the front end. The front fascia is slightly reworked with a new bumper, a reshaped grille and headlights with C-shaped LED daytime running lights.
Inside, the Forester receives a new steering wheel — it can be heated on certain trim levels — as well as new interior colour options, thicker door glass, more sound insulation and an acoustic-glass windshield, all of which should make the interior much quieter.
The tweaks extend to EyeSight, Subaru’s suite of active safety features. The two cameras can see in colour, and offer a wider and longer field of view.
Climb up the trim-level ladder and EyeSight adds a couple of new features to the headlights; automatic high-beams and steering-responsive low-beams will no doubt improve vision at night. There’s also something Subaru calls Reverse Automatic Braking, which — you guessed it — automatically stops the car if you’re in reverse and it detects an object behind you.
The Forester’s powertrains remain the same. Buyers can choose between a normally aspirated 170-horsepower four-cylinder engine or a 250-hp turbo-four, and fuel economy has been improved. Foresters powered by the normally aspirated four are now rated in the U.S. at 26 miles per gallon city (9.0 L/100km), 32 highway (7.4) and 28 (8.4) combined. In addition, the up-level Forester XT can be had with a new torque-vectoring system for improved handling.
The 2017 Forester should be hitting dealers this summer.