When it comes to Subaru design, the motto seems to be, “Evolution, not Revolution,” and the 2017 Forester is no different.
We didn’t expect anything big from Subaru’s newest announcement, and that’s what we got.
Subaru set a goal for “all-around safety” for 2017, and in keeping with this theme they have rolled out a few new items designed to keep drivers and occupants safe.
Pony up for the Limited or Touring trim levels and you won’t have to tick the Cross Traffic Alert or Blind Spot Monitoring boxes on the options box, it’s now standard. If you decided to go with the Premium model with EyeSight you’ll get the same as well.
Limited and Touring models also get Reverse Automatic Braking, which is meant to stop you before you back into the car parked behind you, as well as other large objects.
There are a few exterior changes. The corporate tail lights with their C-shape motif are now a thing. The C-shape appears in the headlights too. The grille also better matches up with the rest of Subaru’s models.
Subaru Pictures Gallery
Changes and additions in other standard and optional equipment are multitude, but none of them are all that exciting other than a heated steering wheel finally being available. It would take an entire spec sheet to enumerate all the 2017 tweaks, so it’s easiest to say that if the option was only available on a higher trim level in 2016, it will most likely be available on the trim level directly below that one for 2017.
Overall, nothing Subaru is doing for the Forester in 2017 is revolutionary, which is in keeping with Subaru’s usual approach. Yes, the navigation still sucks. No, nobody has figured out exactly how Starlink works (nor do they care). Yes, the interior still feels a bit pedestrian and cheap. Yes, it’s still a Subaru, so it’s always familiar. That familiarity is what keeps bringing people to the brand. Subaru has been posting record numbers for almost a decade. Why should they mess with success?
