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2017 Subaru Forester Unveiled, Comes with More Tech and Improved Fuel Economy

Subaru has significantly updated the Forester for the 2017 model year, and the Japanese company has announced the improvements today.
2017 Subaru Forester 1 photo
Photo: Subaru
The first changes involve a new front bumper cover and a modified hexagonal grille. The Forester’s headlights have been redesigned, and so have the rear lights, which come with LEDs.

A new color was introduced exclusively for the 2017 Forester Touring models, and it is called "Sepia Bronze Metallic." Certain equipment levels can be ordered with new alloy wheel designs.

On the inside, the 2017 Forester comes with optional Saddle Brown perforated leather upholstery with contrast stitching. All the 2017 Foresters feature a new steering wheel, which includes Bluetooth and cruise control switches.

Subaru has enhanced the soundproofing of the Forester, and door glass is thicker, while door seals have been restructured. A heated steering wheel is offered as an optional for the first time. Automatic climate control is now standard on multiple equipment levels, while the 2.5i Premium model can be ordered with a power lift-gate.

Concerning powertrains, Subaru has revised the engines in the Forester range to improve fuel economy for all 2.5i CVT models. The EPA-rated fuel economy is 28 mpg combined for these models, while the outgoing equivalents provided 27 mpg in the same conditions. Meanwhile, the 2.0XT Touring models with EyeSight get Active Torque Vectoring as standard, without any change in fuel economy.

For MY2017, the Forester’s EyeSight technology has been improved through color cameras, for a wider and longer field of vision. The improvement also introduced Lane Keep Assist, which can actively focus the vehicle on a lane if unintentional departure is detected.

All Limited and Touring equipment levels of the 2017 Subaru Forester include Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, systems designed to prevent crashes that might occur because of poor visibility conditions. The Premium trim level comes with EyeSight technology on top of the two systems mentioned above.

The EyeSight system also works with a newly available High Beam Assistant, which is completed by a set of Steering Responsive Headlights. The former switches between high-beam and low-beam according to necessity and cross traffic, and the latter aims the headlights in the direction the wheels are pointing.

Both features described above come as standard on all 2017 Subaru Forester models in the 2.5i Limited, 2.5i Touring, and 2.0XT Touring models equipped with the EyeSight system.

In the case of the Limited and Touring trim levels, configuring the highly rated EyeSight also brings the Reverse Automatic Braking systems as an added feature, and can avoid a possible rear collision with an oncoming vehicle if the driver does not respond to its alerts.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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