The Subaru Forester has been upgraded with new styling, safety technology and an upgraded cabin.

The upgraded Subaru Forester will go on sale next month. Pricing remains unchanged for all trim levels in the updated Forester line-up, with the range starting from £25,495 for the 2.0i XE model and £26,995 for 2.0D XC models.

The Forester’s hexagonal grille has been updated with a new grille mesh, while the front bumper has been reshaped and now features new L-shaped chrome trim.

The 2016 model is also fitted with new LED combination lamps at the rear.

Inside the cabin, new materials and technologies have been introduced to further modernise the interior and introduce a higher-quality look and feel, while still retaining the functionality for which the Forester is renowned.

The interior is finished with a higher proportion of soft-touch materials, new piano black and metallic trim, higher-resolution TFT displays and new cloth and leather upholstery options – including a new brown leather option. Following the adoption of Subaru’s new 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system in 2015, the changes to the 2016 Subaru Forester are designed to further improve the quality look and feel of the cabin.

Thicker glass has been applied to every door and the front quarter lights at the base of the A-pillar, reducing the ingress of wind ‘rush’ and other noises into the cabin. For the front quarter lights and front doors, glass thickness has increased from 3.5 mm to 4.0 mm, while rear door glass is now 3.5 mm (up from 3.1 mm). The seals around the window frames in the doors use a new, more sound-absorbent material to further reduce noise levels. Additional soundproofing material has been added around the dashboard, particularly where the dashboard meets the base of the windscreen and in the front passenger foot well, minimising noise intrusion from wind rush and the engine, respectively.

The 2016 Forester adopts new headlamp technologies which include LED lights with Adaptive Front Lighting System. The new Adaptive Front Lighting System allows the headlamps to rotate left or right into corners as the driver turns the wheel. By illuminating the road ahead in the direction in which the vehicle is traveling, the Forester’s night visibility is greatly improved, particularly useful in poorly-lit rural areas.

All existing safety equipment on offer is fitted as standard to every model in the Forester range, including twin front, side, curtain and knee airbags, Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC; Subaru’s electronic stability control system) with trailer stability, and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive technology.

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