CarPlay Screen Radio for Subaru Forester SG (2002-2008): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Subaru Forester SG, the second generation, is one of those cars people simply do not sell. A boxer engine, permanent all-wheel drive and mechanicals that, properly looked after, rack up mileage figures that frighten people. That is why there are still so many of them on the road, many in the hands of owners who use them for the hills, snow or towing.

What has not aged so well is the audio system. The Forester SG's original head unit is a 2 DIN with a cassette or CD player, a single-line display and, at best, a disc changer on the better-equipped trims. No Bluetooth, no navigation, no USB. Fitting an Android head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is the upgrade that delivers the most noticeable improvement for the money on a car of this age.

Does the Subaru Forester SG have CarPlay as standard?

No, and it could not have: this generation went out of production long before CarPlay and Android Auto existed. What you will find in your dashboard is one of these options:

• A 2 DIN radio with CD and a monochrome display: the most common setup, with an FM/AM tuner and little more.
• A radio with a cassette deck on the earliest cars, sometimes with a CD changer in the glovebox.
• The McIntosh system on some high-spec versions, with a dedicated amplifier: this is the case to look at most carefully when changing the head unit.

No software update is possible, official or otherwise, because there is no screen and no processor to work with. The only way to have CarPlay in a Forester SG is to replace the unit with a model-specific Android head unit, and the good news is that this car's 2 DIN aperture is generous and very easy to get at.

The solution: an Android head unit for the Forester SG

The head unit designed for this generation of Forester comes with the fascia built in, so it fills the original aperture without leaving gaps at the sides and without needing universal plastic adapters that never quite fit.

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to bring Google Maps, Waze, Spotify and your calls to the screen, with voice control.
• Capacitive touchscreen with tempered glass, which in a dashboard as plain as the Forester's looks particularly well integrated.
• Android with the Play Store: mountain weather apps, online radio, route planning or whatever you use for your trips.
• Built-in GPS with maps that work without a phone and without coverage. On a car used for tracks and mountain areas, this is the most useful feature of the whole unit.
• Reversing camera input, welcome on a Forester with a spare wheel or a bike rack behind you when manoeuvring.
• Bluetooth 5.0 with an external microphone —the car had no hands-free of any kind— plus FM/RDS, USB and an RCA output for an amplifier.
• Configurable equaliser to compensate for the cabin acoustics, which makes a real difference with tired original speakers.

Compatibility: supported versions

This unit is intended for the second generation of the Forester:

• Subaru Forester SG, 2002 to 2008, including the mid-life facelift.
• 2.0 X, 2.0 XT turbo and 2.5 versions, manual or automatic: the dashboard is the same on all of them.
• Trims with and without climate control, because the climate panel is a unit independent of the radio.

The point to verify is whether your car has the McIntosh audio system with an amplifier. In that case a specific harness is needed so you do not lose speakers, and it is worth telling us before you order. It is also worth checking whether someone fitted an aftermarket radio at some point, because the original ISO connector may already have been cut and will need rebuilding. Send us a photo of the radio aperture and we will take a look.

What is the installation like?

It is a plug & play installation: everything goes onto the original connectors, with no cutting of the car's wiring. Between 40 and 60 minutes of unhurried work.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal before touching anything on the dashboard.
2. Remove the centre trim around the radio. On the Forester SG it unclips, and you need to lever with a plastic tool to avoid marking the plastic.
3. Undo the screws on the side rails of the original 2 DIN unit and pull it straight out towards you.
4. Disconnect the power and speaker connector and the aerial lead.
5. Fit the CAN Bus adapter between the original connector and the new head unit. On this car, besides the power supply, it is what sorts out the ignition signal and the illumination.
6. Place the GPS aerial at the base of the windscreen and run the microphone to the A-pillar or next to the interior mirror.
7. Seat the screen, screw it down, reconnect the battery and test the sound, GPS, Bluetooth and the camera if you have fitted one.

On cars of this age it is worth using the strip-down for two things: checking that the speaker connectors are not corroded, and checking the condition of the aerial lead, which is a very common cause of poor reception that ends up being unfairly blamed on the new head unit. If your Forester has an amplified aerial, you will also need a powered aerial adapter.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to a Forester SG?

Subaru's official service has no option for this car: there is no update, no retrofit and no replacement part with CarPlay that fits this dashboard. What they will tell you is to fit an aftermarket head unit, which is exactly what you are looking at.

A car audio installer's usual alternative is a universal head unit plus a fascia adapter and a separate harness — three parts that do not always match. A model-specific head unit avoids that: it arrives complete, with the fascia and the car's harness in the same box, and it is a one-off cost. You will find the current price and the available variants on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

My Forester has the McIntosh system. Can I change the head unit?
Yes, but you need the right harness to keep the original amplifier and speakers. Let us know when ordering and we will tell you which part to add so you do not lose channels.

Will Bluetooth work if the car never had it?
Yes. Bluetooth comes from the new head unit, not from the car. With the external microphone supplied in the kit you get genuine hands-free for the first time in this Forester.

Will it stand up to the vibration of tracks and trails?
The screen bolts to the dashboard's original rails, exactly like the factory radio, so it takes the same punishment. What matters is tying down the surplus wiring with cable ties so nothing is left loose knocking around behind it.

Can I use navigation without a SIM card or a phone?
Yes. The head unit has its own GPS and supports offline maps, so you navigate with no data and no phone. For live Google Maps you do need your phone's connection.

Is the screen readable with the sun in front of you?
The Forester's dashboard is fairly upright and the console's hood helps. Current screens also have an anti-glare treatment and automatically adjustable brightness, far ahead of anything a period head unit offered.

See the CarPlay head unit for the Subaru Forester SG

You can see it at CarPlay and Android Auto Screen Radio for Subaru Forester Mk2 SG (2002-2008), with integrated fascia and wiring specific to this dashboard. If you do not know which audio system your car has, send us a photo of the radio aperture and we will confirm which variant to order.