2016-2018 Subaru Forester Hamilton Upgrade Kit for CarPlay® and Android Auto™

This is the product I have been looking for. It has breathed new life into my favourite car, giving it modern conveniences but retaining the classic looks that I originally wanted. The install was a bit more difficult than I thought, watching the videos, but it was well worth worht it. Thank you, Hamilton Motor Company, for a first-class product.

Very easy to install following the video for my 2018 Forester. Setup and use was easy to learn. Just needed to get an overall understanding of what is going on between Bluetooth and WiFi.

Great product - and great company. Unlocking real value while keeping existing technology in place. Support was great as well. Like a new car!

Reviewed already but this was amazing. The video i could easily do it on my own with no experience of radios or cars 10 stars if I could

Very good experience. Very quick response, in case any question or support needed really good support. Installed 1 device on my Forester 2018 XT, works as described👍
I can recommend

I bought this unit for my Subaru Levorg, and it works flawlessly—it’s absolutely fantastic!!

Before I bought it, I spoke with customer support; they responded quickly and knew exactly what I needed.

I think you guys have a replacement screen which is larger then original Subaru screen- wish I had upgraded to that. Factory screen not very clean a little blurred. Replaced back up camera and got led license plate and backup bulbs and it’s much better

Overall pretty happy

I just installed the kit. Functionality and responsiveness of using CarPlay are solid so far. The install is more of a pain than the video portrays. My wiring harness was much shorter so getting everything plugged in and out back into place was a challenge. The lower bolt holes didn’t line up after shoving everything in so I just left them out. Too much trouble to take it all back out and reposition.

I am very pleased with your product. Great delivery relatively easy install for an 87 year old and love the results. I would definitely recommend the Hamilton Car play to any who want to bring their car up to the latest standard. Yours truly R.W.

Not as easy to install as a plug and play but definitely worth the effort. Modernized my car

Absolutely love it! Installation was a breeze and it runs very smoothly. Wish I would have upgraded sooner. Will definitely recommend to everyone.

After purchasing and learning my 2018 Forester did not have Appleplay, as the Legacy's do, I contemplated an after-market headunit, but I loved the aesthetics of the factory unit. After months, I found that Hamilton Motor Company specifically addresses this exact issue. Plus, the kicker is that it can be DIY if you are even a little bit handy around a vehicle. John's youtube tutorial seemed simple, so I dived in. I'm in NC and the unit was delivered the next day! I performed each step in unison with John as I sat in my car. There wasn't one missed step. The only semi-frustrating part of the install was getting all the wires back behind the headunit. There is not a lot of room, so that took a little time, but otherwise it took 1.5 hours (I went slow). The unit tested out perfectly and now I have a factory-appearing headunit with wireless and wired Apple Carplay! I'm stoked. Thanks, John!

Installation went quite smoothly, video really helped.

However, it took me a while to find another instruction video, where you explain that Voice button has to be hold for couple seconds, to switch from Default Subaru menu, to Android Auto view.

There is a small issue that sometimes, when listening to music, small hiccups and interruptions are heard, like listening to the old CD that is scratched.

Another issue, my partner is Apple, thus she connects to Subaru using BT. When I sit in the car, it automatically opens Android Auto App, everything seems like it works, but no sound. It took me a while for the first time, I thought the sound is gone. Then I have to go a long way: Go back to Subaru view, change sound source from BT -> USB, and then back to Android Auto app.

Setup tested using Samsung S23+ and Subaru Forester 2016 with no XT module.

Other than that - this is a valuable upgrade and I'm glad that I bought it. Thanks!

Now that I have had the unit installed, it's been working great. I did need to turn up the brightness to see the screen a little better. I also had a few installation challenges with no instructions tailored for a Subaru with manual climate controls but was able to get past those and a low battery to get it working as designed.

It took research and diligence, but a 6.2" HU to a Hamilton Motor Company upgraded 7" HU swap on a 2018 Base model Forester IS possible!! Looks totally stock, and is fully functional with stock B/U camera, steering wheel controls, mic and Clean CarPlay interface
What a difference!

100% satisfied, looks and functions as if it comes with the original infotainment system of the vehicle,I installed my self following the video tutorial from Hamilton and it wasn’t difficult if you like DIY, been using it for under a month as i write my review and the wireless CarPlay functions flawlessly and it comes with 3 year warranty.satisfied

I could not be more satisfied with my Hamilton Upgrade Kit for my 2017 Subaru Forester! This was EXACTLY the product I was looking for to add Apple CarPlay functionality to my vehicle! The installation was straight forward and the product works SUPERBLY! Even better, it's from a local Raleigh company near me. Thanks for creating this outstanding product!

I’m very happy with this purchase. The kit works great with the original Subaru OEM radio, and the quality and stability are far better than with the aftermarket head units I used before, which often froze or lagged. I’m using it in my Subaru and CarPlay run smoothly. Installation was easy, and the interface is very intuitive. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their car’s functionality and comfort!

Awesome product fits perfectly and work it should

Installation took me all day.
It’s like I got a new rental car setup now with CarPlay. I was always envious. Now I got it and everything else is still working like normal. Pretty slick!

Very impressive.
Did not take more than 4 days delivery to Sweden. And the installation was done under two hours.
My phone connects faster to the system than what it took on VW ID.4 that I had previously.

So let’s just say I’ve been waiting for something like this since my first 2016 forester. The installation videos are amazing and easy to follow! Everything from stock amplifier to control buttons on steering wheel, OEM backup camera, all retained! And best part is it uses The original touchscreen ! Amazing work guys!

It was pretty simply to put in it was time consuming but in comparison to aftermarket head units so easy. I love that I’m able to keep my stock features and controls. The only difficult part I ran into was figuring out how to reposition the xm module along with all the wires to reattach the whole unit. It was also a bit of a painful only because one of my clips for the wires refused to unlatch so be careful with that. I think it was worth the money especially since that was the only feature in my car I wanted that I didn’t get

Recently made a long 3 day weekend trip and I loved having the ability to have maps appear on the screen instead of trying to use my phone only.

Hamilton Motor Company is fantastic! Their product is high quality, easy to install thanks to the step-by-step video, and it worked perfectly on my 2018 Subaru WRX with the Harman Kardon system. They’re the only company offering a product that fully retains the factory system, and the 3-year limited warranty is unmatched. On top of that, their customer service was excellent. Highly recommend!