Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Winter 2010/2011 | Page 20

FORESTER

2011 FORESTER:
MORE OF A GOOD THING

Although the current-generation Subaru
Forester debuted to significant acclaim
just two years ago, the pace of the
automotive business is relentless. So,
for the 2011 model year, this immensely
popular, award-winning compact SUV is
even better. Here’s a closer look at
its evolution.
The idea behind the Forester was
to develop a vehicle that would be a
true lifestyle enabler. Something with
attractive styling, class-leading safety
and incredible versatility – a vehicle
that made the driving and ownership
experience both effortless and satisfying.
As soon as the current-generation
Forester hit the market in 2008, it made
waves. And it won awards – a lot of awards
including honours from the Automobile
Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC)
and Motor Trend magazine.
More importantly, though, the 2009
Forester made waves with people who
love getting a lot of return on their
investment. With standard Subaru
symmetrical full-time AWD, the choice of
two potent and efficient SUBARU BOXER
engines, and a host of convenience

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features, this compact SUV struck a
chord with the motoring public. Two
years later, that’s set to continue as the
2011 Forester receives a number of
enhancements that are designed to
keep it at the very top of shopping lists.
Perhaps the most significant
development is under the hood.
The Forester continues to be offered
with the proven turbocharged 2.5-litre
DOHC 4-cylinder as found in the 2.5XT
Limited. This engine generates a healthy
224 horsepower and 226 lb-ft of torque,
making this one of the most responsive
compact SUVs around.
But there’s even bigger news as it
relates to the other engine – the naturally
aspirated 2.5-litre DOHC 4-cylinder, the first
of a new generation of SUBARU BOXER
engines showcasing a revolutionary
long-stroke design. The engineers at
Subaru have pored over every detail of this
powerplant, optimizing the air intake, fuel
injectors, combustion chambers and the
cooling system in order to minimize fuel
consumption and emissions.
They have also redesigned the
cylinder heads; this change, combined