...was unveiled at the New York Auto Show in March.
From
Car and Driver:
"In New York, Subaru unveiled a freshened version of its small SUV, the Forester, which will arrive in dealerships in June. While the basic look is unchanged, the 2006 Forester does receive an entirely new front fascia, which includes new four-lamp headlight clusters and a new bumper, grille, hood, and fenders. At the rear, the ’06 Forester is distinguished by new taillamp clusters and a body-color trim panel that displays the Subaru emblem. Under that redesigned hood resides one of two revised powerplants: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter boxer engine that, now with Subaru’s Active Valve Lift System (AVLS) variable valve lift technology, puts out 173 horsepower (up from 165 in the ‘05 models); and a turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer that now pumps out an extra 20 horsepower (up to 230) as a result of a higher compression ratio and a redesigned intake manifold. For those who do intend to venture off-road in their Foresters, the ’06 model boasts increased ground clearance, which climbs from 7.5 inches to 8.1 inches (7.9 inches on 2.5XT). Other changes include a strengthened rear crossmember, a modified mounting point for the front lower L-arm, and retuned springs and shocks."
Most interesting tid bit, is the introduction of a variable valve lift system that'll raise engine output in the base 2.5L boxer-4 to 173hp. I imagine this will eventually spread to other models such as the Legacy and Impreza.
The increase in output on the already fast Forester XT will be awesome for enthusiasts. I can't wait to see the times the 5MT version will run in the 1/4!!!
-Chike