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VIDEO: PIA/Cobb Tuning give the full STI swap treatment to Subaru Forester

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Videos, Crossover, Subaru

Subaru STi-into-Forester swap - Click above to watch video

Pacific Import Auto (PIA) came across a Subaru Impreza WRX STi that had been removed from service by a telephone pole. With a new Subaru Forester at their disposal the Pacific Northwest tuning shop decided to marry the two, throw in a generous number of Cobb parts, and the result is a mean white wagon with 295 horsepower and 325 ft-lb. of torque - at the wheels. For comparison, a 2010 Forrester's engine is rated at 224 horses.

The man behind the project said he wanted "a nice looking car, something that nobody else had," so little has changed outside. Underneath, in addition to the beating-again heart of the STi, Cobb contributed a downpipe, front and rear sway bars, and AccessPort ECU remapper. In back, an SPT exhaust is responsible for that deep down sound. Follow the jump to watch the video story.

[Source: StreetFire]

Continue reading VIDEO: PIA/Cobb Tuning give the full STI swap treatment to Subaru Forester

VIDEO: PIA/Cobb Tuning give the full STI swap treatment to Subaru Forester originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium retains edge, adds smoothness

Dan Roth — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Crossover, Subaru, Reviews

2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium - Click above for high-res image gallery

Adequate dynamics, very capable, super handy. That about sums up the last ten years of the Subaru Forester. And yet - once the sportier turbocharged version put rally-bred heat under the skinny pedal, the Forester was no longer just the squishy, squeezy Official Car of Vermont. It was suddenly possible to haul the family Newfoundland to the groomer and scorch the doors off more prestigious iron by flattening that Birkenstock. Eat our dust, punctuated by a "Be Green" sticker. More luxurious appointments were also put on offer, there was once even a Nardi edition. For all that, the Foresters were still little funk machines. For 2009, Subaru's Forester retains and expands what has historically been great about this Fuji Heavy crossover, but the rough edges have been hammered flat. Click past the jump to see if that's impacted the Subie's appeal.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium

Continue reading Review: 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium retains edge, adds smoothness

Review: 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium retains edge, adds smoothness originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru Forester named Motor Trend Sport Utility of the Year

John Neff — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, SUV, Subaru

Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2009 Subaru Forester

Motor Trend has gone back to the basics by picking the newly redesigned Subaru Forester as its 2008 SUV of the Year. Right off the bat, editor Arthur St. Antoine claims that the choice wasn't a reaction to high fuel prices, with the Forester posting the highest fuel efficiency in a group of contenders that includes the BMW X6, Ford Flex, Kia Borrego, Infiniti EX and FX, Nissan Murano, Toyota Sequoia, Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda Pilot, Chevy Traverse, Dodge Journey and Lexus LX570. In fact, their choice may seem somewhat surprising considering that the Forester's 2.5L flat-four engine (turbocharged in the Forester 2.5XT and naturally aspirated in the 2.5X) is borrowed straight from the Impreza and makes do with only a 5-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. There's surely lots more innovation in this field of SUV contenders, but MT gave the Forester credit for being a Swiss Army Knife in a drawer of specialized cutlery. The rest of the field each does its own particular thing well, but according to MT, the Forester often equals or betters the field in some surprising areas like space efficiency and ground clearance. It lacks a lot of whiz-bang gadgets, but was appreciated by MT editors for keeping it simple and doing many things well. By virtue of this last quality the most, they deemed it the winner seemingly because it stretches the family dollar in more ways than just good-for-an-SUV fuel economy. Click the source to read MT's reasons in their own words, and let us know in the comments if you think it was a good choice.

Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester

[Source: Motor Trend]

Subaru Forester named Motor Trend Sport Utility of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru cuts price of 2009 Forester to $19,995

Michael Harley — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Subaru

Click above for more high-res pics of the 2009 Subaru Forester

Subaru has released pricing on the all-new 2009 Subaru Forester introduced last mont in Detroit and it's a whopping $1,200 less than the price of the outgoing model. This means you can put a brand-new completely redesigned Forester 2.5X with standard all-wheel drive, curtain airbags and stability control in your driveway for $19,995 (plus destination and delivery, of course). At the other end of the spectrum, a 2.5XT Limited model starts at $28,195.

You have to salute Subaru's move. The new Forester is a very competent package in a competitive crossover SUV segment. Anyone shopping this category has good reason to take it for a spin, and the price drop is just icing on the cake. Check out Subaru's press release after the jump for a full breakdown of pricing by trim level.

Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester

[Source: Subaru]

Continue reading Subaru cuts price of 2009 Forester to $19,995

Subaru cuts price of 2009 Forester to $19,995 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit '08 Preview: Subaru reveals US-spec 2009 Forester

John Neff — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, Subaru

click above image for more pics of the 2009 Subaru Forester

Though the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) 2009 Subaru Forester was revealed on Christmas Day, Subaru waited until today to reveal the US-spec version of its car-like CUV. We all know the shape of things to come for the Forester thanks to numerous leaks and spied test vehicles that popped up throughout the month of December, but Subaru reveals today that US customers will have their choice of naturally-aspirated and turbocharged versions of the same 2.5L boxer four-cylinder engines offered before, though they've been worked over for more low-end torque. While no power figures have been released, we expect both motors to be virtually identical to those used in the Impreza, which means around 170 hp and 224 hp, respectively. It appears the same trim levels will be offered, which include the base 2.5X, Sports 2.5X, 2.5X L.L. Bean Edition paired with the NA engine and the 2.5XT, Sports 2.5XT and 2.5XT Limited offered with the turbo. New features for the 2009 US-spec Forester include available satellite navigation, standard Vehicle Dynamics Control and traction control, and Incline Start Assist on models with the manual transmission. We'll get detailed information on Subaru's decidedly more butch little CUV at the Detroit Auto Show in January, but until then you can check out the US-spec 2009 Forester in our gallery below and read Subaru's press release after the jump.

[Source: Subaru]

Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester

Continue reading Detroit '08 Preview: Subaru reveals US-spec 2009 Forester

Detroit '08 Preview: Subaru reveals US-spec 2009 Forester originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit '08 Preview: 2009 Subaru Forester officially revealed

Alex Nunez — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, SUV, Crossover, Subaru

click above image to view high-res gallery

Subaru's Christmas present to everyone is the release of the first official photos of the 2009 Forester. The Forester's appearance has been one of the worst-kept secrets in all of autodom over the last few weeks, but nonetheless, here you go. Subaru's PR (read it after the jump) is scant on details except to say that the car rides on a longer wheelbase than the outgoing model, providing more interior room while growing overall length just 3 inches. Inside, expect to see upgraded plastics and ergonomics, with power coming from 2.5L normally aspirated and turbocharged boxer engines. From the angle shown, the JDM model depicted above still looks like the love child of a Chrysler Pacifica and a Mitsubishi Outlander if you ask us. We expect to have lots more on this new Forester in the coming days.

[Source: Subaru]

Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester (JDM)

Continue reading Detroit '08 Preview: 2009 Subaru Forester officially revealed

Detroit '08 Preview: 2009 Subaru Forester officially revealed originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Dec 2007 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It never ends: More new pics of 2009 Subaru Forester

John Neff — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:28:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Subaru

click above image for 11 new pics of the 2009 Subaru Forester

We now have 22 unofficial images of the 2009 Subaru Forester in this gallery, which could be more pics than what Subaru plans to officially release on December 25th when the new CUV actually debuts. We found these on the Forester Owners Forum, page 104 of a long thread relating to 2009 Forester news and rumors. We don't know who took them or where they were taken and we don't want to know - we just want to look at them, as they are the clearest and largest images yet that have crossed our desks. The batch also includes a view of the new Forester's interior, which, well, isn't all that interesting or groundbreaking, kind of like the exterior. It may suit your needs just fine, though.

[Source: SubaruForester.org via Carscoop]

Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester - unofficial images

It never ends: More new pics of 2009 Subaru Forester originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yet... more... images of the 2009 Subaru Forester

John Neff — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Spy Photos, Crossover, Subaru

click above image to view more live shots of the 2009 Subaru Forester

Seriously, we're not that interested in the 2009 Subaru Forester that we actually think half a dozen posts on the little CUV is warranted, but Subie's so far been unable to keep a lid on its new design to such an extent that we just have to share each and every new pic that crosses our desk. These new ones appear to be the first live shots of the car, as opposed to the magazine scans and photoshopped official shots we've seen so far. In fact, these new images taken at what appears to be a shipping hub really bring to light how far the Forester has matured compared to the current model. While the current model always looked like nothing more than a tall station wagon with an extra smidge of ground clearance, the new Forester actually looks like a small CUV. The above shot even bears a resemblance to the Land Rover LR2 in some areas. We're sure you can find some more derivative styling on the new Forester as well, but all in all we think its positive progress in the right direction for Subaru.

As always, we'll bring you official news on the new 2009 Subaru Forester as soon as it's released on Christmas Day, and probably some more unofficial news in the meantime.

[Source: Yahoo! blogs via Carscoop]

Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester - unofficial images

Yet... more... images of the 2009 Subaru Forester originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Subaru Forester leakage continues

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:18:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Wagon, Crossover, Subaru

The crew at NASIOC came across more leaked shots of Subaru's forthcoming Forester, and this time, we get a closer look at the new sub-CUV's interior. Like most of the new products coming out of the Subie camp, the inside receives a significant restyling that takes its cues from the Tribeca's interior arrangement, with flowing brushed metal accents that dip down towards the HVAC controls. In addition to improvements both in style and materials, the Forester will also benefit from Subaru's Sportshift transmission.

Unlike the leaks we've seen previously, this new exterior pic provides a much better view of the front three-quarters of the new Forester. The hood scoop is much more subtle than previous iterations, similar to the one found on the redesigned Impreza, while the ride-height keeps the Forester true to its off-road nature. We're expecting more to follow soon, so, as always, watch this space.

Thanks for the tip Phil!

2009 Subaru Forester leakage continues originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scans aplenty of 2009 Subaru Forester

Alex Nunez — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Japan, Crossover, Suzuki

Click image for a gallery of more scans

As is always the case, there'll be little left to talk about regarding the new 2009 Forester when Subaru officially pulls the wraps off its overhauled compact SUV on Christmas day. Japan's scoop-crazed magazine culture has rewarded us with a slew of new scans showing the '09 Forester in a variety of trim levels. Bigger in every dimension, it's definitely got a more traditional SUV look to it, with a view from the front that's quite reminiscent of the current Mitsubishi Outlander. The two launch engines in Japan will be a NA 2.0 boxer with 148 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque and a turbocharged version generating 230 horsepower and 234 lb-ft. Also revealed is news that seven JDM trim levels will be offered -- four with normally-aspirated engines and three with the turbo mill (and none of them bearing the STi moniker). While we all watch the days count down to the new Forester, we're sure that many more photos and specifications will be leaked. We'll bring them to you, and we'll also have the "real" photos and info when it all becomes officially official later this month. Our first in-person look at the car will also come in mid-January at the Detroit Auto Show.

Thanks for the tip, Vlad!

[Source: Drom.ru]

Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester - unofficial images

Scans aplenty of 2009 Subaru Forester originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Subaru Forester revealed on cover of Japanese magazine

John Neff — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:51:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Subaru

Any hope of Subaru surprising us with the 2009 Forester's new look is gone now thanks to a Japanese magazine cover that's been scanned on the web revealing in full detail what the new boxy CUV will look like when it soon debuts. Subaru recently went live with a new mini site for the Forester that showed us a shadowy image of the Forester's rear end, but this new scan leaves nothing to the imagination. It's very Tribeca-like in the grille and headlights and looks much more like its own design than does the current model. Perhaps Subaru can keep the Forester's technical details close to its chest for a few more weeks until the first official images are released on Christmas Day, but we kind of doubt it.

[Source: Carscoop]

2009 Subaru Forester revealed on cover of Japanese magazine originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru begins teasing us with new Forester mini site

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Wagon, Japan, Subaru

While we'd like to think that the launch of the new Subaru Forester teaser site somehow corresponds to the leakage of images we saw yesterday, we're forced to assume that coincidences are just that. Regardless, Subaru still hasn't learned that displaying a darkened image of its newest product (ala STI) doesn't stop tech-~~savvy~~challenged bloggers from doing a screen capture and lightening up the shot to reveal the new Forester's rump.

You'd be forgiven for seeing a Honda Pilot upon first glance, but the lower ride height and bland bottom quickly eschews that comparison. According to Subaru, "It's comming [sic]", and despite the fact that the mini site is for the Japanese market, we doubt little will have changed when the Forester makes its debut in Detroit.

Thanks for the tip, Jake!

Subaru begins teasing us with new Forester mini site originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Subaru Forester brochure finds way onto web

John Neff — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:06:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Subaru

Remember that unconfirmed sketch of the 2009 Subaru Forester we brought you a couple of weeks ago? It appears those scribblings will be very close to the actual tall wagon/CUV-thingy that Subaru eventually unveils. What appear to be scans of an actual brochure for the redesigned Forester (albeit a JDM version) have popped up on the NASIOC forums, as well as what looks like a scan of a Japanese auto rag cover. Though these scans are extremely tiny, we can make out a grille similar to the Tribeca's flanked by new swoopy headlights that soften up the Forester's famously blunt visage. Will the car completely lose its boxy character in favor of a Matrix/Vibe profile and swept back D-pillar as the sketch suggested? Unfortunately, these scans don't offer much enlightenment and their validity is difficult to confirm. While this scan of the Japanese auto rag's cover does show the whole vehicle, it's almost certainly a rendering and therefore doesn't necessarily show us the final version of Subaru's next Forester. Looks like we'll just have to wait until it pops up on the auto show circuit, though all signs are pointing towards a radical design departure for Subie's little CUV.

[Source: NASIOC via Straightline Blog]

2009 Subaru Forester brochure finds way onto web originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redesigned Forester coming to Detroit, first unconfirmed sketch materializes

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:14:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Wagon, Subaru

While there's no way to verify if this particular sketch foretells the future of the Subaru Forester, we think it's probably not too far off the mark. Considering Subaru's blandification of its lineup - from the Impreza to the Tribeca - the new nose seems entirely plausible, and the upkicked D-pillar seems to be all the rage nowadays.

As in the past, the Forester will be built atop the Impreza platform, so we can expect a slightly longer wheelbase that won't necessity Yoga-like poses for passengers entering and exiting the rear seats. More trunk space out back is also assured, while power will likely come from the same naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter found in the base Impreza. We're not going to hold our breath (again) for an STI variant, but we think it's simply a matter of time before Subaru throws in the turbo'd mill from the WRX to make another XT version of the Forester.

[Source: NASIOC via Straightline]

Redesigned Forester coming to Detroit, first unconfirmed sketch materializes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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