The 2010 Subaru Forester Boxer Engines by Ronnie Tanner

The 2010 Subaru Forester comes with the same engine options as the 2009 models. There are two to choose from: the 170 hp Boxer engine and the 224 hp Boxer.
The first engine is 2.5 Liters, SOHC aluminum alloy, 16 valve engine that will give 170 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 and 4,400 rpm, respectively. It also has the i-Active Valve Lift System, or AVLS. This is a computer program designed to give the best fuel economy when traveling at low speeds and high performance, aka horsepower, when traveling at highway speeds. This engine is available in the 2.5X, 2.5X Premium, and 2.5X Limited models of the Forester.


The other engine, available in the 2.5XT Premium and Limited models, is a 224 hp 2.5 Liter 4 cylinder engine. It has 16 valves, is DOHC intercooled, and produces 226 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 rpm. This engine also has AVCS, or Active Valve Control System, which works much like the AVLS to control the balance between fuel economy and high performance, while producing the lowest emissions it can.

Both engines are the Subaru Boxer model, which is unique in that the pistons are horizontal. In most 4 stroke engines (which includes the vast majority of cars on the road today) the pistons are upright or in a v shape. By placing the pistons horizontally, they work to reduce vibration in the engine, which in turn makes the engine last longer.

Both engines work hard to strike a balance between power and efficiency, while keeping the environment in mind.