THE biggest change to the new Forester is the introduction of the 2.5-litre engine as the base powerplant, replacing the 2.0-litre unit. It is essentially the same engine that powers the Liberty and Outback models, albeit with some minor induction and ECU changes to keep the power output below that in the premium models. The Forester 2.5 develops 112kW of power at 5600rpm and 223Nm of torque at 3600rpm, while the Liberty/Outback 2.5 produces 115kW, although at the same 5600rpm. Regardless of its power output relative to the Liberty/Outback specification, the Forester's new engine compares favourably with the 2.0-litre in the superseded model. Power is up by 20kW or just under 22 per cent, while torque has increased by 39Nm, which equates to a 21 per cent improvement. More significantly, the 2.5-litre powerplant matches the 2.0-litre unit's 184Nm torque peak (produced at 3600rpm) from just over 1200rpm.