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The Subaru Forester is a popular, albeit rather boring crossover, and the upcoming new generation is supposed to keep all of that going when it arrives for the 2025 model year. However, the brand's Q1 2024 sales report raises questions about what buyers think about the redesigned Forester. While it's not on sale yet, we're getting a hint of its popularity––or potential lack thereof––with a sudden boom in sales for the outgoing model. Are buyers rushing to get a Forester now to avoid the new generation, or are we just over-examining things?
Mere months before it makes way for the redesigned model, the current-generation Forester has ended things with a bang and a particularly loud mic drop. It experienced its best sales month ever this past March, with a staggering 21,045 units sold in that month alone. That represents a huge increase of 105% compared to March 2023, in which 10,264 units were sold. There's a chance that dealer incentives for remaining inventory are attracting waves of buyers, but we can't help but wonder whether the controversial styling and plastic-fantastic interior of the new model is having an effect on consumers.
As for the rest of the Subaru lineup, sales of all models excluding the Outback (and Forester, of course) were down. The performance-oriented WRX sedan saw the sharpest decline, with 42.1% fewer units sold this past quarter compared to Q1 2023. It's followed closely by the BRZ sports car, which saw sales drop by 22.2%, and the Impreza hatchback, which recorded a 15.9% decline in sales. The Ascent and Crosstrek saw respective decreases of 14.2% and 7.6%. Meanwhile, Outback bucked Subaru's downward trend with a 7.5% increase in sales. It's also worth noting that the all-electric Solterra sold a paltry 446 units this quarter, down from 513 units a year ago––the bar was low to begin with.
In total, Subaru sold a remarkable 152,996 vehicles during the first quarter, which makes for a 6.7% increase compared to Q1 2023. The Forester accounts for the majority of that increase, which comes as no surprise.
The 2025 Subaru Forester will reach U.S. dealers sometime later this year, bringing uninspiring styling that has sparked criticism online, along with the departure of large climate control knobs and a carryover engine that actually loses a few horses. Will buyers pull a Honda Civic move and remain indifferent to the changes, or will Subaru realize it has made a mistake when fewer SUVs move off the lots? All will be revealed by the end of the year, when the new Forester will have had several months of sales under its belt.
Image Credits: Subaru
Sales
Apr 10, 2024
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Outgoing Subaru Forester Reports Record Sales Before Launch Of Redesigned Model
Things aren't looking good for the new Forester, as buyers seem to prefer the old one.
The Subaru Forester is a popular, albeit rather boring crossover, and the upcoming new generation is supposed to keep all of that going when it arrives for the 2025 model year. However, the brand's Q1 2024 sales report raises questions about what buyers think about the redesigned Forester. While it's not on sale yet, we're getting a hint of its popularity––or potential lack thereof––with a sudden boom in sales for the outgoing model. Are buyers rushing to get a Forester now to avoid the new generation, or are we just over-examining things?
Mere months before it makes way for the redesigned model, the current-generation Forester has ended things with a bang and a particularly loud mic drop. It experienced its best sales month ever this past March, with a staggering 21,045 units sold in that month alone. That represents a huge increase of 105% compared to March 2023, in which 10,264 units were sold. There's a chance that dealer incentives for remaining inventory are attracting waves of buyers, but we can't help but wonder whether the controversial styling and plastic-fantastic interior of the new model is having an effect on consumers.
As for the rest of the Subaru lineup, sales of all models excluding the Outback (and Forester, of course) were down. The performance-oriented WRX sedan saw the sharpest decline, with 42.1% fewer units sold this past quarter compared to Q1 2023. It's followed closely by the BRZ sports car, which saw sales drop by 22.2%, and the Impreza hatchback, which recorded a 15.9% decline in sales. The Ascent and Crosstrek saw respective decreases of 14.2% and 7.6%. Meanwhile, Outback bucked Subaru's downward trend with a 7.5% increase in sales. It's also worth noting that the all-electric Solterra sold a paltry 446 units this quarter, down from 513 units a year ago––the bar was low to begin with.
In total, Subaru sold a remarkable 152,996 vehicles during the first quarter, which makes for a 6.7% increase compared to Q1 2023. The Forester accounts for the majority of that increase, which comes as no surprise.
The 2025 Subaru Forester will reach U.S. dealers sometime later this year, bringing uninspiring styling that has sparked criticism online, along with the departure of large climate control knobs and a carryover engine that actually loses a few horses. Will buyers pull a Honda Civic move and remain indifferent to the changes, or will Subaru realize it has made a mistake when fewer SUVs move off the lots? All will be revealed by the end of the year, when the new Forester will have had several months of sales under its belt.
Image Credits: Subaru
