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News - Market Insight - Market Insight 2025Market Insight: Subaru sales slideSubaru slips from top 10 with sales trending downward across all but one model line5 May 2025 By MATT BROGAN SUBARU sales in Australia have slowed considerably in the past 15 months, the Japanese importer’s 2024 calendar year delivery tally down 11.9 per cent on the year prior with only the newly available Solterra electric SUV arresting that slide – at least initially.
This year (to the end of Q1), Subaru is still down by 9.4 per cent; the Impreza small car the only model to buck that trend, up 4.9 per cent. Solterra sales are now down 70.3 per cent (to just 43 units), the related Toyota bZ4X also facing a bleak future with sales down 32.5 per cent (to 210 units).
Elsewhere, stalwart Subaru model sales are uniformly down. The WRX shows a year-on-year decline of 3.7 per cent (to 415 units), Crosstrek 6.7 per cent (to 2905 units), Forester 10.5 per cent (to 3208 units), Outback 10 per cent (to 2300 units), and BRZ 24.7 per cent (to 210 units).
These figures almost emulate a similar trend across the first quarter of 2024. At that time the WRX was down 44.5 per cent (to 431 units), the Forester down 27.8 per cent (to 3583 units), Outback down 17 per cent (to 2556 units), and BRZ down 38.4 per cent (to 279 units).
Only the newly introduced Crosstrek bucked the trend, outpacing its XV predecessor by 41.9 per cent (or 1807 units).
While many of the sales shortfalls may be attributed to an ageing model portfolio, changing buyer preferences and incoming stricter emissions regulations means an increase in electrified offerings across the Subaru range cannot come soon enough.
Lacklustre hybrid technology in the Forester and XV plus the delayed arrival of improved electrified drivelines – such as with the all-new Forester – has seen Subaru lag competitors in the crucially important medium SUV segment, and elsewhere.
It is a model Subaru Australia general manager Scott Lawrence admits is vital to the brand’s fortunes, telling GoAuto that the Forester is a key driver to sales momentum for importer Inchcape.
“With the highly anticipated arrival of the next-generation Forester – our number one selling model – featuring stronger hybrid power, we’re entering an exciting next chapter with real momentum,” he said.
“Beyond 2026, Subaru Corporation have announced more hybrid and EV products on the agenda, and we look forward to sharing more news as we get closer to these announcements.”
While the arrival of new products in 2026 may not be enough to completely reverse Subaru’s ailing fortunes, Mr Lawrence was adamant that a slew of special edition models will help to maintain Australian buyer enthusiasm in the meantime.
“Looking ahead to 2025, we’ve already hit the ground running with the launch of special edition models – Forester Luxury Edition, Forester STI Sport Edition, Outback AWD Premium, and the all-new WRX tS Spec B, which have been met with strong enthusiasm,” he added.
More broadly, Mr Lawrence said the contrast witnessed in 2024-25 sales (against those in 2023-24) was reflective of the fulfilment of post-pandemic orders.
Despite slipping from the top 10 leaderboard in 2024, he said “healthy” demand for Subaru product remains among new and returning customers.
“The vehicle delivery peak in 2023 reflected the fulfilment of backlogged customer orders impacted by COVID-19 and global supply chain disruptions,” he stated.
“While 2024 saw fewer deliveries year-on-year, our underlying demand remained healthy in terms of new and returning customers to the brand.”
Subaru Q1 sales totals 2023-25*:
*Sales data supplied courtesy of VFACTS. ^Based upon XV sales to same period.  Read more24th of April 2025  Market Insight: Sportscar sales slumpCost of living pressures hammer sportscar sales, US-sourced models buck the trend21st of April 2025  Market Insight: MG Motor eyes top 3 positionNew and updated models hoped to drive MG Motor from seventh to third place by 203014th of April 2025  Market Insight: Mini celebrates Aus sales recordRecord first-quarter sales see Mini sales tower 91pc over the same time last year8th of April 2025  Market Insight: Will FBT nuke PHEV sales?PHEV sales boom may tank after FBT break ends but long-term data shows solid growth |
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