You may be thinking the US economy has been crippled by the pandemic, but Subaru fans there seem to have come out in droves last month for a new set of wheels. October 2020 has ended up being the best October in terms of sales for the company in the US in… forever. But here’s the catch, it also seems like Subaru of America is also on track to lose their annual record-breaking sales.
Take a look:
While the last 6 months have seen great sales for Subaru in the US, the hit they took early on in the year has set them back by a huge margin. This time last year, they already had 580,860 annual sales. This time around, the total number of cars sold in 2020 thus far is 14.3% lower than it was year-on-year.
Looks like the Crosstrek (known as the XV here) and 6th gen Outback are really leading the sales charge there this time around.
Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
Subaru of America, Inc. today reported 61,411 vehicle sales for October 2020, an 11 percent increase compared with October 2019. October also marked the sixth consecutive month of 50,000+ vehicle sales for the automaker in 2020.
As the top performing carline by volume, Outback sales increased 46 percent in October 2020 compared with the same month a year ago. Crosstrek achieved its best October ever with 14,994 sales, a 24 percent increase over the same month in 2019. BRZ posted a 97 percent increase, while WRX/STI posted 46 percent increase in October. In addition, the 3-row Ascent and Forester SUVs, posted 4 percent and 8 percent decreases over October 2019, respectively.
“October saw impressive sales across all segments and was the best October in the history of the Subaru franchise, an achievement that would be impossible without the perseverance of our dedicated retailer network,” said Thomas J. Doll, President and CEO, Subaru of America, Inc. “As we head into the season of giving, we look forward to celebrating the thirteenth anniversary of the Subaru Share the Love® Event with its tradition of giving back to local and national charities.”
“Momentum for the Forester, Crosstrek and Outback helped Subaru achieve the strongest sales month of the year,” said Jeff Walters, Senior Vice President of Sales. “Setting this record is a testament to our retailers’ efforts to deliver the best purchase and service experience possible to our customers.”
Following eleven consecutive years of sales records, Subaru reported year-to-date sales of 497,971, a 14 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2019.
Subaru of America recently announced the return of its annual Subaru Share the Love® Event for 2020. Entering the program’s thirteenth consecutive year, Subaru and participating retailers hope to exceed a grand total of $200 million donated to charities since the inception of the Subaru Share the Love Event. From November 19, 2020, through January 4, 2021, Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased to the customer’s choice of the following national charities: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®), Make-A-Wish®, Meals on Wheels America and National Park Foundation or a hometown charity selected by participating Subaru retailers.
