Subaru sales up 13%, Impreza sales down 38%

[mike-tracy]

Subaru of America celebrated it's best ever sales month in March 2013 with 36,701 cars sold. Of that, 5327 were the new Impreza, which represents a 38% decrease in sales compared to last year when the current body style was introduced.



ORLY?

Link http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-dogs ... eid=yhoof2
(Page 5)

[kimokalihi]

That's what they get for making it so damn ugly.

[originalcyn]

i had this conversation with someone else as well. I don't think it's ugly, i just think it's SUPER boring. There is nothing unique about that car, even remotely. It could be made by anyone in the last 15 years.

[mike-tracy]

Yay for Legacys?

[rallyak]

From behind the new impreza looks like a VW, ugly, I wouldn't buy one.

[James614]

I don't think the Impreza looks worse than the 08 did. Same blandness IMO. They started trying to chase Camrys, but nobody goes to a Subaru dealer for that. We want quirky cars!

[entirelyturbo]

I must be in the minority for liking the new Impreza better than the 08 model.

It looks a hundred times better, IMO. I like the new grill, I like the new headlights, those God-awful clear taillights are gone, and the interior is nicer and better laid-out as well.

The only thing I don't like about them is the CVT, which doesn't matter because I'd get the 5spd anyway.

I'm obviously in no hurry to get rid of my car, but I could definitely see myself in a new Impreza if I were looking for a new car.

[James614]

I wouldn't mind CVTs if they were as durable as a decent auto. And historically they haven't even come remotely close.

[MConte05]

I considered buying one. But the market for $18-25k cars is insanely competitive now. It's not that much of a surprise to me that they aren't selling all that well. I liked it, but I knew I would be insanely bored with it in 4 months.

[DD50]

I wouldn't mind CVTs if they were as durable as a decent auto. And historically they haven't even come remotely close.

I've been in two different vehicles with CVTs. They wouldn't be so bad if they didn't moo all the time. It's annoying as hell and funny to listen to especially when my friend was trying to floor it in his Sentra. I will admit it is pretty damn smooth but so are modern day automatics so I'd rather just stick with six speeds or something.

[Legacy777]

Yeah....the new Impreza has about as much good looking styling as a piece of plywood. It's boring, and I just don't care for it. I wanted to like it, but I don't.

Subaru is expanding into different directions, (Impreza & WRX lines splitting, BRZ, and XV Crosstrek) However like in the past, they just can't seem to get the magic combination right (except the BRZ). I don't mind the XV Crosstrek, however I don't want to feel like it's wollowing around like a pig, gutless as a G-Whiz, and have a stupid CVT.

If Subaru can get that magic combination, whatever it may be I think it would be very good for them. If they can keep their loyal past customers by having slightly quirky cars, yet still appeal to the boring masses.....I think that is a winning combination.

[mike-tracy]

Hmmm g-wiz? I'd rock one of those as a dd. Can't be worse than a metro, could it?

[Legacy777]

It's slower than the Hammerhead Eagle-i Thrust....

[mike-tracy]

That's true

[DD50]

Or the Peel P40

[kimokalihi]

Hmmm g-wiz? I'd rock one of those as a dd. Can't be worse than a metro, could it?

Hey, now. Metros aren't that bad. Cut my gas bill in half from driving the legacy!

[mike-tracy]

The G-Whiz would cut your gas bill 100% from the legacy.

[wtdash]

So, do the Impreza sales figures INCLUDE the XV?? That thing is selling well, from all the cars I see around here.

And yes the Impreza is slow, but still under 10 secs to 60:

0 to 30 mph, sec. 3.7
0 to 60 mph, sec. 9.4
45 to 65 mph, sec. 6.1
Quarter-mile, sec 17.3
Quarter-mile, mph 83.0


Compared to:
1987 Subaru Hatchback 0-60 mph 13.0 Quarter mile 18.7
and believe it or not:
1991 Subaru Legacy Sport Sedan 0-60 mph 8.4 Quarter mile 15.8 (8.0/16.1 when tested by MW in '91)


And you get pretty good MPG:
CR's overall mileage, mpg 26
CR's city/highway, mpg 19 / 33

That's why there's a WRX, no?



TD

[mike-tracy]

If I wanted a fuel efficient car, though, a 33/36mpg impreza is pretty nice, but I think a leased TDI would be much better with around 10+ more mpg.

Of course if the commuter HAD to be awd, then for the mileage the impreza wins.

[Legacy777]

Yeah....but the new Impreza is BORING.

[James614]

Yeah, the other models all have some unique character in their segments. The Impreza may as well be an AWD Corolla though, and while I can see why Subaru would do that chasing sales, I guess its actually a good thing it isn't working out for them.

I for one think the Impreza needs the 2.5RS to come back, something sport-oriented and interesting to look at that doesn't carry the cost premium or fuel penalty of the WRX.

[Legacy777]

Agreed....maybe they'll realize that people don't want another boring crappy car.

[wtdash]

Subaru sales have been great in the other models. From Cars101.com:

4/2 March sales- Wow! Subarus best month ever with 36,701 cars sold which is 13.3% over 32,387 March 2012
And best 1st quarter with 92,527 cars sold YTD 2013, up 14.8% from 80,568 YTD 2012
Forester 9050, 46.2% over 6192 in March 2012. YTD 21,144
Outback 10453, down 3.5% from 10886 March 2012, YTD 28,101
Crosstrek 4688, YTD 10,710
Legacy 4400, down 18.3% from 5384 March 2012. YTD 12,117
Impreza 5327 down 37.7% from 8545 March 2012. YTD 14,432
WRX, STI 1727, down 44.3% 1197 March 2012. YTD 4,519 which is up 59.7% from 2829 YTD 2012
BRZ 905, YTD 1,788
Tribeca 151, down 17.5% from 183 March 2012, YTD 504.

Like I mentioned, the XV has stolen #'s from the Impreza. Add it to the Impreza and the #'s are better than '12....and I'm sure SoA knew they'd be sharing sales between the two.

But the Tribeca is dead, and although the WRX and STi are due for major/huge/hopefully eye-popping upgrades in '14, they've never been big sellers from what I've read. I don't want Subaru to lose any other models in a tough car market.

The Impreza is their entry-level car, and needs to sell well to get buyers to move up to the Legacy/Outback as they mature. But being as the '12 was all new, the '13 gets to be in the 'rain-shadow' as it were, not to mention sharing sales w/its steroidal younger sibling.

Maybe the Impreza gets a mid-generational upgrade (think '12>'13 Honda Civic), if sales stay flat, but it's not a bad car.

2nd to the VW on CR:


IMHO

[PhyrraM]

You guys are funny.

Subarus have always been ugly or plain. Like it or not, even our beloved first gen Legacies are amoung the worst. They look virtually the same as the same year Camry or Stanza or Galant. If you squint you can't tell them apart. Subarus have always had to grow on you. sure, there have been a few hits, but certainly not the norm. Hell, the '02-'03 Bugeye was berated so badly that Subaru changed it as soon as it could. Now, in hindsight and with nostagia, there are some that feel it's the best looking, most cohesive of the GD/GG series.

The Impreza has always been an econo box. The WRX gets the attention and folks forget that every generation of the WRX was built on a car designed to be an econobox first. Yes, some accommodations were made for rallying, but only if they didn't conflict with the econobox intentions and budget. So why all the hate for an econobox Impreza? - especially that we know that a (semi) dedicated WRX/STI is right around the corner!

We can all choose to live in the past or with our heads buried in the sand, but sales numbers are proving that Subaru is making the best cars it has ever had. With the indications that it's getting even better......

[originalcyn]

At least for me, i think that you may have inferred something that i didn't intend to imply. Most of us are painfully aware of how standard the legacy from our generation is. It looks like a grandma car, at very least the na version. There's quite a few mentions of how similar it looks to other cars of the day on the forum. Honestly, nearly every person on this forum has gone to some length to modify the appearance of the car. But, the point is, we know. The difference with the impreza from this year (and for me, ever since 08 including the wrx and sti) is that i think they look too much like other manufacturer's vehicles. I like unique looking vehicles. the impreza was unique looking for a long time, regardless of econobox status. I don't care if someone else thinks it's ugly (within reason) as long as it doesn't look like every other car ever. but to go from the unique look of the late 90s all the way into 2007, and then to go to something that looks like a wider kia or ford focus was frustrating for me.

Sales numbers are all fine and good, and i truly do want subaru to do well, but just because something is popular, does not mean it is a good fit for everyone, or even a good fit for anyone. Name recognition drives companies to rely on marketing over ingenuity, engineering, and design. Numbers only ever mean that they sold more. They don't mean the product is better. They don't mean the product is worse.

The idea that there's a "dedicated" wrx around the corner is even more frustrating to me. I like subaru because they make a car that's entry level that with some work can be the top of the line car they sell. Who doesn't want a sporty looking car? When you make entry level cars look nice, i think that most people appreciate it. Splitting the line to me is almost a giant "screw you" to subaru fans. If you can't shell out the money for the swanky new wrx, you can't have a sporty looking car. you can't swap hoods or wings or suspension or whatever (obviously i have no idea what you can and can't swap into the new impreza from the new wrx). but it was always AMAZING to me that i could buy an "econobox" and make it look like the high end versions, and then with some work, make it run like one too.