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Subaru Will Cap Annual Sales at 1 Million Units

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Foreshadows future models, starting with teased Impreza Concept photo

2015 Subaru Forester | subaru sales cap

The Subaru Forester has been leading Subaru to consistent sales records

It’s no secret to those with their fingers on the pulse of the automotive industry that Subaru is, in the simplest words, kicking butt. October was the fourth month in a row that the automaker sold more than 50,000 units here in the United States, which is unprecedented for Subaru. Sales have been on a constant climb, with Subaru achieving its best month ever in September, with 53,070 units sold.

So what’s the niche brand’s secret to success? A winning product, memorable marketing, incredible reliability, and a dedication to the world we live in, through environmental and animal welfare activism and donations.

Despite this success, Subaru knows there has to be a stopping point—but not because the brand’s luck is destined to end, but because Subaru realizes much of its value is in being that smaller niche brand. If it grows much larger, the uniqueness that sets it apart from the competition will fade, and the automaker will begin to blend in with the likes of Toyota, Honda, Ford, and more.

To combat this seeming inevitability, Subaru has announced an annual sales cap of one million units. This cap will not change anything right now, as Subaru only sold 513,693 vehicles in 2014, and though Subaru is on track to decimate that number sometime this month (as predicted by president and COO Thomas J. Doll), the brand still will not come close to one million in 2015. But with the new global architecture for Subaru starting with the 2017 Impreza (concept model to be shown off next week at the LA Auto Show), an upcoming plug-in hybrid, and the addition of a three-row, seven-passenger SUV to the lineup, sales are could grow closer and closer to the one million mark, possibly within a few years.

Subaru Impreza Concept Teaser - Subaru Sales Cap

Subaru teased this photo of the Impreza Concept, which will be unveiled next week

Subaru’s sales cap of one million units may sound large, especially when compared to the caps that some performance and luxury brands impose, but when you compare that figure with, say, Toyota’s 2014 sales total in the US (nearly 2.4 million), it really demonstrates how much smaller and more unique Subaru can still be.

I personally am all for the sales cap if it means Subaru’s quality and quirkiness will continue. You know, as long as there is a new Crosstrek ready for me when I go to make my next purchase.