The automotive industry is generally showing robust health and profitability as we head into 2025. However, Subaru is facing some serious headwinds this year. While the company’s overall sales are down just 2.6 percent year-over-year, the distribution of these sales across its diverse lineup tells an even more troubling story.
🔸 The Bigger Picture
In October alone, Subaru sold 51,036 vehicles in the United States—a 6.5 percent decline from the same month last year. Year-to-date figures show a modest dip of 1.3 percent overall, but this masks a fundamental imbalance in the company’s product lineup. The challenge facing Subaru is particularly acute as the automotive landscape continues to shift toward electric vehicles and changing consumer preferences.
📉 A Look at the Numbers
The Crosstrek remains Subaru’s workhorse, recording its best October ever with 16,284 units sold and a healthy 7.6 percent year-over-year increase. Beyond that, however, the brand’s other vehicles are struggling significantly.
- Ascent: Down 25.4%
- WRX: Down 41.7%
- Solterra: Down 98.8% (likely due to the new model being released)
This downward trend across its popular models has created an uneven playing field for Subaru in 2025.
🏛️ The Legacy’s Anomaly
Against this backdrop of declining sales for its other models, the Legacy stands out as the brand’s lone bright spot. The midsize sedan—which has become increasingly rare among Japanese automakers—has seen a remarkable 15.7 percent increase in sales this year.
However, a closer look reveals an interesting anomaly. Despite its strong sales growth, Subaru has only sold 18,864 Legacys so far in 2025. This means the Crosstrek has outsold the Legacy in just one month of sales. Still, the 15.7 percent growth rate makes the Legacy the only model with double-digit sales increases this year.
⚡ Performance Cars Struggling Too
Subaru’s sportier models are also facing pressure in the current market:
- BRZ: Down 50.1% (just 182 units in October)
- WRX: Down 56% (just 720 units in October)
This decline raises questions about whether Subaru is successfully meeting the evolving desires of its performance-oriented customers.
🔮 What Does This Mean?
Subaru’s situation highlights the challenges Japanese automakers face as the U.S. market continues to shift. The brand’s heavy reliance on traditional SUVs, particularly the Crosstrek, while neglecting both the electric vehicle transition and the sportscar market, could prove risky in the long term.
The success of the Legacy suggests there’s still strong demand for sensible, reliable midsize sedans—but it may not be enough to offset the broader decline across its popular models. As industry experts like J.D. Power have noted, the electric vehicle market is still evolving, and Subaru’s strategy for transitioning to this segment remains uncertain.
💎 Conclusion
Subaru’s 2025 sales performance presents a clear challenge for the automaker. While the brand remains competitive in the SUV segment, its broader lineup struggles to capture the current market’s attention. The continued success of the Legacy offers a glimmer of hope, but it underscores the need for Subaru to diversify its offerings beyond a single model type if it wants to navigate the evolving automotive landscape successfully
