Which car brands do new car shoppers pick first? An updated Kelley Blue Book report says that Subaru is still 10th overall, and why they can't move up.
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How many new car shoppers considering buying a 2024 Crosstrek, Outback, Forester, or another Subaru all-wheel-drive model?
An updated Kelley Blue Book (KBB) Brand Watch report and data from Cox Automotive say that among the mainstream (non-luxury) brands, new car shoppers consider Subaru about 10 percent of the time.
Subaru is ranked 10th overall among car brands. The recent KBB report says Subaru of America has dropped two percentage points from twelve percent in 2022.
Top 10 car brands in customer consideration
Toyota is number one, followed by Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, GMC, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Nissan, and Subaru, among the top 10 car brands. Subaru has no models in the top 10 most considered models. The top five models are pickup trucks.
The Honda CR-V is the only small SUV in the top 10 most considered cars that competes with the 2023 Subaru Forester compact SUV, Outback midsize SUV, and Crosstrek subcompact SUV.
KBB says considerations most important to new car shoppers are: Durability/Reliability, Safety, Affordability, Driving Comfort, and Driving Performance.
KBB reveals when customers consider buying a new vehicle, they think of Subaru when considering safety. Models like the 2023 Subaru Outback, Forester, Crosstrek, Ascent, and other new Subaru models are regarded as the safest new models by new car shoppers.
Why is Subaru tenth overall in new car shopping consideration?
So why is Subaru dropping in brand consideration? KBB says new car shoppers can only look at what dealerships have, and it's because shoppers can only consider what is in stock.
photo credit: Team Gillman Subaru North
Subaru still has the lowest new car inventory of any automaker in America. The most recent data from Cox Automotive and the Automotive News Research and Data Center reveals Subaru has about an eleven-day supply of new models for customers, and many are pre-sold.
When will Subaru's new model supply improve?
Subaru Corporation says they have ramped up its new vehicle production again at its Gunma Japan factory and its U.S. factory in Lafayette, Indiana. That's good news for new car shoppers looking for an all-new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek subcompact SUV or a next-generation 2024 Subaru Impreza compact hatchback.
Subaru announced its new model production and export numbers in its Japanese factories. New vehicle production increased 42.0 percent in March, the second month of consecutive increase. Subaru makes the U.S.-specification 2023 Subaru Forester, all-new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Base and Premium trims, and the new 2024 Subaru Impreza compact hatchback at the Japanese factory.
Subaru also announced its new model production and export numbers in its U.S. factory. According to the report, new vehicle production increased 35.7 percent in March, the second month of a consecutive increase. Subaru makes the all-new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Sport and Limited trims, 2024 Subaru Outback (coming this fall), 2023 Subaru Ascent, and 2023 Subaru Legacy at Subaru of Indiana Automotive.
Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), where Subaru manufactures four models, says its forecast for 2023 is improved, and it will have increased production. And for 2023, SIA says they are now projecting an increase in output of 131,040 more vehicles over 2022.
The all-new 2024 Crosstrek Sport, Limited, and Crosstrek Wilderness trim levels, now built in Lafayette, Indiana, will arrive this summer, and Wilderness will come this fall for U.S. customers.
Subaru's brand consideration will improve with its increased production in Japan and its U.S. factory. KBB says new car shoppers can only look at what dealerships have.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report, where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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