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There is good news for Subaru customers waiting for a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek or Forester. But the report could be better for 2023 Subaru Outback shoppers to start the new year.
Subaru Corporation announced that production at its Gunma plant in Japan, where they manufacture the Forester compact SUV and Crosstrek subcompact SUV, is up 30.8 percent, the ninth consecutive month of increase.
Subaru says the export total of new Forester and Crosstrek SUVs to the U.S. is up 61.1 percent in December. This is the fifth consecutive month of export increase of new models and is now up 14.7 percent for the year.
Outback production is down
But Subaru also announced production of the 2023 Subaru Outback was down 21.9 percent in December, the second consecutive month of decrease. The production decrease is due to the ongoing shortage of new parts at Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, Indiana.
The production increases at its Gunma plant in Japan signal that the worst could be over, affecting the new model backorders and customers buying a new Forester or Crosstrek this year. But Outback, Ascent, Impreza, and Legacy models may take longer to get.
Subaru of America still has the tightest new car inventory among car brands in the U.S. in 2023. An updated report from Automotive News (by subscription) reveals on January 1, 2023, Subaru of America's new model supply stands at eight days. It dropped from December 1, 2022, when they had a nine-day supply.
Should customers look for a used Subaru model?
A recent report from Kelley Blue Book says that used car prices are finally falling now that new car supply supplies are increasing. But it's not the case with the top-selling Subaru models like the Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback.
Lightly used three-to-four-year-old Subaru SUV pricing will stay high because hot models like the Crosstrek have the highest retained value of any subcompact SUV. Torque News reported recently that Canadian Black Book (CBB) says the Crosstrek won the best-retained value award in the Subcompact SUV category for the second consecutive year.
CBB reveals the Crosstrek will retain the highest percentage of its original MSRP, more than and subcompact SUV after four years. That's good for customers trading in their Crosstrek but not good if you buy a lightly used subcompact SUV.
Used Forester pricing will also stay high. In the best-retained value Compact SUV category, the Subaru Forester finishes second behind the Toyota RAV4 and ahead of the Honda CR-V, which finished third. And Subaru places third in the Overall Car Brand category for retained value behind Toyota and Dodge.
What's coming next in 2023?
The next-generation 2024 Subaru Impreza compact hatchback, built in Lafayette, Indiana, will arrive this spring. It's the first remodel of the Impreza since 2017. Subaru of America says they are counting on the new Impreza hatch to attract a significant number of new customers to the brand this year.
The Impreza will remain an affordable option and arrives at a good time for compact hatchback shoppers looking for a reliable, fuel-stingy new model.
Subaru of America will uncover the all-new 2024 Crosstrek subcompact SUV on February 9, 2023, at the Chicago Auto Show. The Crosstrek also gets a complete remodel. Subaru expects the Crosstrek to continue its hot winning streak, and it could stay the top-selling model in Subaru of America's all-wheel-drive lineup for 2023. The 2024 Crosstrek will be available in the U.S. in the second half of 2023.
Subaru Corporation says the 2023 Subaru Forester and 2023 Crosstrek production increased again, and deliveries of the new compact SUVs should improve this year. The availability of the 2023 Outback midsize SUV, 2023 Ascent 3-Row SUV, Impreza compact car, and Legacy midsize sedan will remain tight for U.S. customers in the new year.
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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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Photo credit: Subaru
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