The New Subaru Crosstrek Loses Ground For The 3rd Consecutive Month

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The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek sales dropped now for the third straight month. Here is what happened in September and why Subaru is counting on the Wilderness this fall.

What happened to the Subaru Crosstrek in September? Subaru of America (SOA) reported September sales, and the Crosstrek dropped again, making it three consecutive months. The next-generation 2024 Crosstrek subcompact SUV arrived, and sales are still down. 

SOA reports the new Crosstrek was down 17.1 percent in September. Subaru delivered 13,341 Crosstrek subcompact SUVs to customers in September, compared with 16,092 in the same period in 2022. 

The Forester is the hot model now.

In September, the Forester was significantly ahead of the Crosstrek for the third consecutive month, with sales of 15,237 models, up 48.6 percent. The Outback was also ahead of Crosstrek with 14,545 models delivered in September, up an impressive 71.2 percent. 

The Crosstrek is down year to date for the first time this year.

Forester is up 33.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, and Outback is up 16.6 percent. The Crosstrek is down for the year's first nine months of 2023, -0.6 percent, the first time in negative figures in over a year.

Even with the downturn in sales, Crosstrek is still second in the lineup behind Outback year to date, with 114,632 models sold in 2023 compared with Outback's 122,881 model sales. 

Why did Crosstrek, the sales leader in 2022, drop behind? 

Sales have slipped as Subaru Corporation changed the model from the second-generation Crosstrek to the all-new third-generation 2024 Crosstrek. 

The next-generation Crosstrek should be the top seller. Subaru Corporation made a significant change in the manufacturing of the next-generation Crosstrek, and it could be Subaru of Indiana Automotive is still ramping up production. 

Subaru Corporation continues to make the 2024 Crosstrek Base and Premium trim levels in its Gunma Japan plant and shifted manufacturing of the 2024 Crosstrek Sport, Limited and all-new Wilderness trim levels to its Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) plant in Lafayette, Indiana. 

The U.S. plant in Lafayette, Indiana, makes the all-new 2024 Crosstrek Wilderness, which is rolling out now. It's likely taking time to retool the plant's assembly lines and get up to speed to make the three new Crosstrek trim levels.

Crosstrek had a new model recall. 

The 2024 Crosstrek also had a recall, which could slow production as they fix the problem. Subaru of America recalled the new next-generation 2024 Subaru Crosstrek subcompact SUV for an electrical issue that could cause a loss of power while driving. 

For customers considering the 2024 Crosstrek, here is the new pricing.

For 2024, the Crosstrek will be available in Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Wilderness trim levels and has a starting price of $26,290 (the same MSRP as the 2023 Base model equipped with the Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission).

The 2024 Crosstrek Premium has a starting price of $27,440, Sport ($30,290), and Limited ($32,190). Pricing includes destination and delivery fees ($1,225). The Crosstrek Wilderness costs $33,290, including dealer destination and delivery fees ($1,295).

In September, the Crosstrek sales dropped again for the third consecutive month. Look for the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek to rebound as the all-new Wilderness now rolls off the assembly line.

For additional articles related to the Subaru Crosstrek, here are a few for your consideration:

Check out the Crosstrek Thule Rooftop Tent YouTube video

Denis Flierl brings over thirty years of combined auto industry and automotive journalism experience to Torque News readers. He is an accredited Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) member. The last twelve years have been spent with Torque News, covering Subaru vehicles and the latest news. Check back daily for his expert Subaru analysis. You'll find the latest stories on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Social Media Platform X, and Instagram. 

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Photo credit: Subaru