The New Subaru Outback Is No Longer The Hottest Model, Forester Is

The shuffling continues for Subaru of America's all-wheel-drive lineup as the hot 2023 Subaru Outback, the leader in sales, drops to second place in July. The Outback midsize SUV is hot, but the Forester compact SUV is hotter. 

The Outback Wilderness trim level has been smokin' hot. But the Forester Wilderness is also a popular trim level with outdoor enthusiasts.

"We're closing July with another month of consecutive sales growth and poised to continue the momentum as we head into late summer," said Troy Poston, the new Senior Vice President of Sales. "July also marked the return of Forester to the top of the sales list among our strong collection of adventure-ready vehicles." 

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"Enthusiasm for our Wilderness models, available in Outback, Forester, and, coming soon, Crosstrek, remains exceptionally high as car buyers plan their next adventure," says Poston.

Outback drops to second place in July.

The 2023 Subaru Outback midsize SUV now drops to the second-place performer in the lineup, increasing 43.9 percent in July, with 12,430 models sold compared with 8,638 in July 2022. Outback is now up 9.1 percent in the first seven months of 2023. Outback still leads all other models this year, with 93,833 midsize SUVs delivered to customers in 2023.

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The 2023 Subaru Forester surprised everyone in July. The Forester compact SUV has been trailing in sales behind the newly-refreshed Subaru Outback midsize SUV and the hot Crosstrek subcompact SUV until July. 

What's next for the 2024 Subaru Outback?

The Outback won't be down for long as the new 2024 models arrive this fall. Here are the 2024 model change upgrades.

Outback Base trim level upgrades

The Base Outback now comes with dome and cargo area lights that have been upgraded to LED.

Outback Onyx Edition upgrades

The standard 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus system is now paired with a Harman Kardon speaker system with a 576-watt equivalent amplifier. In addition, the Onyx Edition now comes standard with a Power Moonroof, Reverse Automatic Braking, and a 360-degree heated steering wheel is now standard.

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Outback Wilderness upgrades

For 2024, the Outback Wilderness now receives a more rugged look thanks to a new front fascia featuring a redesigned bumper and LED fog lights paired with a more prominent front grille. In addition, a 360-degree heated steering wheel is now standard on the Outback Wilderness.

Onyx Edition XT

A 360-degree heated steering wheel is now standard on the Outback Onyx Edition XT. This feature was only offered on higher trim levels the previous year.

What is the price of the 2024 Subaru Outback?

For the 2024 model year, the Outback will be available in nine trim levels. The Base is priced at $30,190, Premium ($32,490), Onyx Edition ($37,400), Limited ($37,090), Touring ($41,640), Onyx Edition XT ($40,655), Wilderness ($41,255), Limited XT ($41,490), and Touring XT ($44,090). In addition, destination and delivery fees are included in the price above ($1,295).

The 2023 Subaru Outback lost its number-one status to the hotter Forester. The Outback won't be down for long as the new 2024 Outback models arrive this fall for U.S. customers. Stay tuned. 

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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, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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