The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, 2022 Forester Wilderness, 2023 Solterra, and 2022 Crosstrek Sport are in high demand. Here's how Subaru deals with scant supplies.
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Subaru of America has hot new models like the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, 2022 Forester Wilderness, 2023 Solterra, and 2022 Crosstrek Sport. Still, they are in scant supply with microchip shortages and supply chain issues. And customers new willing to wait months to get one.
A new report from Automotive News (by subscription) says Subaru inventory is so tight there are tens of thousands of customer vehicles on backorder. At the 2022 NADA Show, Subaru of America CEO Tom Doll said retailers may have to return to customers who ordered a 2022 model and ask them to move to a 2023 model year Outback, Forester, or Crosstrek.
photo credit: Maita Subaru
Doll told U.S. retailers to use this scant inventory time to work on the Subaru brand that the Camden, N.J. automaker has spent years building. Doll told Automotive News after the meeting, "Fortunately, we're working on our brand and continuing to work on it to make Subaru stronger for the future."
Subaru hit a home run with the 2022 Outback Wilderness, refreshed 2022 Forester and its new Wilderness trim level, and new Crosstrek Sport trim with the 2.5-liter engine. Patrick Wergin, chairman of the Subaru National Retailer Advisory Board, said demand for the hottest models remains strong and that customers "have been resilient" in waiting for their vehicles.
photo credit: Competition Subaru
Subaru delivers to customers with active lifestyles
Subaru has a small lineup, and the automaker has paired back its offers to the most popular all-wheel-drive SUV models, and the strategy worked. Subaru dropped the manual transmission in Forester, Outback, and Legacy models, dropped the Forester 2.0XT turbocharged model and focused on what they do best; deliver small and midsize SUVs with a "go-anywhere" capability to customers with active lifestyles.
With a high demand for these hot models, Subaru knows how to satisfy customers during a time of razor-thin inventory. Wergin said that at points, his new vehicle inventory had fallen to just one new unit of any model. "But every Subaru dealer is practiced in how to sell into the pipeline. We know how to communicate with our clients, how to keep them engaged, and take them on the journey with us as we wait for their new vehicle to arrive," Wergin said.
photo credit: CitySide Subaru
The all-new 2023 Subaru Solterra is another new model in high demand. Subaru of America sold out its 2022 allocation in the first 72 hours after opening its reservation system in February. Wergin says he predicts customers will be "resilient in waiting when dealers start delivering the all-new Solterra compact EV."
Even though it's a "seller's market," Doll asked its U.S. retailers to honor the Subaru Love Promise and not mark up hot new models like the Outback Wilderness above the Manufactures Suggested Retail Price (MSRP).
Subaru has hot all-wheel-drive models and hit a home run with the 2022 Outback Wilderness, refreshed 2022 Forester, new Wilderness trim level, and new Crosstrek Sport trim. Even with scant inventory, customers are willing to wait months for the hottest new Subaru models.
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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: main image Subaru USA via Overlanding Now
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