Subaru Forester stealing sales from Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4

Subaru is doing what no other automaker on the planet is able to pull off. They are selling their all-new 2014 Forester like “hot cakes” and they are doing it with no razzle-dazzle or gimmicks. That’s what Consumer Reports Jake Fisher, director of testing had to say about the Japanese automaker. He also says that Subaru is where the German brands, particularly BMW, were 10 years ago. That’s a pretty good place to be as BMW is now the number one luxury brand in the world.

Subaru is making all the right decisions and it's showing up in some incredible sales results. A few years ago, company executives made two important decisions: Make interiors roomier and drop the price point below its Japanese competitors. They kept their loyal customer base, but they also attracted new buyers who never purchased a Subaru before.

Tom Doll, president of Subaru of America said to Automotive News: "We always attracted a loyal core of owner base, we have all-wheel drive and a very strong identity," said Doll. "The new styling has allowed us to expand our base and the number of people we can attract to the brand, 60 percent of our buyers are new to Subaru."

Sixty percent is a big number and Subaru is now trying to keep up with the demand for the all-new redesigned 2014 Forester. Making vehicles that are "right-sized for the U.S. market with a 20 percent average increase in interior volume" has drawn buyers from the competition, said Dean Evans, senior vice president of marketing. Would-be 2014 Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V customers are instead buying the new 2014 Forester crossover, he said.

Subaru is a brand to keep your eyes on in the future. They will be growing and expanding into new global markets like China. Also look for the small Japanese automaker to grow in the compact sedan segment where the new Legacy competes with the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. We will also likely see Subaru design a new mid-size seven-passenger SUV to take the place of the outgoing Tribeca.

Subaru did the right thing with the 2014 Forester and is stealing sales from their biggest Japanese rivals the 2014 Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Look for Subaru to take on the Camry and Accord next. Stay tuned to Torque News for the latest Subaru news and updates.