Why the cost of a used Subaru Forester is about to go up

The cost of a used Subaru Forester could be going up in the U.S. because of the demand for the cars in Cambodia. Why are they about to be scarce here?

Cambodians love their SUVs and Subaru has a plan to capitalize on their taste for their all-wheel-drive vehicles like the Forester. A Cambodian Subaru dealer in the city of Phnom Penh has a plan to import used Subarus from the U.S. and sell them under warranty at their dealership. He will sell them for roughly half the price of a new vehicle because of their large due to high import taxes on new cars that are about 123 percent.

The Phnom Penh Subaru dealer wants to build a following for the brand by selling the used Foresters, Outbacks and Crosstreks at $20,000 less than a new vehicle. Subaru will target the growing middles and upper middle class consumers who can’t afford the higher price luxury vehicles.

Khmer Times in Cambodia reported that Glenn Tan chairman of Motor Image Group, Subaru’s exclusive distributor for most of the 10-nation Asian bloc. said, “Our goal is to get Cambodians behind the wheel of a Subaru.” Tan said used cars account for about 90 percent of Cambodia’s annual car sales.

Just like in the U.S., the Forester is the most popular Subaru in Cambodia now and Tan wants to bring more Subarus like the Outback, Crosstrek and Impreza into the country to sell to consumers. They will also begin taking orders for the new Levorg sports tourer that is being produced for the Japan, Asian, European and Australian markets.

Subaru Motor Image Group hopes to build a following for Subarus in Cambodia, which have a strong reputation in the U.S. With the Cambodian Subaru dealer in Phnom Penh importing used Subarus from the U.S., the cost of used Foresters and other Subarus could be going up in North America.

Media source: Khmer Times