Why Subaru Forester Sales Are Blowing Up

If you have been reading my Subaru report, you know that the Forester compact SUV is the hottest model in Subaru of America’s all-wheel-drive lineup. Sales are up 14.9 percent for Subaru of America this year, but Forester is up 64 percent. 

Here’s why it’s blowing up right now and has five consecutive months as the best-selling model for Subaru of America. First, here is what happened in 2021 and 2022. 

photo credit: Irvine Subaru

For the past two years, the Forester has been in short supply, and customers have not been able to get the compact SUV because it is made in Japan. The Subaru factory in Japan shut down numerous times because of microchip shortages and supply chain issues. 

Subaru’s Gunma factory was hit especially hard because the Japanese automaker keeps supplies tight by design. When COVID hit, Subaru was caught in a bad place, and the Forester suffered the most of any model. Customers wanted the Forester but could not find any on retailers’ lots.

Fast forward to 2023.

Subaru Corporation is slowly recovering from a long drought of parts shortages and limited inventory issues. A recent report from Automotive News (by subscription) says that as of December 1, 2023, Subaru of America now has a 22-day supply of vehicles, up from 17 days on November 1, 2023. 

The increase in inventory is a vast improvement from earlier in the year. Subaru of America has been running about a seven-day supply most of the year. Customers will see more new vehicles sitting on retailers’ lots now. 

Most will be Outback and Ascent because the models are made in the U.S. factory in Lafayette, Indiana. It’s easier to get the models to U.S. retailers as they don’t have to be shipped from Japan. 

Subaru retailers also see more Crosstrek Sport, Limited, and the new Crosstrek Wilderness trim levels. Those three Crosstrek trims are now made in America at Subaru of Indiana Automotive.

It’s an excellent time to buy a 2024 Subaru Forester. Customers have more options before Subaru Corporation shifts its Gunma, Japan assembly line production to the all-new sixth-generation 2025 Forester compact SUV. 

The Remodeled 2025 Subaru Forester - 10 All-New Hidden Interior Upgrades @SubaruReport @torquenewsauto#subaru #forester #subaruforesterhttps://t.co/sPUUWDSetu
— Denis Flierl (@DenisFlierl) November 25, 2023

I suspect the remodeled 2025 Forester will be in high demand and harder to find next spring when it arrives. The good news is production in Japan is improving. Stay tuned for the 2025 Subaru Forester pricing coming soon. 

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru Forester story. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

For additional articles related to new Subaru models, here are a few of my top stories you may enjoy. 

My Must-Read Top Picks

• 6 New Subaru Models Are Coming In 2024
• Toyota RAV4 Is Playing Checkers While The Subaru Forester Plays Chess
• CR’s 14 Best SUVs Under $40K And Subaru’s 3 Top Picks

Check out: Subaru sees a HUGE increase in Forester sales: What does this mean for inventory and prices?

I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

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photo credit: main image Subaru World of Newton