- Subaru’s U.S. sales slipped this year, trailing overall industry growth.
- Legacy sales climbed, marking the only strong gain in Subaru’s lineup.
- Despite its rise, Legacy still lags Subaru’s crossovers as the BRZ fades.
Subaru isn’t having the kind of year it would like. Sales are down 2.6 percent year over year, and while that may not sound disastrous, it stands out in an industry that’s largely running strong and profitable heading into 2025.
To top things off, Subaru’s consistent heavy hitters and latest offerings are struggling. Oh, and one more thing. The car it’s killing off is the only true smash hit of the bunch with a double-digit growth this year.
Subaru’s Uneven 2025
In October, Subaru shifted 51,036 vehicles in the USA. That’s a 6.5 percent decline from the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, it’s sold 534,073 cars. That’s a modest dip that masks a deeper imbalance in its lineup.
The Crosstrek remains the MVP, recording its best October ever with 16,284 units sold and a 7.6 percent gain on the year. Beyond that, the rest of the chart largely reads like a heart monitor flatlining.
More: EV Sales Will Collapse 60% In October, J.D. Power Forecasts
The Ascent is down 25.4 percent. The WRX is nosediving too (-41.7%), and the Solterra, Subaru’s all-electric lifeline, saw a 98.8 percent drop from last October. The brand sold just 13 of them through the whole month. However, we suspect that that figure likely reflects the transition to the facelifted version, which is only just reaching dealerships now.
Is the Legacy the Unsung Hero?
Against that less-than-lovely backdrop, the Legacy of all cars is standing tall this year. The midsize sedan, clearly an endangered species at this point, is up 15.7 percent this year. That percentage bump is the only double-digit increase for Subaru.
At the same time, it’s worth noting that the statistics can be deceiving. Subaru has only sold 18,864 Legacys so far this year. That’s right, the Crosstrek nearly outsold it in just one month of sales.
Still, it’s a small, almost symbolic victory. A quiet achiever in a brand losing traction with the performance and EV crowds alike. Speaking of performance, the BRZ, a delightful little car, saw just 182 sales in October. That’s a 50.1 percent drop compared to the same month last year.
The other sporty model in Subaru’s range, the WRX, had it even worse from a percentage standpoint, falling 56 percent to just 720 sales. Maybe it’s time that Subaru stops teasing fans and finally gives them back what they’ve been asking for.