- WRX sales more than tripled while Impreza demand headed in the opposite direction.
- Forester keeps proving critics wrong with another month of booming American sales.
- Solterra slipped as Subaru’s expanding EV lineup and loss of tax credits hurt demand.
The Subaru WRX has spent the past few years being written off by enthusiasts as overpriced, underpowered and visually awkward, but the model is back in demand in 2026, thanks to some astute decisions at the brand’s North American HQ.
Subaru delivered 54,454 vehicles during July, a modest 0.8 percent improvement overall, but the “best improver” award didn’t go to one of the brand’s dependable SUVs. It went to the WRX, which posted the biggest gains in the lineup as buyers rediscovered Subaru’s affordable performance hero.
Related: Japan’s 2027 Subaru BRZ Gets Something The Americans Didn’t Mention
WRX sales jumped more than 214 percent compared with last July to 1,438 units, extending what Subaru says is an ongoing run of strong momentum. In June, for instance, sales quadrupled versus the same month in 2025. That’s quite a turnaround for a model that has spent much of its current life battling lukewarm demand, criticism over its styling, and an enthusiast community convinced the previous generation was the better car.
So what drove the U-turn? Much, if not all of it, can be attributed to two actions Subaru made earlier in 2026. One was the reintroduction of a base model at $32,495, which effectively made this year’s most affordable WRX $5,255 cheaper than last year’s. And the second was a decision to cut prices across the rest of the WRX range by between $2,710 and almost $4,000.
WRX Celebrates, Impreza Weeps
The WRX’s success comes while its close relative is heading so far in the opposite direction that the WRX came within 20 units of matching it. The Impreza, the sensible hatchback that shares its platform, styling, and interior with the WRX sedan, suffered a sales collapse of almost 40 percent, to just 1,458 units. It’s clear that plenty of buyers still want a compact Subaru. They just want the one with a hood scoop and four tailpipes.
Forester Finds Fans
Another stellar performance came from the Forester. When Subaru revealed the latest generation, plenty of fans complained it looked too conservative and had lost some of the rugged personality that made earlier versions so popular. But the model has clearly found its groove because Forester sales climbed 33.5 percent to 15,873 units, making it Subaru’s bestselling model for the seventh straight month, narrowly ahead of the Crosstrek.
The Ascent also enjoyed a healthy month, but the Solterra headed south. That isn’t entirely surprising, despite a facelifted version with 25 percent more electric range debuting less than 12 months ago. Subaru now has two fresh electric arrivals grabbing attention with the sportier Uncharted and the larger Trailseeker (below), while the loss of federal EV tax credits hasn’t exactly helped demand for battery-powered models either.
The Outback, redesigned for 2026 with taller, boxier styling, fell by 7.1 percent to 13,917 units, leaving it down 12.9 percent on the year as buyers work through the changeover to the new generation.
