by Subaru recorded a significant sales decline in the US
May turned out to be a challenging month for Subaru, despite buyers attempting to purchase vehicles before planned price increases due to tariffs. The brand’s sales dropped by more than 10%, and only the BRZ tried to mitigate the situation by showing significant growth. However, its results (326 cars sold) failed to compensate for the overall decline of 6,000 units.
Model details
Some Subaru models still showed positive dynamics: the Legacy (+17%), Crosstrek (+14%), Impreza, and Forester also saw slight growth. But these successes were overshadowed by the failures of other lineups. The Ascent lost 33% of sales, the Outback — 32%, and the Solterra — 19%. The hardest hit was the WRX, which was once the dream of many American car enthusiasts: in May, only 482 units were sold compared to 1,673 a year ago.
“The WRX showed the worst monthly result in recent times, losing over 70% of sales”
While the Solterra and Outback can still explain their decline by expectations of tariff changes, the WRX has no such excuses. Its performance has been declining throughout the year, though the May collapse looks particularly catastrophic. However, Subaru doesn’t seem ready to abandon this model—recently, the company published a teaser that may hint at a new version of the WRX, possibly even the return of the STI lineup.
Overall, in the first five months of 2025, Subaru sold 275,260 cars in the US, which is 3% more than the same period last year. However, the May decline raises concerns, especially against the backdrop of overall market growth. The future of the WRX remains uncertain, but if Subaru is indeed preparing an update, it could be a chance to regain lost ground.
