Subaru BRZ Experiences Sharp Decline: April Sales Drop by 65% Amidst Challenging Year
The Subaru BRZ, a genius sportscar that was celebrated for its amazing price, is facing a turbulent 2024. This year has been especially tough, with April sales down 65% to 178 units in the US. This record low is more than simply a monthly hiccup; it suggests a deeper, more troubling trend, that changes consumer focus from fun to practicality.
What Caused The Subaru BRZ Sales Decline?
Let’s be honest: Subaru is cool, and the Subaru BRZ isn’t no exception. While the initial sales were great, they fell 36.7% in 2024 compared to 2023 and 65% in April, the model’s worst monthly performance ever, raising concerns about its future.
While we would like to give you good news, the only reason why the BRZ’s popularity is declining is its genius design philosophy. It’s a double-seated sports car, but more and more Americans value practicality over speed and thrill. The small size and restricted seating capacity make it less practical than larger, more adaptable cars, especially for purchasers who require daily transportation that accommodates more than speed. To be honest, this is the same story that’s happening to Cabrio models of all manufacturers, but we still hope people will love the Subaru BRZ as much as they love models like the Impreza.
Comparing it to the Toyota GR 86 shows a strange customer preference. Even though the GR 86 shares many technical and design characteristics with the BRZ, its sales have remained consistent, suggesting that Subaru’s market strategy or brand image may be the real issue.
Subaru’s Silver Lining: Strong Sales Growth Despite BRZ’s Downturn
Despite the BRZ’s poor performance, Subaru’s brand outlook in 2024 is much better. Sales rose 7.4% thanks to models like the Crosstrek and Forester. Consumer tastes are shifting toward adaptability and room, which these models provide in abundance.
Subaru Forester sales have risen 65.8%, making it a standout performer. This rapid rise has made the Forester one of Subaru’s fastest-growing vehicles. The SUV’s large accommodations, off-road prowess, and enhanced safety features suit modern families and adventurers.
Subaru has also benefited from the Crosstrek. The Crosstrek’s compact size and robust Subaru qualities make it ideal for urban commuting and country-side exploration, drawing a wide range of owners.
These results reflect an industry trend toward SUVs and crossovers that offer the convenience of bigger cars without sacrificing performance or appearance. Subaru has capitalized on this trend while innovating and improving its products to retain a strong market presence and counter lower-performance sectors like the sports car market, where the BRZ is sold. A shame really, as sports cars became exclusive to the luxury car brands (which are also invaded by SUV’s).
Subaru’s versatility, durability, and pricing appeal to buyers. This alignment with market trends and consumer preferences has protected the brand from downturns from less popular models and positioned it well for future development as it expands and refines its vehicle selection.
Strategic Shifts at Subaru
The interesting thing is that Subaru’s sales have increased 7.4% despite the BRZ’s declining sales, which means it shouldn’t be an overall brand problem, just a model problem.
Subaru’s Crosstrek and Forester models have helped it grow. The Forester, with a 65.8% sales surge, has become a brand star. The SUV market has never been stronger, as shown by the sales trends of all manufacturers. Even traditional sports car manufacturers like Alfa Romeo have shifted to models like the Stelvio or Tonale, which means that we will probably see fewer coupe models on the market (or we will see more grand coupe concepts). Even sedans are feeling the hit they have on sales numbers.
Looking Ahead
Despite the BRZ’s present problems, Subaru remains confident about its future. Troy Poston, Senior Vice President of Sales at Subaru of America, expressed confidence in the brand’s developing model selection, highlighting Subaru’s reputation for value, dependability, and longevity. But, you can expect dependable SUVs in the future. We hope that we can expect some more traditional models or at least some off-road models that are more rally-oriented.
Still, take a minute and enjoy our gallery of images of this amazing car, and think about one more addition to your garage!
