As the U.S. economy struggles back, Subaru of America sales soar in September

Volatility of the Dow continues, and millions of Americans remain out of work as a global pandemic drags on. Yet you wouldn’t know it if you had pulled a Rip Van Winkle, fallen asleep in, say, February 2020, and awakened Thursday with the Subaru of America sales report for September as the first thing you read.

Subaru of America sales for last month amounted to an “all-time record” September performance, with the automaker reporting 60,103 units sold. Their strongest-selling model was the Outback, followed in descending order of sales by the Crosstrek, Ascent, Impreza, Legacy, and WRX/STI.

Bottoming out the Subaru of America sales list for September 2020 was the Subaru BRZ, that sports-coupe twin of the Toyota 86 and the Scion FRS, all beloved by countless enthusiasts but, sadly, purchased in very limited numbers.

The BRZ sold a humble 251 units in September, but in terms of percentage growth the BRZ actually topped the lineup with an increase of 126 percent over September 2019 sales. Perhaps more consumers are viewing a fun sports coupe as one of the best antidotes for that feeling of being cooped-up for months due to a pandemic.

That, combined with the energy infused into the market this year by halo-car launches like the new Toyota Supra, the C8 Corvette, and the Nissan Z Proto, is an encouraging sign for those of us concerned about the future of the sports car segment during an era when, increasingly, everyone seems to feel mandated to buy a crossover, pickup truck, or SUV.

Compared to last September, Subaru of America sales for the month increased by 16 percent, according to the automaker. Outback sales grew by a whopping 51 percent over September 2019, and the month was the strongest September ever for both the Outback and the Forester.

The Subaru Crosstrek, which has acquired an enthusiastic following for its winning combination of off-road capabilities and sporty performance, posted a more modest increase of 0.5 percent. But at 11,950 units sold in September 2020, that performance was good enough to earn the Subaru Crosstrek third place in the lineup for the month.

“September was a standout month at Subaru, and thanks to our retailers, it was our best-ever September and best month of 2020,” said Thomas J. Doll, President and CEO, Subaru of America, Inc. “This has been a challenging year for us all, but the success we have seen this month gives me hope and excitement for a strong fourth quarter.”