Subaru Outback Sales Surpass Last Year's Figures for the First Time Since the Controversial Redesign.

      Byron Hurd

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      Subaru has been experiencing a downturn recently, but it seems the worst may now be behind them. After implementing a significant change in its assembly strategy last year, it appeared that Subaru had lost touch with two very different customer groups: WRX and Outback enthusiasts. However, fans of the flat engine can breathe a bit easier, as Subaru seems to have halted its decline.

      While it’s still too soon to be definitive, April appeared to be a turning point for the brand. For the first time since temporarily discontinuing the base model WRX for 2025, Subaru has gained momentum with its sport compact, with sales increasing by 50% compared to the previous year. This upward trend continued into May. In fact, on paper, last month’s performance was even more impressive: WRX sales were up 148% year-over-year, but this was largely due to last year’s particularly poor numbers (just 482 units). Thus, last month’s figure of 1,195 looks quite favorable, even though sales had already improved to 1,178 units back in April.

      Though the WRX hasn’t fully recovered to its 2024 levels, Subaru is currently far more focused on another model that has seen a decline in recent months: the Outback. One could almost say that the Outback is the company’s main profit driver, particularly in the U.S. While the Forester may generate more overall sales, the Outback attracts Subaru’s most desirable customers due to its wealthier buyer base. Unfortunately, its sales have been consistently dropping for much of the past year.

      Several factors contributed to this decline. Like the WRX, the Outback was affected by Subaru's assembly restructuring last year. Production of the wagon was shifted from Indiana to Japan to accommodate U.S. production of the Forester, which has lower profit margins and is more susceptible to tariff-related price impacts.

      However, it now seems that the Outback is shaking off its slump. Some have labeled the Outback’s transition to SUV-like styling as unsuccessful, but the figures for 2026 suggest otherwise. Although it hasn’t yet matched its 2024 sales volume, Subaru managed to sell over 11,250 Outbacks in May, slightly exceeding its monthly total from the previous year. With 48,884 units sold so far in 2026, the midsizer is still down nearly 22%, but if current trends persist, it should significantly reduce that gap by year’s end.

      Fortunately for the Outback (and more critically, for Subaru’s financial well-being), there is positive news in other areas of the lineup. Both the Trailseeker and Uncharted are attracting buyers, and the now-U.S.-produced Forester is again selling rapidly. It has increased by over 8% for the year and shows signs of further growth following a relatively lackluster April.

      When we last checked in on Subaru after Q1, the company's U.S. sales were down 15% compared to 2024. After April, that decline narrowed to 12.7%. With May now completed, Subaru is down only 8.3% year-over-year. If this trend continues, Subaru could potentially finish the year with an increase compared to 2025. Who would have predicted that at the end of Q1?

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