Subaru to set new sales record in 2016

Subaru Australia has achieved four per cent market share for the first time, over the five months of this year to date. If it can maintain that rate through to year's end, Subaru will post a new sales record as well – provided supply constraints can be overcome.

Most of that growth for 2016 so far rides on the back of sales success for its SUV products, XV, Forester and Outback. The Outback is consistently selling around 950 units per month, well up from 200 for the previous model. And during the first five months of this year, the Forester has picked up 1425 extra sales – 32.2 per cent growth, year on year.

Of its passenger-car range, only Subaru's Impreza has sold in larger numbers than during the same period in 2015.

At the local launch of the new Levorg wagon, Subaru Australia MD Nick Senior placed the brand's success in the proper context.

"At the end of May, Subaru sold just over 18,900 cars, and that's an increase of 1769 or 10.3 per cent on the same period last year," he said.

"At the same time the industry has grown 3.8 per cent. Our growth is well and truly outstripping the market.

"Most importantly, we have increased market share from 3.8 per cent at the end of May last year to four per cent for the same period this year. That is a very significant achievement in what is a very crowded and competitive market..."

"So we are on record pace again; we are very confident we will build on our all time record sales of 43,500. And that figure was for last year, 2015."

Senior says that Subaru's Australian tally for 2016 will be contingent on supply. With the company's plant in Indiana opening a new production line, American demand won't be the same heavy drain on global supply. Senior says that he has been "literally fighting tooth and nail for extra cars" to meet the local demand. Some months he has been limited to obtaining two or three extra cars.

"Of course the very interesting dynamic at play this year is the continuing surge of SUV sales," Senior noted. "Just 10 years ago, SUVs accounted for 18 per cent of the total industry sales. And at that same time – 10 years ago – passenger cars contributed 62 per cent.

"Today that 18 per cent for SUVs has grown to 38 per cent, while the passenger car contribution has declined 62 per cent, to just over 41 per cent – both massive changes in what is a reasonably short period of time.

"This shift is further highlighted when you consider that since 2005 the total industry volume has grown by 17 per cent. But in the same period passenger car sales have fallen 15 per cent… While SUV sales have risen by a staggering 127 per cent.

"Now we first suggested a couple of years ago – it was back in 2013 – that SUVs would overtake passenger car sales in this market, within five years. And we now fully expect that to happen in 2017.

"Indeed, in 2017 we also expect that SUV sales to top 500,000 units for the first time."