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Subaru hits 500,000 sales in the US in 2014, a record for the brand

Having sold 336,441 cars in the US in 2012, Subaru said in early 2013 that it wanted to hit 500,000 annual sales here by 2015. After boosting sales to 424,683 in 2013, it's hit its half-mil target a year early: on December 29, 2014 Subaru sold its 500,000th car, and the sales year didn't end until January 2. The brand has never done that before in a calendar year, and on top of being an eighteen-percent improvement year-on-year, 2014 is Subaru's seventh year of growth. Every model is up for the year except for the BRZ and the Tribeca. The Outback and Legacy are on fire, practically doubling their sales numbers through the end of November compared to 2013. In addition to making better and better cars, Subaru credits nicer dealerships with better workflows, and improved marketing and advertising. If history is any indication, the final number could be appreciably above 500,000 even with just four days of selling left. Subaru only needed 36,230 sales in December to hit 500,000; it sold 45,273 cars in November, and for the past four years it sold more cars in December than November. Admittedly, November was its third best-selling month of the past five years. Leaders at the automaker are confident about this year as well, saying, "[we] expect 2015 to also be another record year." But our favorite line in the press release announcing the feat: "The current generation of Subaru vehicles grew in size compared to the previous generation in order to better suit the needs of the American buyer." Hey Subaru, you calling us fat? SUBARU OF AMERICA REACHES 500,000 SALES MILESTONE IN 2014 - Subaru sales in U.S. top 500,000 for the first time in a calendar year - 500,000th vehicle sold on December 29 - All models contributing to sales increase Cherry Hill, N.J. - Subaru of America, Inc. has reached a significant milestone in its history, by retailing 500,000 vehicles in a single calendar year. The milestone caps a remarkable seven year growth period for the brand in the U.S. in which the company has grown from 187,699 vehicle sales in 2008 to what will total over 500,000 sales in 2014, once the sales year closes on January 2. The growth in Subaru sales can be attributed to a combination of improved vehicle offerings, targeted and award-winning marketing and an improved retailer body.

2014 Subaru WRX and STI pricing announced

As the sun prepares to set on the third-generation Subaru WRX, Subaru has released the pricing for the 2014 WRX and WRX STI. With redesigned versions of both cars due out next year, prices for the current car have risen by just $200 across the entire 2014 lineup resulting in new starting MSRPs of $25,995 for the WRX and $34,495 for the more powerful WRX STI (*not including destination).
The destination charge has also crept up for the 2014 WRX and WRX STI models climbing slightly from $770 to $795. A final pricing adjustment for this bodystyle's send-off year is that the optional navigation system went from $1,000 in 2013 up to $1,100 for 2014. Scroll down for the full model pricing breakdown, and keep a lookout for the all-new 2015 WRX and WRX STI, which we'd expect to see in production form in the coming months.
*Note: WRX STI (above) and WRX (below) are pictured here in the 2013 Special Edition trim.

2015 Subaru WRX: Road trip to Maine [w/video]

After driving one of the best sport compacts on the market to one of the best-driving-roads states in the Union, who'd have thought that one of my big takeaways would be... great fuel economy? And yet, after putting more than 2,200 miles on our long-term 2015 Subaru WRX, driving from Ann Arbor, MI, to The Great State of Maine and back, my overall fuel consumption figures were almost as baffling as the premium-gasoline prices throughout Canada. In the early part of the now-past autumn, my wife Molly and I were happy to make use of the long-term WRX for our annual road trip from Michigan to Maine. Our goal, as ever, was to fit as much hiking, boating and lobster eating as we could into a one-week span. And, with the sporting Scoobie as our ride this time, I also hoped to spend time bombing down some of my favorite roads through the White Mountains. Anyone that pays attention to the industry knows that New England is a hot spot for Subaru sales, but it turns out that the WRX is just about tailor made for enjoying the best of Maine, too. First up, though – as it was the most surprising to me – is the fuel economy story. I knew going into the trip that I'd log more than two grand on the odometer, but I never expected the returns to be quite so positive as they ended up netting out. My total observed economy over 2,226 miles was 28.38 miles per gallon, or just a fraction better than the EPA estimated highway number of 28 mpg. How'd I do that? My total observed economy over 2,226 miles was 28.38 miles per gallon. Well, for starters, the stretch of Canadian highway between Michigan and Vermont is exceptionally long, flat, straight and dull. Excepting the inevitable traffic around Toronto, the trip is mostly of the "set it and forget it" variety, typically at a cruise of about 72 miles per hour (so as not to attract the Mounties). Doing that haul, I had one tank of premium (15.9 gallon capacity) last for 466 miles, running a trip-best 31.9 mpg. Considering that the Canadian petrol was running me roughly five American bucks per gallon, I appreciated the Subie's newfound frugality. One small issue, tangentially related to fuel, did crop up on the road. The WRX's gas door stopped popping open when I pulled the lever after my second fill up. As it turned out, there is a technical service bulletin out for this very issue, which was looked after as soon as we got back to the States.