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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.

Chile is beautiful, and we drove there in a Subaru

For me, the most beautiful part of our recent Patagonia road trip was the two days spent inside the Torres del Paine national park in Chile. In terms of breathtaking vistas, this place has a ton. Everywhere you look, there's something beautiful to behold. And our merry band of Subarus had no trouble traversing the gravel, mountain roads that wind endlessly through the park. Because our trip to Patagonia was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we played hookey for a day and went finishing in one of Torres del Paine's many rivers. Sure, the Subarus got us there without issue, but the main focus of this day was trying to catch one of the huge salmon swimming upstream. We failed, but still, if you're into fishing, Torres del Paine offers bucket-list quality stuff. Above, you'll see more of our sights from Chile's most beautiful park. We'll have the rest of our Patagonia impressions coming in the not-too-distant future. Subaru Videos chile patagonia autoblog in patagonia

Subaru Levorg: Forbidden fruit

For Subaristas, the Levorg needs no introduction. Fans of the marque have been begging Subaru of America (SOA) to bring it over here from the moment it was first introduced. First introduced in Japan a year or so ago, and now making its way across the globe, it is one delicious wagon that SOA refuses to let Americans taste. Why? Wagons don't sell in America, so they say (some Euro-brands might disagree with that). Plus they seem to think they have the wagon market pretty well covered with the Outback, Forester, and to a lesser degree, the Crosstrek. First a bit of history Unlike here in America, at least in recent years, a Legacy wagon continued to exist in other markets. At some point Subaru decided to also delete it from their global portfolio, and to replace it with the smaller, sportier and well-equipped Levorg. The thinking was that the Levorg would be more distinct from the Outback than a Legacy wagon, and would be less likely to step on the Outback's toes in terms of searching for customers; makes sense. Another point needs to be made: Subaru is selling at record levels. They just can't make them fast enough as they are constrained by lack of production capacity. That will improve soon as the next-gen Impreza will be built in their Indiana plant this fall once the Toyota Camry production moves out. So, at the moment, they don't need the Levorg to improve sales. Down the road that may be a different situation, but for now adding another model line would be tough and of little benefit. Why America needs the Levorg When Subaru introduced the current generation WRX they deleted the hatchback — which accounted for 50 percent of WRX sales. Needless to say WRX 5-door owners were outraged — and continue to be so. The Levorg wagon could be the perfect answer for these folks, as shares many parts with the WRX. In Japan it's available with a new 1.6L direct-injection turbo as well as the same 2.0L direct-injection turbo found in the WRX. Other markets, to date, only get the 1.6L engine. All Levorgs have CVTs, with the 2.0 versions getting the high-torque CVT found in the WRX CVT. The chassis setup, while a tad softer, is very close to that of the WRX. So it is definitely a car that's cut out for canyon-carving. It's also more upscale than the WRX, with an interior more akin to luxurious trim levels of the Legacy and Outback. In its defense Subaru has claimed that the budget did not allow for developing both the Levorg and a 5-door WRX.