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Subaru Corporation announced its plant in Gunma, Japan shutdown that makes the newly-refreshed 2022 Subaru Forester compact SUV suspended operation from September 7-17, 2021. The 2022 Forester will not resume production until Monday, September 20, 2021. The U.S. plant that makes the 2022 Subaru Outback remains open.
The extended plant shutdown in Japan is due to interruptions in parts supply because of the global microchip shortage, but why does the Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) plant remain open?
Subaru Report reached out to Craig Coven, Manager, Communications & External Relations at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, who told us the plant in the U.S. will remain open.
Craig Coven says, “Our production lines remain in operation. However, we continue to make adjustments based on parts availability. There are currently no plans to shut down this month due to supply issues.”
SIA in Lafayette, Indiana, manufactures the top-selling 2022 Subaru Outback midsize SUV and the 2022 Ascent 3-Row SUV, Impreza compact sedan, and hatchback, and Legacy sedan models.
What do the plant closures and staying open mean for customers? The number one selling Subaru Forester and number three selling Crosstrek are already in short supply, and inventory levels have dwindled before the new 2022 models arrive. The new Forester and Crosstrek will remain hard to find, as most new models arriving from Japan have already been sold before they reach Subaru retailers.
Automotive News reports tight inventories are a familiar problem for Subaru retailers. Subaru of America has dealt with low inventories for years, and as a result, many Subaru retailers “are adept at selling deep into their production pipeline,” AN says.
Customers who can wait are ordering the 2022 Subaru Forester, Crosstrek, and Outback in the color and trim level they want. Although, some customers are waiting two months to get the new all-wheel-drive Subaru SUV.
With SIA continuing 2022 Subaru Outback production and the Japan plant being shut down this week, more Outback midsize SUVs will be available to Subaru retailers than Forester and Crosstrek models. Subaru retailers should also have more Ascent models for customers during this slow down in production.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photo credit: Subaru, Subaru of Indiana Automotive
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