Is Subaru Outback Losing Its Grip? It's The Most Popular In Only One US City
The 2020 Subaru Outback is the most popular wagon in America, but the multi-purpose vehicle is the most popular car in only one U.S. city, Portland Oregon. The Outback is not losing ground to an SUV, it’s being passed by a pickup truck. The Ford F-150. In cities like Denver, Seattle-Tacoma, Billings, and Anchorage where the Outback has been historically strong, the Ford F-150 is now king.
The Subaru brand is strong in the Northeast, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest regions and sells many fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive Outback models in those areas of the country because of its “go-anywhere” attitude. But with gas prices low in the U.S., (AAA says the average is $1.85 for regular unleaded as of this writing) record numbers of buyers are now opting for the Ford F-150.
In fact, the Ford F-150 is now the top-selling vehicle in America. Here are the top-10 states where Subaru sells the most vehicles, and the current top-selling brand and model.
1. Vermont 11.3% percent (Toyota RAV4)
2. Maine 6.5% (Toyota RAV4)
3. New Hampshire 5.8% (Chevrolet Silverado 1500)
4. Connecticut 4.4% (Nissan Rogue)
5. Colorado 4.3% (Ford F-150)
6. Oregon 4.1% (Ford F-150)
7. Montana 4.0% (Ford F-150)
8. Alaska 4.0% (Ford F-150)
9. Washington 3.8% (Ford F-150)
10. Massachusetts 3.6% (Toyota RAV4)
It’s hard to argue with buyers choosing the Ford F-150 pickup truck over the Outback wagon. The Ford F-150 has a starting MSRP of $30,440 with a V6 engine and it gets 21/28 city/highway mpg. The base 2020 Subaru Outback starts at $27,655 including destination. The Outback 2.5i gets an EPA estimated 26/33 city/highway mpg.
With gas prices so low, pickup trucks outsold passenger cars in the U.S. last month for the first time ever as buyers flock toward bigger vehicles. It’s also due to no-interest financing offers that are driving pickup sales. Lower payments mean buyers can afford the bigger vehicles for now.
Should Subaru be worried? The 2020 Subaru Outback will remain a top model in the Japanese automaker’s stable even though it’s been passed recently by the Forester compact SUV. With truck sales passing SUVs, is it the right time for Subaru to build a new mid-size pickup?
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!
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Photo credit: Subaru, Timmons Subar
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