Is The Subaru WRX In Trouble?
The latest sales figures confirm what most car enthusiasts already know: fun-to-drive cars aren’t exactly flying off the dealer lots.
Nowhere is that more evident than Subaru. Sure 26 consecutive months of sales growth has been great for the brand's bread-and-butter crossovers like the Crosstrek and Forester, but enthusiast products like the BRZ and WRX are in a sad state of affairs.
2025 Subaru WRX tS: All The Details
Through the first nine months of 2024, Subaru has only managed to move 2,323 BRZs, marking a steep 30.9% drop compared to the same period last year. It’s not for lack of competition, either; its twin, the Toyota GR86, has actually grown its numbers by 10.4% to 9,643 units, making it four times more popular than the Subaru. Rumor has it that GR86 production is prioritized on the line and Subaru only gets enough to satisfy allocations, but we haven't received confirmation.
The WRX isn't faring much better, down 34.2% with just 13,545 units sold through September. September alone saw an 18.5% dip, despite Subaru introducing the WRX TR earlier this year and the WRX tS for 2025. Blame has been pinned on higher interest rates and a late model year changeover, but these challenges haven’t seemed to dent the competition as severely.
2025 Subaru BRZ tS: All The Details
Other Subaru models like the Ascent and Impreza have also seen declines of 9.1% and 15.1%, respectively. Even the soon-to-be-phased-out Legacy sedan is down 25.4%. But Subaru's overall sales are still up by 5.6% for the year, with the Forester, Crosstrek, and Outback all lifting heavy.
Maybe the solution for reviving the BRZ and WRX isn’t more cladding or even sharper styling tweaks. Subaru’s diehards might appreciate a more genuine return to form, like a proper STi or a sporty wagon—but as long as buyers keep flocking to their SUVs, Subaru seems content keeping their sporty models on the back burner.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the cut-throat world of IndyCar.
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"....but as long as buyers keep flocking to their SUVs, Subaru seems content keeping their sporty models on the back burner." And I totally agree with them. Wait and watch the trend before removing a time proven product.
I lost interest once they decided to get rid of the hatchback/wagon .