Subarus account for just 0.7% of the market in United States auto sales. Additionally, Subaru only has seven different models for the consumer to choose from. Although those stats might make Subaru low on a car buyer’s priority list, the limited choices appear to be the one thing that is most attractive about this manufacturer.
What any good business owner knows is that sometimes it is more important to do only a few things well than to bite off more than you can chew. That is the objective of the Subaru Langley brand. With only 44 years in the U.S. auto market, Subaru might not make a huge, overall impact on industry sales, but for those who invest in a Subaru, it makes a huge impact on their customer satisfaction.
Highly Rated with Consumer Reports
The Subaru’s rating in the market, with the exception of super high-end manufacturer’s like BMW and Mercedes, has consistently been highest in things like reliability, comfort, performance, and utility. In fact, Consumer Reports has touted Subaru as being one of the best cars sold in America. Not just about being a top-rated car on paper, Subaru is also a car that has one of the highest resale values. That means that the consumer has faith that it goes hard and far, and is willing to invest in a car that will continue to take a licking and keep on ticking because not only will it serve you well, but it will be able to serve someone else well, too.
Adding more to its accolade is the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, which maintains that when compared to other manufacturers models, the Subaru also ranks among the highest in vehicle safety across all car models and lines, which is something that not all car makers can claim.
Since the various models of many manufacturers range wildly, other companies can have some cars that rank well and others that don’t. The same is not true of Subaru. All their cars are built not only to last but to be safe, and since they focus on quality and not quantity, all of their models consistently rank near the top.
Perhaps that is why, in recent years, the sales of the Subaru have been increasing, leading to a shortage of inventory, which has done the manufacturer some favors. Not being able to keep up with demand could have caused the consumer to look elsewhere instead of waiting, but that wasn’t a problem for the Subaru company. Their sales have been up at least 26% when compared to last year and up as much as twice the amount as two years ago.
What Subaru Does Right with Branding
Another proven business concept is low supply, high demand, and Subaru adheres to that principle with flying colors. About more than the manufacturing and design of the cars, Subaru has created ways that individualize the customer experience and product, which leads to loyal fans.
Subaru is highly popular and maintains a good hold on people who live in different regions and have various backgrounds. Marketing to their niche is exactly what Subaru does. Again, they focus on doing one thing and doing it well.
One of the Subaru models that is taking the greatest strides is the compact Impreza that comes in both a hatchback and a sedan. Why so popular? For starters, the base price of $18,495 is a cost that the average American can feel confident about spending on a new car without worrying about breaking the bank.
Multigenerational Loyalty
A younger generation without disposable income can flock to the Subaru and make it their first new car because of its quality reputation and affordable price. Those first-time buyers will remain loyal to the Subaru name as they age, the idea of ‘Subaru’ cultivating nostalgia, eventually leading those same consumers to buy cars for their children. That equals multigenerational brand loyalty.
The allure of the Subaru is that it is stylish, compact, smooth and can withstand about every terrain that you can throw at it. The market price makes it affordable to a wide variety of consumers, yet the lower price means that the consumer doesn’t have to sacrifice to own one of Subaru’s models. The Subaru might just be the best-hidden secret in the car world, which is okay for those who are lucky enough to have one.
