Subaru's entry-level hatchbacks key for 2023

Subaru dealers will get their game plan at their make meeting Saturday for drawing in new customers this year with two redesigned entry models — and more importantly, hear about plans to get them more inventory, the automaker's U.S. sales head said.

"The one thing that is difficult to really forecast would be absolute [2023 sales] numbers, just because the production continues to be pretty fluid," said Jeff Walters, senior vice president of sales at Subaru of America. "We do think that it will get better as we move throughout the year, and we're hopeful that production can be pretty steady or better in the second half of 2023."

Walters said Subaru dealers have opportunities to conquest with the redesigns of the Crosstrek and Impreza. Going forward, the Impreza will be sold only as a hatchback after the brand dropped the sedan version. The redesigned Crosstrek will make its North American debut next month at the Chicago Auto Show.

"We just came off the last full year of the previous generation Crosstrek, and that car had its best year ever," at 155,142 sales in the U.S., Walters said. "From the Impreza five-door building up to the Crosstrek, when this production starts to come back, we can really clock it — we can really soak up some volume with these five doors, especially the Crosstrek."

As for 2022, Walters said the brand had a lot to be proud of, despite a year-over-year decline that he laid entirely at the feet of supply issues.

"Even though we had a sales decline — we were down a little under 5 percent — we still feel pretty good about the year, given that the industry was down more than that," Walters said. "We're able to climb back above 4 percent market share, and we're pretty proud that we were the best performing Japanese brand in terms of market share."

He said Subaru dealers' customer satisfaction scores rose "to an all-time high" last year, even with frustrations with supplies of both vehicles and parts.

"In an industry and during a time when vehicles are in such short supply, we're really happy with our retailers and with the discipline that they showed in terms of their operations," Walters said.