When looking around at their local Subaru car dealers, Perth drivers may have noticed that there is no light city car. This is no oversight on the part of Subaru; there is no model to compete with cars such as the Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta and Mazda2. Here are a few reasons why this is the case and why it is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
The Subaru Brand
The DNA of the Subaru brand tends to be quite specifically aimed at premium end of the spectrum within any given segment. Any visit to a Subaru dealership will prove this point handily as one would notice the lack of “budget” models. The light city car segment is incredibly competitive and price sensitive. Any Subaru manufactured vehicle that would be built would lack many of the features that are baked into the Subaru brand. This is because the price of adding AWD as an example would make the vehicle far too expensive for the light car segment.
Read More: Factors to Consider Before You Buy a Car From a Dealer
Attracting New Drivers
Because of the lack of an entry level light city car, Subaru has to work harder than other brands. This is because new drivers are usually younger and have less money to buy their first vehicle. The new driver will almost always choose a light city car as their first vehicle as it is cheaper to buy. Additionally, a new drivers insurance premiums will be higher because of their lack of driving experience. This will also attract the new driver to cars that have smaller engines and that are cheaper to insure. Subaru work hard at attracting these drivers when they look to upgrade later down the line. A good Subaru entry level car for many of these drivers is usually the Impreza or perhaps the Subaru XV. There is no doubt that a light Subaru city car would be a great introduction to the brand, but it is cost prohibitive to actually make it.
Is the Situation Likely to Change?
This is a very unlikely scenario as every Subaru vehicle apart from the BRZ is an AWD car. The BRZ is a rear wheel drive, but as a sports car it is a very special case and due to advanced engineering, it drives like a Subaru. The Australian Subaru Director Nick Senior has stated in the past that most manufacturers find little profit in manufacturing light city cars and that they are only produced as a gateway to their brand. He also said “You do a 1.2-litre Subaru with AWD, and it’s $20,000, it’s not going to sell” and went on to say “I don’t lose any sleep not having a light car.” Based on these statements it seems unlikely that Subaru will produce a light city car any time soon.
When they are looking for great Subaru dealers, Perth drivers should visit us at City Subaru. We have a broad selection of used and new Subaru cars for sale. We will be happy to arrange a test drive for you at your earliest convenience. Get in touch with us for more information and our sales team will be happy to answer any further questions you may have.
We hope that this article has been an informative one, and invite you to post your comments or questions in the comments section below. We’re on social media and would love to hear from you, too. Look us up on Facebook, Google Plus and YouTube.