Latest news with #Subarus
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Subaru Is Making a Huge Bet on the Forester to Navigate Trump Tariffs
Japanese automaker Subaru is resting on its bestseller, the Forester crossover SUV, to be its north star as it navigates the rough seas caused by the Trump administration's heavy automotive tariffs. According to a new report by Nikkei Asia, Subaru hopes the new Forester SUV will help cushion the blow from steep tariffs and keep its footing in its most important market. At the company's annual shareholder meeting in Tokyo this week, Subaru President Atsushi Osaki made it clear that Subaru will stay committed to its stateside customers. "We'll overcome this by maintaining the U.S. as our main market and balancing it with Japan and Canada," Subaru President Atsushi Osaki said at the automaker's annual shareholder meeting on June 25. To say that Subaru depends on the United States auto market to survive would be an understatement. According to its figures, more than 70% of Subaru's global sales are in the United States-far more than its Japanese automaking rivals like Honda and Toyota. In fiscal 2024, Subaru sold 662,000 vehicles in the U.S., or 71% of its total global sales of 936,000. Despite this, Subaru's manufacturing situation leaves it vulnerable to Trump's tariffs. Roughly half of Subarus sold in the States are Japanese imports, which means they're now subject to the 25% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration earlier this year. Subaru estimates those tariffs could cost the company $2.5 billion if they do not work proactively, making its $2.79 billion operating profit from the 2024-2025 fiscal year useless. However, the atmosphere around the shareholder meeting suggested that Subaru would heavily rely on the Forester as a savior for the marque. The latest version of the brand's most popular SUV first went on sale in the U.S. in 2024 with a purely gasoline version, followed by a Toyota-developed hybrid model released earlier this year. Demand is already strong. According to figures from Subaru of America, 15,434 Foresters moved off dealer lots and into the driveways of new owners in May 2025. As of last month, 84,629 Foresters had been sold since the start of this year, a 3.5% year-over-year increase. In addition, Osaki noted that strong Forester sales in Japan could reduce the impact of U.S. tariffs. "The new Forester is performing extremely well," Osaki said. He also added that the hybrid version was selling beyond its expectations. To help further cushion its tariff impact, Subaru plans to ramp up production in its U.S. factory in Indiana, its only overseas plant that makes finished cars. Starting this fall, Subaru will invest 40 billion yen (~$277 million) to begin producing the new Forester at the plant. The factory currently churns out around 340,000 to 350,000 vehicles annually, but Osaki said it could push past 400,000 with the new investment. Still, shifting more production away from Japan caused concern among shareholders. Subaru's domestic manufacturing operations are centered in Gunma prefecture, where many of its suppliers are also based. Osaki acknowledged the dilemma, noting that boosting U.S. output is impossible without its suppliers. "It's true that it would improve our ability to deal with the tariffs, but it would be would be difficult without cooperation from all of our suppliers," Osaki said in response to shareholder questions. "We need to think about this comprehensively." Subaru itself is in a precarious position. Last month, it informed dealers that price increases would add an additional $750 and $2,055 to the cost of vehicles, depending on the model and trim. Specifically, Forester buyers got a price hike between $1,075 and $1,600, depending on trim, while Crosstrek and Impreza buyers got hit by a $750 price bump. At the time, Subaru did not explicitly cite the tariffs as the reason behind the price bumps but noted that they are a response to "current market conditions." "The changes were made to offset increased costs while maintaining a solid value proposition for the customer. Subaru pricing is not based on the country of origin of its products," it said. Fast-forward to now, it seems that Subaru is proactive in recognizing what is working and what is not, though it is tough to tell what the tariff picture will be. According to a new report by Bloomberg, Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is on his way to Washington, D.C., to hold his seventh round of trade negotiations with his American counterparts. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Springs club members emerge victorious in Comrades Marathon
Four residents from Wright Park were among club members from various athletics clubs in Ekurhuleni who participated in the Comrades Marathon on June 8. Two of them brought home Bill Rowan medals while the other two secured Vic Clapham medals. One of the Bill Rowan medal holders, Noko Matlou, said he felt honoured to have completed his fourth Comrades Marathon in eight hours and 58 minutes. The marketing manager from the City of Ekurhuleni Athletics Club added that his achievement serves as motivation to keep up the momentum. 'Last year I received the bronze medal, so this year's victory encourages me to maintain the standard I have set for myself. 'When you have completed the marathon before, you are already mentally prepared for the trail; all you have to do is focus on the end goal,' he said. Lesiba Mmotlana from Correctional Services completed the race in seven hours and 57 minutes. This was his sixth time participating. The Vic Clapham medal holders, Jabulani Kwinika and Phephile Dlamini, from SAPS and Kwa-Thema Striders respectively, finished in 11:53:18 and 11:27:27. Matlou said it took a lot of preparation to be fully ready. 'We usually organise club runs where we check each other's fitness levels. As participants from the City of Ekurhuleni, we have a record to maintain; we therefore cannot allow any of our members to be inconsistent as that will affect our record,' he added. He concluded that they are looking forward to recruiting more women to join. 'We are hoping to have at least 10 women next year,' Matlou said. Councillors Thulani Simelane, Vusumuzi Gamede and Isaac Masite were there to support and cheer on the participants. ALSO READ: Subarus and more to shine at Just Wheels Open Day ALSO READ: Hengel-aksie by maandelikse kompetisie van die Verre Oos-Rand Hengelklub At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hamilton Spectator
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
A Subaru so big it could swallow another Subaru
Does the Ascent feel that big when you drive it? In life, everything is relative. If you're not familiar with it, introduced in 2018, this is Subaru's largest SUV. It is six-and-a-half feet longer than Subaru's first mass produced car, the two-door 360 city car. The Ascent is two feet wider, one-and-a-half feet taller and is five times heavier than the 360. If the Subaru 360 was just a few inches smaller, it could fit inside the Ascent. The Ascent is relatively big by Subaru standards … but not by North American standards. (The Chevrolet Suburban is two-and-a-half feet longer than the Ascent.) This three-row, seven-passenger, mid-size SUV is surprisingly manoeuvreable and perky on the road. Its continually variable transmission (CVT) and 260-horsepower, turbocharged, four-cylinder boxer engine combine to make this 4,500-pound sport-ute a pleasure to drive. Power is sent to all four wheels via Subaru's legendary symmetrical full-time all-wheel drive. Just how good is its all-wheel drive? Full disclosure, I have owned four Subarus: a 2006 WRX STI, a 2011 WRX STI, a 2016 WRX STI and my current car, a 2023 Subaru WRX. Why so many Subarus? Well, for one, the all-wheel drive. Winter, Spring and Fall are three of the best seasons to own a Subaru. Whether you're driving their most performance-focused WRX, or one of their five SUVs, Subaru's all-wheel drive provides sure footedness that is amongst the best on the road today. You can have your Ascent in one of six different trims: Convenience ($48,874), Touring ($50, 874), Onyx ($52,374), Limited ($55,874), Sport ($56,874) and Premier ($58,874). Convenience and Limited have an eight-passenger configuration with a middle-row bench seat. The Touring, Onyx, Sport and Premier are seven passenger SUVs with second row captain's chairs. The Ascent Sport is new for 2025. It comes with everything the Limited has plus numerous upgrades and add-ons, including brown accent stitching, interior and exterior bronze accents; heated and power, folding door mirrors; gloss-black, front-grille accents; gloss-black, interior, trim surfaces; all-weather, soft-touch, seating surfaces; gloss-black, roofline spoiler, with integrated brake light and 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The great outdoors is part of Subaru's DNA, and that's seen in the Ascent. An example of this is the quantity of carrier options available; you can get a two- or four-bicycle, hitch-mounted bike rack; a rooftop bike carrier; a canoe carrier; a kayak carrier; a kayak stacker; a crossbar roof-rack; a roof basket; a ski and snowboard carrier, which can hold up to six pairs of skis or four snowboards, and a paddleboard or surfboard carrier. The optional medium, large or extra-large, rooftop-mounted, cargo box can add 509 litres of cargo capacity. Once you, your passengers, bikes and kayak arrive at your destination, you can open up a roof-mounted awning to shelter you from sun and rain. You can even pitch a tent on your roof, which can sleep a couple of adults. All of these options range in price from around $300 to $3,300, for the rooftop tent. Subarus have a bit of a rep for being a little old-school. Case in point is the optional single-disk CD player ($1,100), which can be added to the centre console. What's not old-school is the very useful wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which work seamlessly for those who wish to stream their music, rather than listen to CDs. Wireless charging is optional. Part of the charm of this go-anywhere-do-anything SUV is that it has all the premium attributes you'd want, without all of the attitude that comes with some of the other premium SUVs. Do its competitors have full-time Symmetrical all-wheel drive? No, they don't. Our roads are wet or snowy more than half the year, so having the sure-footedness of Subaru's all-wheel drive is a big plus. A feather in its cap is that the Ascent has been awarded the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick every year from 2018 to 2024. If you're in the market for a three-row SUV, you would do well to check out the Ascent. Type: Seven passenger, all-wheel drive, mid-size Sport Utility Vehicle Engine: Turbocharged, 2.4-litre, horizontally-opposed (boxer), 4-cylinder engine, 260 horsepower and 277 pounds-feet of torque (motive force) Transmission: Continuously Variable (CVT) Fuel: 12.3 litres/100 km in the city, 9.4l/100 km on the highway, 11.0l/100 km combined Cargo: 2,061 litres, or 72.7 cubic feet, with second and third row seats folded; 1,193l, or 42.1 cu. ft., with third row seats folded; 458l, or 16.1 cu. ft., with all seats up Price: $56,874, excl. freight, other fees, taxes
Herald Sun
19-06-2025
- Herald Sun
Northland shopping centre Land Cruiser stolen from Ivanhoe East home
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News. The owner of the stolen 4WD that ploughed through Northland joked with his family the vehicle was his as he watched the shocking scenes unfold on a TV news bulletin. Shoppers were forced to run for their lives as the Toyota Land Cruiser sped through the Preston shopping centre about 4pm Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction. 'I jokingly said to my family while watching it on TV… 'that's my car',' he said. 'I recognised the wheels and the trim. I wasn't sure, but it looked like my car because that model has got certain alloys on it that are different.' The owner, who doesn't want to be identified, said he was stunned when police called minutes later to tell him the vehicle that had sped just metres from terrified shoppers was in fact his. 'No more than half an hour later the police rang and said they'd found it,' he said. Police allege an electronic key reprogramming tool was used to steal the car from outside the man's home on King St in Ivanhoe East on June 2. 'It was taken from the street about 50m from my bedroom and I didn't hear anything,' the man told the Herald Sun on Thursday. 'No alarm went off, nothing. Not only that, I had a steering wheel lock.' The white 2016 Land Cruiser was found dumped on Wednesday afternoon on Beavers Rd in Northcote, about 6km away from Northland. Police arrested a 27-year-old East Melbourne man at a Hoddle Street home about 8.30am on Thursday. He was charged with an array of offences including theft of a motor vehicle, driving whilst disqualified and reckless conduct endangering life. The man said he had noticed a significant rise in car thefts in Ivanhoe East and surrounds. 'We've been living here for 25 years and lately it's just crazy,' he said. 'Just in this street there's been three car thefts. 'They want high-end cars if they can get them.' It comes after new data released by the Crime Statistics Agency on Thursday revealed motor vehicle theft in Victoria was at its highest levels since 2002. 'More than one in five cars are stolen in circumstances where the owner reports retaining their keys,' a Victoria Police statement read. 'This has coincided with an increase in offenders using electronic devices capable of programming or mimicking keys to steal cars. 'Holdens, Toyotas, and Subarus with push start technology are the most targeted cars using this methodology. 'In the last month, these makes have been stolen at two to three times the rate of the previous five years.' Police have urged owners of cars with push start technology, including Land Cruisers manufactured after 2012, to adopt 'preventative measures' to deter thieves, such as an on-board diagnostic port lock, which prevents an offender connecting a reprogramming device to the car. Read related topics: Northland
Canberra Times
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Canberra Times
2025 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0S review
Lots of Subarus are sold in country areas and regional zones, and for those buyers who are planning to use their car for a longer drive to get the kids to school or get themselves to work, the Crosstrek might be a better fit than for those who live in urban areas and spend a lot of time in traffic.
