The AWD Love brand continues to tear up records! Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – June 1, 2017 2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i w/ the 6-speed MT – $23,710 to start incl. the $915 D&H charge. EPA results will be announced closer to its release but like the Impreza, expect a 27/34 mpg city/highway rating vs. the 2017s 26/32 mpg city/highway rating. The 2018 Forester w/ the 170-hp 2.5L I4 BOXER (2.5i) will arrive as a Standard, Premium, Limited and Touring trim. The I4 can be mated to either a 6-speed MT or CVT for the Standard and Premium 2.5i. The Forester 2.0XT is available in Premium and Touring trims and powered by a 250-hp 2.0L Turbo I4 BOXER. All Forester models come standard with AWD. The front end is highlighted by a new hexagonal grille and signature C-shaped headlamps with a black inner bezel, while the rear combination lamps are C shaped LEDs. A taller and boxy Forester in every other respect. 2.5i Premium ($25,695) adds a panoramic power roof, 17” alloys, Hill Descent Control on CVT models, auto climate, body color rear roof spoiler and a 10-way power driver’s seat. A power rear gate with auto close and height memory is available on Premium Foresters equipped with the optional EyeSight system. EyeSight + All- Weather Package + Blind Spot Detection/ Rear Cross Traffic Alert ($1,695) EyeSight + All-Weather Package + Blind Spot Detection/Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Power Rear Gate ($2,145). A new Forester 2.5i Black Edition pkg ($1,150) for the Premium includes the CVT and adds paddle shifters, Hill Descent Control, steerable LED headlamps, 18” alloys, fog lights with black accents, black finish exterior badges and mirrors; and a front grille with blacked-out wing motif and chrome frame. The Black Edition trim can be picked up in 4 exterior colors: Crystal Black Silica, Dark Gray Metallic, Crystal White Pearl and Ice Silver Metallic. The unique black cloth upholstery seats with simulated leather bolsters brightened up with a silver metallic and black gloss finish center dash panel. The leather-wrapped wheel and shift handle are highlighted with silver stitching and the interior door handles have a chrome finish. An All-Weather Package includes a rear cargo tray and Welcome Lighting, standard with the Black Edition. The Limited ($29,395) adds a silver metallic with gloss black finish center dash panel trim, leather-wrapped wheel, and shifter. Perforated leather seats and a 10-way power driver’s seat w/ power lumbar, Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, plus Welcome Lighting are standard. EyeSight-equipped models include High Beam Assist, Steerable Auto Hi-Lo LED Headlamps, and Reverse Auto Braking. A power rear tailgate with auto close and height memory is standard on the Limited. 2018 Subaru Forester – Black Edition Interior Highlight A good looking door and insert and that is all Subaru supplied. The top-of-the-line Touring ($33,090) include 18” alloys, black with chrome trim side cladding and foldable, body colored exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals. You can pick it up with either a Black or Saddle Brown interior. A 10-way power driver’s seat with two-position memory (includes power lumbar), Proximity key w/ Push-Button Start and heated wheel are also included. The 2.0XT Premium ($29,495) and 2.0XT Touring ($36,090), both with CVTs, include Active Torque Vectoring, Reverse Auto Braking and High Beam Assist headlights. All Forester’s arrive with SUBARU STARLINK Multimedia systems that provides hands-free connectivity and entertainment services. The base model features the STARLINK 6.2” Multimedia system with a 6.2-inch single-touch gesture display. The Premium, Limited, and Touring trims include the STARLINK 7.0” Multimedia Plus system with a high-resolution 7-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth hands-free SMS text messaging, dual USB ports, and adds SiriusXM, All Access Radio and SiriusXM Travel Link. The optional STARLINK 7.0” Multimedia Navigation system adds voice-activated controls and comes with three years of complimentary map updates as well as a 3-year subscription to SiriusXM Traffic and SiriusXM Travel Link along with four months of SiriusXM All Access audio service. Navigation + Harman Kardon Audio Amps + Speakers ($1,350) EyeSight + Navigation + Harman Kardon Amps + Speakers ($2,945) The STARLINK Safety Plus package - complimentary for the first year, is $99 per year after that and includes SOS Emergency Assistance, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, Maintenance Notifications, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and Diagnostic Alerts. For even greater peace of mind, the STARLINK Safety Plus & Security Plus Package adds Stolen Vehicle Recovery Service, Vehicle Security Alarm Notification, Remote Lock/Unlock, Remote Horn and Lights and Remote Vehicle Locator. The new Forester will arrive at Subaru dealership showrooms nationwide this Summer. Subaru May 2017 Sales Overview Subaru May sales of 56,135 were up 12.1 percent over the 50,083 sold in May of 2016. It was the 66 consecutive month of month-over-month increases and the best May result in company history. On a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis, May sales were up 7.6 percent. YTD sales of 252,753 were up 8.5 percent over the 232,860 sold through the same period of 2016. The Forester, Outback and Impreza achieved their best May results in history. Considering the Outback, May sales of 15,193 were up 22.5 percent over the 12,404 sold in May of 2016. YTD sales of 72,234 are up 12.9 percent over the 63,969 sold through the same period of 2016. The hot all-new Impreza achieved May sales of 8,546 vehicles, up 44.2 percent over the 5,928 sold in May of 2016. YTD sales of 35,168 are up 42.0 percent over the 24,771 sold through the same period of 2016. The U.S. Automobile May 2017 vs. May 2016 Market Share results. To begin, Ford outselling GM in May and gaining 0.5 percent market share was the big news. Both Hyundai and FCA lost .6 percent market share. The Accord broke back into the Top 10 last month and this month moved to number 5. I have not looked up incentive addons but there appears to be a hard push to move Accords at Honda dealerships nationwide. Not a bad car to be pushing either. Segment Items of note Despite the large incentives, both the aging Focus and new Cruze outsold the new Elantra. Sonata sales are slumping. The Tucson at 10,600 units in May is closing in on making Sonata the number 3 seller in the flying H lineup. Something that has never occurred before. CUVs are still hot. In the pickup truck segment, for the second month in a row Ford’s F-Series has outsold the entire GM pickup truck lineup, RAM outsold the Silverado for the third month in a row and Nissan's Titan appears to be leveling off near the 5k mark with Ridgeline hovering around 3k/month. When it comes to Hybrids, the Prius lineup is beginning to feel competitor’s offerings with the Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq together taking 4,487 sales that may have went to the Prius or possibly the hot selling RAV4 Hybrid previously. Kia’s Niro achieved sales of 2,660 and its monthly sales volume for the first time since its intro has fallen below the prior months result. Prius c is way off the mark and if there was ever a time to see a second gen, now is that time. In the Electric segment, Toyota's Prius Prime for the second month outsold the Volt while the Bolt picked up quite a bit from last month’s sub 1k/mo sales result. U.S. May 2017 Sales vs. May 2016 Sales Ranks and Results for the top 18 Automobile Manufacturers Ford May 2017 Sales Up 2.2% with 241,126 Vehicles sold GM May 2017 Sales Down 1.3% with 237,364 Vehicles sold Toyota May 2017 Sales Down 0.5% with 218,248 Vehicles sold FCA May 2017 Sales Down 0.8% with 193,040 Vehicles sold Honda May 2017 Sales Up 0.9% with 148,414 Vehicles sold Nissan May 2017 Sales Up 3.0% with 137,471 Vehicles sold Hyundai May 2017 Sales Down 15.5% with 60,011 Vehicles sold Kia May 2017 Sales Down 7.0% with 58,507 Vehicles sold Subaru May 2017 Sales Up 12.1% with 56,135 Vehicles sold Mercedes-Benz May 2017 Sales Down 7.0% with 30,290 Vehicles sold VW May 2017 Sales Up 4.3% with 30,014 Vehicles sold BMW May 2017 Sales Down 11.1% with 29,878 Vehicles sold Mazda May 2017 Sales Down 7.9% with 26,047 Vehicles sold Audi May 2017 Sales Up 2.5% with 19,197 Vehicles sold Jaguar/Land Rover May 2017 Sales Up 13.9% with 8,106 Vehicles sold Mitsubishi May 2017 Sales Up 13.9% with 9,429 Vehicles sold Volvo May 2017 Sales Up 12.0% with 6,202 Vehicles sold Porsche May 2017 Sales Up 2.2% with 5,529 Vehicles sold In May, Ford moved ahead of GM as the number one U.S. Auto Manufacturer. This is a May anomaly but one we will be watching going forward. Mitsubishi moved ahead of Jaguar/Land Rover for the 15th spot. On a volume basis, May 2017 U.S. auto sales were up 4.1 percent. On a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis, May sales were up 0.05 percent. 2017 YTD sales of 6.97 million vehicles is down 1.6 percent from the 7.08 million sold through the same period and same number of sales days in 2016. There were 25 selling days in May of 2017 vs. 24 in May of 2016 and 125 days in both 2017 and 2016 as described numerous times above.
