Posted Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 9:56pm
Subaru engineers are like kids with Lego bricks, repeatedly reassembling the same few blocks into new things. Most automakers build a greater variety of chassis, engines, and suspension systems. Subaru engineers mostly remix.
But the brand has a loyal following and a market position most of its rivals envy. Fully a third of its small lineup makes the list of the 25 best-selling cars in America.
Unwilling to mess with success, Subaru introduces new bricks to the bin slowly. Despite its outdoorsy image, it has done little to bring hybrid or electric power to its lineup.
Subaru dealers today have no hybrid models to sell. A recent redesign of its Crosstrek subcompact SUV for 2024 removed the only hybrid from its lineup. Dealers do have one electric vehicle (EV) on the lot – the slow-selling Solterra, which makes up less than 2% of Subaru sales.
But that may be all about to change. A new report says the hot-selling Subaru Forester will be offered as a hybrid for 2025.
