Is Subaru's Jumbo SUV An Exercise In Profit Or A Distraction From Core Values?

Subaru, a tiny, conservative Japanese brand, is about to build a big, brash, American-style SUV. It’s either an exercise in kaizen — slow, steady improvement — or a complete loss of cool.

To be sure, the market is there. Americans are ditching their sedans for SUVs at a dizzying pace. Subaru, however, has become one of the hottest car companies in the country by soberly keeping production below demand and making a few great cars, none of which is a traditional SUV per se. In other words, a supersized Subaru could be a profit machine or an exercise fraught with distraction.

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MDarringer - 11/23/2016 9:27:42 AM

+2 Boost

Subaru needs this vehicle. It will sell because it's a Subaru. The sooner the better.

What I wonder is how much "Toyota" there is under the skin. It would make a lot of sense (win/win) for Subaru and Toyota to leverage Toyota platforms for Subaru's expansion.

Toyota will obviously own Subaru at some point--and possibly Mazda too--but Subaru gives Toyota something it needs: a near-premium brand to place between Toyota and Lexus.

nguyenvuminh - 11/23/2016 11:19:36 AM

+2 Boost

Good question 009. I think it's an exercise in profit, kinda like BMW in marketing its heritage while building cars different from its predecessors. Don't blame them, just an observation.

SSP350 - 11/23/2016 3:45:45 PM

+5 Boost

When is not for profit?