COVID-19 might have performed a job in snapping Subaru of America’s 12- 12 months streak of gross sales will increase and 11-year streak of file deliveries final 12 months, however a 3rd streak remained intact.

Its U.S. market share grew — the ninth consecutive 12 months of such progress — regardless of a 13 % decline in its gross sales. The Japanese firm inched up 0.1 % in 2020 to a 4.2 % market share, whereas the pandemic-stricken nation suffered a 14 % plunge in quantity.

“It wasn’t an enormous improve, however I feel the way in which we attempt to do enterprise is simply preserve it regular and do every little thing we will to maintain our basis as stable as we will,” mentioned Jeff Walters, Subaru of America’s senior vp of gross sales. “We have been blissful, given a number of the greater challenges we had when issues actually began falling off the rails within the spring, that we may nonetheless prove a market share improve.”

Subaru’s gross sales plunged 47 % in each March and April, the most important month-to-month declines in three many years, because the automaker felt the affect of manufacturing shutdowns and shelter-in-place orders. Smaller double-digit declines adopted in Might by means of August.

Nevertheless, will increase in October and December helped information Subaru to a 0.3 % improve within the fourth quarter to 175,382 autos, in accordance with the Automotive Information Analysis & Knowledge Middle.”2020 actually confirmed resilience throughout the Subaru retailers,” mentioned Patrick Wergin, government vp at Annapolis Vehicles, which incorporates Annapolis Subaru and Gateway Subaru in Maryland, and chairman of the Subaru Nationwide Retailer Advisory Board.

“We have been in a position to adapt and have been in a position to make the adjustments wanted to maintain the gross sales going ahead. Clearly, as with many different manufacturers, we had some stock shortages in the summertime. However the robust demand allowed us to finish the 12 months with a powerful gross sales tempo. The Outback and Crosstrek have been nice sellers for the 12 months.”

Subaru and its retailers benefited from “glorious months of manufacturing” during the last 5 months of 2020, Walters famous.

“We have been in a position to do a fairly good job constructing retailer inventories again up from August by means of December,” he informed Automotive Information Walters mentioned Subaru has a 2021 gross sales goal of 660,000 autos and an goal to extend its market share once more, however added that the automaker does not have a set share in thoughts.

“Forester, Outback, Crosstrek and Ascent will carry us in 2021,” Walters mentioned.

In December, Subaru Corp. CEO Tomomi Nakamura informed Automotive Information that the automaker is specializing in U.S. market share with the subsequent milestone of 5 % because the goal to hit.

“We’re not too far-off from having the ability to get there,” Walters mentioned.

“The truth is, there are some months the place our retail market share does attain 5 % already, so we’re fairly inspired by that. I feel we’re getting shut sufficient simply to say, ‘Maintain doing enterprise the best method. Play it for the long run.’ If we’re in a position to do this then definitely someday over the midrange, we are going to attain that 5 %.”

A 4.2 % market share and 9 years of development is a stark distinction from Subaru’s previous, when it was a distinct segment import model with annual U.S. gross sales persistently under 200,000 autos and a market share of lower than 1.5 %.

From 2001 to 2004, Subaru’s market share stayed at 1.1 %. It elevated to 1.2 % in 2005, however stayed there till 2008 when it elevated to 1.4 %.

Subaru’s market share rose to 2.1 % in 2009 and to 2.3 % in 2010, however dipped again to 2.1 % in 2011 earlier than the streak began.

Subaru has handed Kia, Dodge, GMC and Volkswagen when it comes to market share throughout the streak.

Subaru’s lineup has additionally grown. It added the Crosstrek subcompact crossover and BRZ coupe in 2012 and returned to the three-row crossover section with the Ascent in 2018.

“After we began this 9 years in the past, and simply the general improve in gross sales going again about 12 years, that basically began with simply having good product and the best product, [and] doing very effectively with proper sizing of SUVs with the best content material,” Walters mentioned.

“Then you definately tie that with the branding, the advertising and marketing and the Love marketing campaign, [and] that is simply been very regular for us as we have been in a position to construct our model fairness there.”