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Comments
-mad
-juice
-mad
That's pretty amazing for a new model, because usually they have to ramp up for production.
Escape was close at 9,878.
-juice
-Frank P.
Wait a while, they'll become more and more common.
The Buick Rendezvous came out at about the same time, and I've only seen a couple of them so far.
-juice
-Frank P.
hey if the explorer & grand cherokee are such garbage, why do they top the list?
Are you familiar with a certain famous quote attributed to P.T. Barnum?
-Frank P.
Something wrong, Subaru?
This is one of the dirty little secrets of the industry. Why do they top the list?
1. Most American consumers don't do their homework. They don't research safety ratings, check reliabilty ratings, dealer ratings, or customer satisfaction surveys.
2. The domestic companies practically give these vehicles away to move them off the lot. I was ready to buy a loaded JGC Limited for less than invoice back in January. That was until I did further research into safety and reliabilty.
3. More doesn't mean better. There a lot more MickeyD burgers sold than prime angus steaks. Which is better?
TC
Bust on Jeep all you want, but they have an enviable tough-truck image.
They're also long established nameplates. However, sales for both models are way down this year.
Squatch: yes, something is wrong. Demand for the WRX is so high that they reduced Forester production in Gunma, Japan, to build more WRXs instead. Note that they reduced the supply, but demand is still high and inventories are hovering around 40 days' worth or so (60 is ideal), with still no rebates.
If you look at the big picture, Subaru sales are way up, even in a down market. They have actually increased their market share by 10%, remarkable with this economy.
-juice
Actually, my sis just bought an Outback (I guess the Legacy Outback dropped the Legacy part of the name?). Nice car.
Which means that it is better than Forester demand? Is Forester soon destined for the scrap heap of Subaru history? If it was doing so well, I'd think they'd ramp up, not replace with another model...
just musing....
???
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Mudpuddle- I too have seen quite a few Subaru ads. Of course the ads I've seen are almost always on channels like OLN, TLC or Discovery where a few ad dollars go along way. It's actually pretty clever marketing since Subaru can get national coverage on these channels but still target their ads to pretty specific market segments.
-Frank P.
I see as many Subaru TV commercials (if not more), than TV commercials from any of the other "large" car companies.
Bob
I also agree with Frank and have noticed how Subaru tends to advertise on cheaper cable channels to maximize their ad dollars, and they can play to their markets as well. Anyone out there a Weather Channel junkie like me? Subaru runs ads constantly on the Weather Channel to tout AWD. On the other hand, on the networks I'm seeing a lot of ads for 'image' cars like the new Acura RS-X.
Steve
;-)
I've seen a few print ads for the Hyundai but I too can't recall seeing a TV one. Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing an Escape ad either although I've seen a couple of Liberty ones.
-Frank P.
Forester sales are about on pace with last year. July 2000 was a record month, so July 2001 was not as good. Also keep in mind the redesigned model will appear in less than a year.
Market share is a real measure of success, especially in hard times. Subaru's market share is up 10%. Sales are up in a down market. Sorry, but there is just no way to put a negative spin on fantasitic news like that. My guess is profits will be significatly higher this year than last.
-juice
I think these gains are coming at the expense of Ford and GM, which have lost market share. There are far more models competing for your dollars now than there were 5 years ago. Plus the SUV market continues to expand, while car sales dwindle.
That Kia ad is funny. The Koreans are expanding into new niches, so their sales will grow.
I see the WRX ad from Subaru most often. Keep in mind they are also promoting their US Rally Team, which is literally spanking all comers in the series' first season.
-juice
Having said that, I still think, for a small company like Subaru, I see an awful lot of Subaru TV ads—and I see them on the major networks as well as the cable stations. They're everywhere.
Bob
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The Ford Escape was also a latecommer to the mini-SUV market. Both the Escape and Sante-Fe are new in 2001 and were available around the same time in 2000. In Fords first year in this segment, it completly dominated the Sante-Fe, and most other mini-suv's in sales..
92k vs 28k.
I don't think that the Sante-Fe sales came at the expense of the Escape..
But, 10 year/ 100000 miles for most folks really doesn't give any more warranty because most folks will hit 100k miles loooong before 10 years..
I guess if you don't drive the Hyundai all that much the warranty will have extra value, but what fun would that be?
The only Kia commercial that I've seen recently were the ones where the two neighbors, one with a Kia Optima & the other has a Toyota Camry, were comparing the options that either one had on their cars. I remember last year they showed the Sportage commercial where 2 groups of campers were arranging to meet at a cabin, and the one group driving the Honda CR-V got stuck trying to climb the hill.
I then showed how Ford out sold the Sante-Fe by a 4 to 1 margin..
The Ford sales number are quite impressive.
You claim that because hyundai doesn't have as many dealerships it could not compete with Fords numbers. Why doesn't hyundai have as many dealerships? Because there is not enough demand? Or maybe not enough production capacity to support more dealerships? Maybe there are other factors as well.. If someone chooses to not buy a Hyundai because they can't find a dealer thats close enough, then thats a valid reason to choose another brand..
I didn't mean at the expense of the Escape, I meant Explorer, primarily. The small SUV segment is growing a lot, and it's stealing sales away from bigger SUVs and even from sedans (like Taurus). Escape is a sales hit, no doubt.
Even current Explorer owners looking for a new Ford may end up in the smaller Escape, especially since after new mid-size SUV sticker shock. Those are easily into the $30s well equipped.
The bottom line? People have many more choices now, and among them are many fine small SUVs that did not exist a few years back. Collectively, these are hurting sales of the Explorer and Grand Cherokee.
I'm a bit surprised that Liberty it outselling the Escape, though, especially since D/C admits it priced it about $2k too high. We'll see if the sales are sustainable long-term.
-juice
The only difference now is I might have to use the roof rack on the Escape on longer trips whereas with the Explorer I would never need to use the roof rack.. I'm willing to live with that.
It's smaller and offers just 174hp. Initially they said pricing would be just under $30k, but they've announced a much lower starting price of $25,600, probably due to competition from their own Escape.
Volumes are small, though. They'd be happy to sell in a year what Escapes cover in just a month.
-juice
Bob
Odie
Odiel, I'm afraid I disagree with you entirely. Other than the general outline, which almost all SUV's have, they share no design elements. I don't know of any modern vehicle that was designed by one person, all manufacturers use design teams today. And I know for a fact that the Escape was not designed by the same people, we were still owned by BMW when it was designed.
The base Freelander does offer a couple of items standard that no small SUV does. These include 4 wheel traction control, Hill Descent Control, and a 5 speed steptronic transmission.
Bess, spare tire placement is always a compromise, but we've found that for off-roading, mounted on the back is best. And Freelander does off-road very well.