RSS Read This: Should Subaru stay niche or go mainstream? [w/poll]

[Ringo64]

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/subaru/" rel="tag">Subaru</a>, <a /category/earnings-financials/'>href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a></p><p><a /photos/2014-subaru-forester-first-drive/#photo-173404'>href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2014-subaru-forester-first-drive/#photo-173404"><img alt="2014 Subaru Forester" data-mep="1514" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/1269x849+5+0/resize/628x417!/format/jpg/quality/85/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/adam/c6f331c4362e0f0c8779778ac6296a0/01-2014-subaru-forester-fd.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Out of all the automakers doing business in the US, <a /subaru/'>href="http://www.autoblog.com/subaru/">Subaru</a> is the one that has carved out the most interesting niche for itself in the minds and lifestyles of buyers. Outdoorsy types, dog lovers and active families alike flock to Subaru's rugged nature and all-wheel-drive utility - and they're fiercely loyal, which is probably why Subaru has become a success story.</p>

<p>But Subaru is still a relatively small player in the US market, and with recent profits surging, parent company Fuji Heavy Industries is facing a dilemma: continue on with the successful niche market Subaru has carved out for itself, or attempt to go mainstream and give big players like <a href="http://autoblog.com/nissan/">Nissan</a> and <a href="http://autoblog.com/toyota/">Toyota</a> a run for their money. According to <a href="http://www.carscoops.com/2013/08/subaru-ponders-whether-to-go-mainstream.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&amp;utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Carscoop+%28CARSCOOPS%29"><i>Carscoop</i></a>, <i>Japan Times</i> and <i>Bloomberg News</i> are reporting that Fuji Heavy is beginning discussions this month to determine which direction Subaru will take.</p>

<p>To deviate from the current model lineup would likely mean making cheaper cars and sacrificing some of the features that have made the brand so well loved. As Fuji Heavy President Yasuyuki Yoshinaga told reporters, "We're not a carmaker that can grow as big as Toyota. And even if we could, reaching that sort of scale would mean we'd stop being Subaru."</p>

<p>What do you think? Should Subaru stay its current course or sacrifice its cult-like following for a bigger piece of the pie? Have a say in our poll below, then sound off in the Comments!<br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/11/subaru-niche-or-mainstream-poll/#poll83991">View Poll</a></p></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a /2013/08/11/subaru-niche-or-mainstream-poll/'>href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/11/subaru-niche-or-mainstream-poll/">Should Subaru stay niche or go mainstream? [w/poll]</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Sun, 11 Aug 2013 19:20:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a /2013/08/11/subaru-niche-or-mainstream-poll/'>href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/11/subaru-niche-or-mainstream-poll/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20691725/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a /2013/08/11/subaru-niche-or-mainstream-poll/'>href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/11/subaru-niche-or-mainstream-poll/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><div class="feedflare">

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[[ChaosweaveR]]

I like Subarus. Personally, I think they're well built cars, but if they try going after the likes of Toyota, Honda and Nissan...well, I only see their quality dropping.

They have a good balance of both loyal customers that love their normal and rugged cars, plus the enthusiasts that love the WRXs and STis. Messing with that, they might regret it.

[Ringo64]

Kinda a damned if you do and damned if you don't if revenue isn't enough to sustain.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Kinda a damned if you do and damned if you don't if revenue isn't enough to sustain.

Basically. Subaru hasn't changed the WRX/STi body since 2007, that's probably the only gripe Subie fans have for the most part.