Supply-chain problems driving down sales for Subaru of America
CAMDEN - Subaru of America says its sales fell 40 percent in October from year-earlier levels, reflecting the continued impact of supply-chain shortages.
The downturn left year-to-date sales virtually flat with the same period in 2020, the Camden car distributor said.
"Subaru, like the rest of the auto industry, faces a severe shortage of semiconductor chips and other key components," Thomas Doll, the firm's president and CEO, said in a statement Tuesday.
He said the shortage "directly impacts our vehicle production."
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Subaru reported sales of 36,817 vehicles in October, down from 61,411 a year earlier.
Year-to-date sales of 499,619 vehicles were up just 0.3 percent from the same time in 2020.
The October report marked the fifth straight monthly decrease for Subaru, which saw declines of 30 percent in September and 15 percent in August.
The company last posted an overall sales advance in May, when it said monthly sales rose by 8.8 percent and year-to-date sales were up 30.6 percent.
Subaru said October said October sales were highest, at 10,591 vehicles, for its Crosstrek model. But that was down by 29.4 percent from a year earlier.
It noted declines of 67.2 percent for the Forester model, 49 percent for the Outback and 47.2 percent for its Legacy model.
Sales also fell by 18.8 percent for the Impreza model and by 11 percent for the Ascent SUV.
The company, a subsidiary of Subaru Corp. of Japan, reported a 35.2 percent increase for it WRX/STI sports cars, with October 2021 sales of 2,786 vehicles.
Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Chip shortage drives Subaru sales down
