ON THE RISE
Cult favourite car brand to release two new models in the UK by 2026… as it targets massive expansion of sales
However, its lineup will soon begin to be narrowed down
A CULT favourite car brand is set to release two brand new models in the UK by 2026 as it targets a massive sales expansion.
The firm will also refresh one of its flagship cars as a hybrid after the petrol model came out this year.
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Subaru has been beloved by petrolheads, particularly through its long domination of rally championships in the '80s and '90s.
This gave birth to models including the iconic Impreza and Outback.
However, sales have declined somewhat in recent years from its '90s heyday.
Now the Japanese carmaker is looking to turn the downward trend around through electrification and a technical partnership with Toyota, which also owns a 20% share of the company.
Bosses are now targeting the UK market as a key growth area in its expansion strategy.
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They need people that they trust
Lorraine Bishton
This will see two new EV models debut here as part of an £8 billion package to launch Subaru into the electric future.
These are, according to Autocar, likely to be "high-rise hatchbacks" in the style of the current range.
It is hoped that the new cars will build on the sales success of the Solterra, the brand's first fully-electric SUV which was launched in 2023.
That model was actually a rebadged Toyota and was sold in the US as the bZ4X.
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It is expected that its siblings will also be co-developed with Toyota through the two brand's partnership.
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Lorraine Bishton, Subaru UK's managing director, emphasised that the new motors will be "safe, tough and fun".
Subaru will also release a refreshed version of the hybrid Forester SUV in the next couple of years after the latest generation petrol model hit showrooms this year.
And speaking of showrooms, the expansion plan extends beyond new models to the firm's UK dealership network.
It currently has 65 dealerships currently spread across the nation, often in rural areas.
But Ms Bishton dismissed suggestions of a move away from direct ownership to an agency system, saying that the showrooms are "pillars of their community".
She added: "We often get asked that question about moving to an agency model.
"But actually we think, particularly as we’re going through a period of EV adoption, customers need support.
"They need people that they trust, who they’ve known a long time, to help them on that journey.
"We’ve definitely got opportunities where we don’t have good representation today.
"The South East is a good example."
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The manufacturer is now hoping to widen its network and estimates that global sales could hit a million this year in the first phase of its growth plan.
It comes after a long-forgotten car company announced that it would start selling motors in the UK again after a decade away.