Subaru Crosstrek and Forester 'Too Popular' for Turbocharging

With the 2020 Legacy gaining improvements in the form of an optional turbocharged engine, many wonder how long it might be until the rest of Subaru’s mainstream fleet offers the manufacturer’s FA24 motor. The Ascent has it, and we already know the Outback gets it in 2020, but what about Subaru’s other volume models? What about the Crosstrek and Forester?

You’ll have to wait. Apparently, some of Subaru’s models are just too dang popular to receive turbo power. Is this a pathetic excuse or simply a grim reality the automaker must confront? Subaru, obviously, claims the latter and we’re inclined to agree, based on recent evidence. But there remains a silver lining; it probably won’t be this way forever.

“You could argue, and some people do, that for the Crosstrek we should have a higher-performance engine in that car,” Tom Doll, Subaru’s North American president, told Motor Trend at the Chicago Auto Show. “But on the other hand, we’re selling as many as we can get. We haven’t really hit the top with the Crosstrek yet. Same thing for the new Forester. The new Forester is a sensational car, and it’s a home run, particularly the Sport model that you see over here. We just can’t stock it. I think both of those car lines have a 20-day supply or less.”

While Forester sales appear to have topped out around 175,000 annual units, Subaru claims this has more to do with its own ability to manufacture vehicles at a pace capable of matching demand. We recently noted the model’s U.S. supply issues, caused by more serious problems in Japan.

Forester deliveries exploded after the recession, with Subaru moving some 702,961 units in the United States over the past four years. While the Crosstrek can’t make the same claim, last year’s volume was nearly triple that of 2013 — the model’s first full year of production. Both are now volume leaders for a brand that, by all metrics, appears overstretched due to its overwhelming success in the market.

Doll fell short of saying it this bluntly, but the gist of the situation likely comes down to Subaru not wanting to spend development funds on two models it can’t even keep sufficiently stocked. However, that doesn’t fill in all of the holes to this plot. The Crosstrek isn’t woefully slow, but it’s never really in a rush, either. Were Subaru to offer it with a beefier engine, we envision increased volume and higher margins. But the Japanese automaker already does something like that with the Crosstrek’s hybrid variant, which the company openly acknowledges has limited availability on its commercial website.

Unfortunately, the model’s shortened quarter-mile time would only be noticeable to someone holding a stopwatch. You probably wouldn’t notice from the driver’s seat.

In the short term, it makes better sense to spend energy and cash on volume rather than performance. While a couple of models with alphanumeric names serve as an exception, most of Subaru’s fleet aims for enviable economy coupled with all-wheel drive and bolstered safety, all while remaining competitively priced. That’s why you see ads about how love is “What Makes a Subaru a Subaru” and not footage of its vehicles rip-roaring through city streets against a rock-and-roll soundtrack — like you do with Dodge.

However, Doll says Subaru hasn’t ruled turbocharging the two popular models. “In the future, if we need to hit additional volume targets or if the sales wane a little bit, as a way to try to get additional interest in the car, [we could] offer a higher-performance engine,” he said. “That’s quite possible.”

We suppose this means that, if you’re hoping to get a more-powerful Crosstrek or Forester, all you have to do is not buy one for a year or two. It worked for the Outback and Legacy. After a rough 2018 (longer for the sedan), Subaru planned to reintroduce both with the 2.4-liter boxer.

[Images: Subaru]