Toshimitsu Tanaka, the new MD of Subaru Southern Africa, is quick to concede that premium car brands in SA have been dealt a blow by the country’s economic hardships and the influx of more affordable Chinese brands.
Still, the Japanese national, who took over from Andrew Marshall on August 1 and brings more than 30 years of local and international automotive industry experience, says the product focus hasn’t changed even as would-be buyers are opting to buy down rather than splash out on desirables.
The company’s strategy is to wait and see, and rely on customers’ trust and loyalty in the brand. “Our brand is known for its build quality, safety and off-road capabilities. We will wait five years and take it from there,” Tanaka said.
While we South Africans are known for our penchant for the outdoors, and Subaru's symmetrical All-wheel-drive (AWD) system and high road stances match that ethos, the brand’s biggest market by far is the US.
Subaru enjoys annual sales of more than 60,000 units there, compared to 600 on average in the Southern Africa region, which includes Botswana and Namibia.
Given total sales of 351,000 passenger cars in 2024, that equates to a market share of 0.17% in SA, placing the Japanese brand firmly in the niche sector.
Still, Tanaka said Subaru Southern Africa isn’t in any danger and can operate despite those small numbers. The company has long-term investment plans in the region that included increasing sales to 1,000 units by 2026, he added.
That will be achieved by opening new dealerships, and the introduction of the new generation Subaru Outback model in 2026, Tanaka said.
The Outback was unveiled at the 2025 New York International Auto Show on April 16. The interior and exterior have been completely redesigned, and the vehicle features new safety systems and an updated power train with the brand’s standard AWD system. .
Tanaka foresees no risk of the Outback cannibalising sales from the Forester, the more affordable and traditional SUV in the brand’s line-up. It was launched in SA in August 2025 and is sold alongside the smaller Crosstrek.
Fans of the high-performance WRX will be happy to know that Tanaka is considering the introduction of a model with a manual transmission. The WRX sedan model is available only with CVT transmission at present.
Tanaka said he is waiting on news from Subaru HQ regarding the electric future of the STI brand. The company has been hinting at an evolved model for some time now, but nothing has been set.
Negotiations with Subaru HQ to introduce dual motor derivatives of the ranges sold in SA are ongoing, but Tanaka said he couldn’t share further details at this stage.
Talk is that the hybrids would the brand’s Boxer engines — featuring horizontally-opposed pistons — with a hybrid system co-developed with Toyota.
Battery-electric models such as the Solterra and Trailseeker are not on the SA horizon for the foreseeable future, meaning the Outback is the only new model confirmed for local introduction in 2026.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.