Saburu

How would you describe the product life cycle in relation to one Subaru product?

Introduction stage- To support growing families, Subaru needed a vehicle that provided more space for growing families than its current offerings. The company introduce the Outback, a vehicle that supported 5 passengers.

Growth stage: There was a growing trend in the United States during the 1990s that consumers were into sports utility vehicles (SUVs). The Outback was designed to provide vehicle space for growing families. (Pearson)

Mature stage: Subaru is able to maintain the Outback as a viable product by making continuous improvements to the model yearly. (Vandezande, 2014)

Decline stage: The Tribeca was one of the worst selling vehicles in 2013 and as a result of poor sales, Subaru has stopped production of the vehicle in 2014. (Capparella, 2013)

How do shifting consumer trends affect Subaru’s products?

Subaru realized with their existing products, they needed to accommodate growing families. The Outback was developed primarily for Subaru to enter the SUV market to compete with other SUVs such as the Ford Explorer. The release of the Outback is a result derived from the company’s customer feedback and extensive research studies. The Outback was Subaru’s largest passenger vehicle at the time. Consumers wanted a vehicle that was bigger than what the Outback provided. Subaru develop the Tribeca, a SUV that was develop by consumer research and feedback. (Pearson)

How does Subaru remain customer-oriented in its new product efforts?

To meet the needs of their customers, Subaru monitors their customer discussion boards on the Internet, get letters and phone calls from customers on a daily basis, and communicate closely with our customer dealer services. The company does a lot of dedicated research such as utilizing their customer research centers. To great lengths, Subaru goes to consumer’s home to determine the brands that they interact with as well. (Pearson) All of these...