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Of course the Toybaru is a runaway success. Although the waiting list, some countries initially reported a 20-year wait, has evaporated. At an annual volume of 100,000 units, it easily outsells all competition in every market, except the VW GTI in Europe.
The enthusiasm has been dampened by big (CEL) and small mechanical problems (endless rattlings, noisy fuel pump, etc) and poor PDI (missing plugs). High pricing (before and after tax) in Europe doesn't help, either. And European car sales took a deep dive last year, followed by another automotive market crash in Japan in 2014.
Car sales in Europe have now recovered somewhat. We may also hope the mild revision (from May 2014 onwards) fixes some of the (unacceptable) big and small mechanical problems. I disagree, however, that car buyers are deterred by the lack of horsepower, choppy ride, small cabin or high noise level.
Anyway, I expect both Toyota and Subaru to carry on for another 4, 5 years, because at 100,000 units a year, it pays to continue production for several more years. Not to mention the general excitement and publicity generated by such a highly regarded sports car.
It seems unlikely that the turbo-charged FA20 by Subaru will be adopted, though. For a start, that turbo-charger is mounted at the bottom, and there is no room there in the Toybaru.
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