--- title: "Subaru Dealer Is Already Advertising ‘Pre-Tariff’ Sale Before Prices Go Up" date: "2025-03-27" modified: "2025-03-27" authors: - name: "Ronan Glon" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/ronan-glon" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/subaru-dealer-is-already-advertising-pre-tariff-sale-before-prices-go-up" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Subaru News" tags: - "Subaru" --- # Subaru Dealer Is Already Advertising ‘Pre-Tariff’ Sale Before Prices Go Up ![]() *\Suburban Subaru\* Automakers, suppliers, and dealers are reacting to [the 25% tariff]() that the United States will implement on all imported cars starting April 2. The average price of many new vehicles is widely expected to go up as a result of the White House's announcement on Wednesday, though some companies [say]() that they'll absorb part of the tariffs. Interestingly, there's at least one dealer already advertising "pre-tariff" pricing to lure buyers into showrooms before the tariffs come into effect. ![Suburban Subaru pre-tariff savings]() *Suburban Subaru* Suburban Subaru in Vernon, Connecticut, is offering "pre-tariff savings" on its entire inventory of new models. For example, there's [a 2025 Impreza Sport]() with an MSRP of $29,385; that figure drops to $28,388 once the buyer claims $997 in "pre-tariff savings." What that number corresponds to isn't clear. It doesn't account for the full tariff, because 25% of $29,385 represents precisely $7,214. Many of [the other new cars listed on its website]() benefit from $997 in "pre-tariff savings" regardless of what they cost, but some are advertised as being eligible for [a $1,497 pre-tariff rebate](), and a handful [come with a $3,997 pre-tariff rebate](). It seems, then, that the amount isn't entirely pegged on the MSRP. However, it's perhaps telling that the vast majority of the left-over 2024 cars [come with a four-digit rebate](). The lone exception is [a 2024 BRZ Limited](). A big part of me thinks this is just a clever way to drive sales. After all, selling cars is a dealer's job. Is Suburban Subaru simply offering a rebate to cash in on buyers who want to lock in a new-car order before the tariffs come into effect? While we're not finding another Subaru dealer offering pre-tariff savings, it doesn't take much searching to find rebates on a new Subaru. For example, Planet Subaru in Boston offers a Planet Discount on many of its cars, [taking $2,500 off]() [a new Crosstrek](). But, what is a Planet Discount? Your guess is as good as mine. In contrast, the term "pre-tariff savings" is laced with a sense of urgency. It tells buyers that something important is about to change soon. It's great marketing. I expect more dealers will advertise a similar rebate in the coming days, and the tariffs (which the White House stresses are "100%" permanent) will likely have a lasting effect on the industry's supply chain. [Honda is reportedly teaming up with long-term rival Toyota]() to put American-made battery packs in the hybrid models it sells here, for example. [One solution that often gets floated]() is "build local," but that's an expensive and complex change that could take years to implement. In the meantime, the pre-tariff savings put an interesting issue in the spotlight: Who pays for the tariffs? Someone has to take the hit, whether it's an automaker, a supplier, a dealer, or a customer. April 2 is next Wednesday, so we won't have to wait long to find out. *Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Ronan is a contributing writer for The Drive. He draws on over 15 years of experience to cover breaking industry news, cool one-off builds, and anything in between. He began writing for The Drive in 2021 and stepped into his current role in 2024. His obsession with cars started when a relative gave him a Majorette die-cast shortly after his first birthday. It hasn't flickered since. Ronan lives in France; He swapped Utah's Rocky Mountains, where he grew up, for the Alps. He's an avid hiker, mountain biker, and musician. He also restores classic European cars and mopeds, including a 1978 Citroen 2CV that he's rebuilding from the ground up. ### Author social links [Twitter]()