Subaru year-to-date sales are now 15.3 per cent up on the same period in 2003.

It means Subaru has captured 3.7 per cent of the total vehicle market for the month and year-to-date.

Star performer was Forester, with 1126 sales.

Outback sold 552 units, 56 ahead of the previous May, while Liberty sold 534, 99 ahead of last May and captured 16.2 percent of the Medium car market.

Impreza also recorded strong sales of 700 units.

Combined Forester and Outback sales gave Subaru 25.5 per cent of the May SUV Compact market.

Subaru Australia General Manager, Nick Senior, said: "Demand for Subaru vehicles remains strong across the entire range and that is reflected in the significant increase in our total year-to-date sales."