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    Subaru Solterra 2024 review

    Tom White
    Tom White
    Senior Journalist
    5 Mar 2024 • 21 min read

    Subaru is a brand that has managed to stay consistently unique throughout its history.

    Unlike some rivals which have frequently changed up their core nameplates and adopted an array of technologies in the process, for the longest time Subaru has managed to stay the course with its signature 'flat' boxer engines and symmetrical all-wheel drive system on a familiar range of adventure-ready nameplates.

    But the future has come knocking, and Subaru can no longer ignore the fact electrification is here to stay. So will the Solterra, its first electric car, be able to appeal to the brand’s loyal customer base? 

    Read more about Subaru Solterra

    We attended its Australian launch to find out.

    Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 7/10

    Now, you might already know the Subaru Solterra isn’t entirely a Subaru - like the BRZ and 86 before it, the Solterra is a co-development with Toyota, and a sister car to the latter brand’s bZ4X.

    So, it’s not as quintessentially Subaru as something like the Crosstrek, Forester, or Outback. But it’s also not just a rebadged Toyota, with Subaru responsible for developing significant parts of the vehicle, like the suspension and the all-wheel drive system.

    The range is nice and simple, consisting of two variants, the base AWD, and the top-spec AWD Touring, priced from $69,990 and $76,990, before on-road costs, respectively.

    Of course, in this increasingly busy segment, pricing is key, and the Solterra stands out by offering all-wheel drive at the $69,990 entry price, compared to its Toyota bZ4X sister car which is more affordable in its most basic form at $66,000, but it is also front-wheel drive.

    In true Subaru fashion, the standard equipment is excellent, and the base car gets the lion’s share. (Image: Tom White) In true Subaru fashion, the standard equipment is excellent, and the base car gets the lion’s share. (Image: Tom White)

    It’s the same story for its other rivals, with the entry-level Kia EV6 ($72,590) and Ford Mustang Mach-E ($72,990) both being more expensive, but the Hyundai Ioniq 5 ($65,000) and Tesla Model Y ($65,400) able to be had somewhat cheaper, although all are rear-wheel drive.

    One mitigating factor, however, is range, and the Solterra offers less on paper than its aforementioned rivals. It has a 71.4kWh battery and a 414km WLTP-rated driving range, where others offer closer to or more than 500km at the same price-point.

    Sporting 18-inch alloy wheels. (Image: Tom White) Sporting 18-inch alloy wheels. (Image: Tom White)

    In true Subaru fashion, the standard equipment is excellent, and the base car gets the lion’s share. Included are 18-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, cloth interior trim with power adjust for the driver’s seat, a heated steering wheel, LED headlights, and a power tailgate.

    It also scores standard carpet mats and a cargo tray for keeping mud off things during all your adventures. The full suite of active safety gear is standard, too, but more on this later.

    Splashing the extra $7000 on the Touring grade nets you 20-inch alloy wheels, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, a wireless phone charger, synthetic leather interior trim, power adjust for the front passenger's seat, a sort of panoramic sunroof (it’s two sunroof segments with a single cover) and an intelligent self-parking feature.

    Included features are the cloth interior trim with power adjust for the driver’s seat and heated steering wheel. (Image: Tom White) Included features are the cloth interior trim with power adjust for the driver’s seat and heated steering wheel. (Image: Tom White)

    Options are limited to two-tone paints on the Touring, and two charging bundles for those who want an AC charging solution at home, in either 7.0kW or 22kW forms. The Solterra is capable of 11kW charging on AC.

    Upsettingly, the Solterra doesn’t offer vehicle-to-load in its current form, which dents its adventure cred a bit. What better way to show off your EV at the campground than to be able to power your entire set-up?

    Design - Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10

    The Solterra doesn’t have the usual wagon silhouette we tend to expect from a Subaru SUV, and of course it shares a lot of its angular design with the Toyota bZ4X.

    Naturally, this is to help keep development costs (and importantly, drag coefficients) down, but it’s hardly a radical platform-share like the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

    Still, Subaru has left its mark on the Solterra’s final design, with a unique face with a black contrast frame to relate it to the rest of the Subaru family, and a more rugged looking lower clip with fog lights and a silver garnish like you’d also see on a Forester or an Outback.

    The Solterra doesn’t have the usual wagon silhouette we tend to expect from a Subaru SUV, and of course it shares a lot of its angular design with the Toyota bZ4X. (Image: Tom White) The Solterra doesn’t have the usual wagon silhouette we tend to expect from a Subaru SUV, and of course it shares a lot of its angular design with the Toyota bZ4X. (Image: Tom White)

    The light designs are also slightly different from its Toyota sister vehicle.

    The Solterra also has some kind of high-riding appeal we usually associate with the Subaru brand with a class-leading 212mm of ground clearance, which we’ll talk more about in the driving section of this review.

    The light designs are also slightly different from its Toyota sister vehicle. (Image: Tom White) The light designs are also slightly different from its Toyota sister vehicle. (Image: Tom White)

    Inside is a far more science-fiction kind of design than the usual Subaru look, particularly in the extended steering column, distant instrument panel, and dramatic plastic cladding pieces.

    I can’t imagine it will be fun to get dust out of the corners, but the dash is finished in an interesting cloth material, and there are soft-touch synthetic surfaces to help lift the cabin ambiance in the doors and the lifted centre console area.

    Subaru has left its mark on the Solterra’s final design, with a unique face with a black contrast frame to relate it to the rest of the Subaru family, and a more rugged looking lower clip with fog lights and a silver garnish like you’d also see on a Forester or an Outback. (Image: Tom White) Subaru has left its mark on the Solterra’s final design, with a unique face with a black contrast frame to relate it to the rest of the Subaru family, and a more rugged looking lower clip with fog lights and a silver garnish like you’d also see on a Forester or an Outback. (Image: Tom White)

    The usual portrait screen from much of Subaru’s range has been replaced by a landscape-style panel in the Solterra, which is more familiar with current Toyotas.

    Unfortunately, this also extends to the so-so software. It’s fast, well-lit, has decent built-in nav, and plays nice with an Apple CarPlay connection, but there aren’t a lot of compelling software features built-in, nor is there even a ‘home screen’. 

    It would be especially nice to see the same sort of off-road function screens, showing the car’s angle etc, as well as some deeper EV analysis functions to let you know where your energy is vanishing to, as many rivals have.

    Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 8/10

    Practicality in the cabin is solid, with a spacious design, and lots of nooks and crannies for additional storage. Visibility immediately feels excellent out of the cabin, and you sit nice and high off the ground for those looking for a signature SUV seating position.

    I felt like I had plenty of room for my arms and legs, and while the floating instrument cluster is an odd design it's easy to find a comfortable seating position.

    There are two bottle holders in the doors, two more in the centre console, as well as a small armrest box off-set by a large storage cut-away underneath the bridge. This area also houses two USB-C and one 12-volt outlet. 

    A flip-open tray appears atop the console behind the rotary shifter. This houses your wireless charger on the Touring grade, as well as your USB 2.0 data connection for Apple CarPlay.

    The back seat offers me, at 182cm tall, plenty of room behind my own front seating position. Legroom is voluminous, while headroom is about on-par, even with the sunroof. (Image: Tom White) The back seat offers me, at 182cm tall, plenty of room behind my own front seating position. Legroom is voluminous, while headroom is about on-par, even with the sunroof. (Image: Tom White)

    Annoyingly though, the wireless charger has an almost gloss finish to it, so your phone can easily slide out of the charging area, and there’s nowhere to run the USB cable, so the little tray will have to remain open while it is in use.

    The back seat offers me, at 182cm tall, plenty of room behind my own front seating position. Legroom is voluminous, while headroom is about on-par, even with the sunroof.

    The floor is notably high, so there is an element of climbing up into the Solterra’s back seat. The doors feature big bottle holders, and there are a further two in a drop-down armrest, which also features a slot good for a phone.

    The boot space measures in at 410 litres. (Image: Tom White) The boot space measures in at 410 litres. (Image: Tom White)

    Pockets appear on the backs of the front seats, and there’s a set of dual adjustable air vents for rear passengers on the back of the console.

    Heated rear outboard seats appear on the Touring grade, and there are a further two USB-C outlets offered to rear passengers.

    Unlike some EV rivals, there’s no three-pin household outlet, handy for charging and powering larger devices. Seems like a missed opportunity to make the most of the big battery pack.

    Both Solterra grades score a power tailgate at the rear, and boot space measures in at 410 litres, larger than the Mustang Mach-E, but smaller than the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Tesla Model Y.

    Under the floor there is a small styrofoam tray which offers enough room for your AC charging cable.

    Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its motor? 7/10

    The Solterra is only offered in a single layout, a dual-motor system delivering a combined 160kW/337Nm. These outputs are split evenly between the axles, which is suitable for producing an electric emulation of Subaru’s signature ‘Symmetrical all-wheel drive’ set-up.

    The Solterra is only offered in a single layout, a dual-motor system delivering a combined 160kW/337Nm. (Image: Tom White) The Solterra is only offered in a single layout, a dual-motor system delivering a combined 160kW/337Nm. (Image: Tom White)

    You might notice, though, it is a lot less powerful than all-wheel drive versions of rivals which can measure well in excess of 200kW. Even the Mustang Mach-E produces 198kW in its most basic rear-wheel drive form.

    If it’s power you're searching for you might want to look elsewhere, but I think the 160kW on offer is hardly slow, either.

    Efficiency – What is its driving range? What is its charging time? 7/10

    The Solterra’s only battery option is a 71.4kWh unit, granting both variants a WLTP-rated driving range of 414km.

    As already mentioned, this hands 2WD rivals a significant range advantage at the same price, and no, there are no longer range battery options coming, at least in the immediate future.

    The Solterra’s charging specifications are respectable, though, with fast DC charging capability up to a claimed 150kW.

    The Solterra’s charging specifications are respectable, though, with fast DC charging capability up to a claimed 150kW. (Image: Tom White) The Solterra’s charging specifications are respectable, though, with fast DC charging capability up to a claimed 150kW. (Image: Tom White)

    This means a 10-80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes on a pylon of matching or higher capability.

    On the slower AC standard, the Solterra can charge at a rate of 11kW, meaning a six and a half hour charge time on a unit capable of this speed, while a wall socket will take it from 10-100 per cent in 35 hours.

    This means a 10-80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes on a pylon of matching or higher capability. (Image: Tom White) This means a 10-80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes on a pylon of matching or higher capability. (Image: Tom White)

    These numbers are about the same as the Mach-E Select grade, but are easily bested by the 800-volt EV6 and Ioniq 5.

    When it comes to energy efficiency, the sticker notes a frankly ambitious 14.1kWh/100km, but in our test drive loop covering two hours and 110km, I saw 17kWh/100km on the dash which is much closer to what I’d expect to see in the real-world. Stay tuned for future tests for more long-term efficiency numbers.

    Driving – What's it like to drive? 8/10

    With no shortage of Toyota bits here, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Solterra is a cynical badge-engineering exercise, but there’s much more to the story which becomes apparent when you actually drive it.

    There are a lot of characteristics which make it slot into the Subaru range with surprising ease.

    For a start, the 160kW, which initially sounds disappointing is all this car needs, and to be fair, it’s not as though the majority of Subaru’s range is known for stellar power outputs.

    It’s more about the power being delivered reliably and predictably to the ground in an all-wheel drive fashion, which is exactly what you get here.

    Sure, it’s not as breakneck fast as we’ve come to expect from all-wheel drive electric SUVs in this class, but it doesn’t need to be, instead providing just enough to put a smile on your face while maintaining predictable accelerator response.

    Next is the steering. It, too, has the same kind of balanced weighting you’d find on a Forester or an Outback. It has a nice ratio at high and low speeds making it feel right for most driving scenarios.

    It’s weighted on the ligher side, in contrast to something like the Mach-E which has heavier, more performance oriented steering, nor does it have too much of an artificial, electrically-assisted feel like the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, or Tesla Model Y.

    The Solterra remains balanced and compliant, not just on the open road, gravel or over suburban bumps, but also when you take it on more rough terrain. (Image: Tom White) The Solterra remains balanced and compliant, not just on the open road, gravel or over suburban bumps, but also when you take it on more rough terrain. (Image: Tom White)

    The most impressive part of the Solterra experience is the ride. This car has the same balanced and comfortable ride as something like a Forester. Importantly, it’s free of the harshness or stilted quality usually associated with EVs in this class, as brands learn to deal with the additional weight of battery packs.

    It’s no sweat for the smooth Solterra, though, with the brand’s product and engineering people telling us the suspension was Subaru’s responsibility rather than Toyota’s during development. It shows.

    It remains balanced and compliant, not just on the open road, gravel or over suburban bumps, but also when you take it on more rough terrain.

    Again, for this to be a real Subaru it would need some kind of off-road prowess, and I’m pleased to report, from what I could tell on the short (curated) off-road driving route, it could do just about everything a Forester or Outback could.

    Of course, I’d err on the side of caution if you take one of these home. A punctured battery pack is going to be a decidedly more costly adventure than some scraped running gear in a combustion car.

    The Solterra also offers a unique feature - a function which is like an off-road cruise control.

    You set a speed with a toggle on the console, say 2.0km/h, and the computer-controlled all-wheel drive system will figure out how to maintain it over rough terrain.

    The Solterra also offers a unique feature - a function which is like an off-road cruise control. (Image: Tom White) The Solterra also offers a unique feature - a function which is like an off-road cruise control. (Image: Tom White)

    I can’t tell you if you’ll actually use this often, but it’s a neat use of the capability of the electric motors and traction systems, regardless.

    The genuine rough-road ability makes the comparatively limited range sting a bit more, though, because any camp ground, lookout or fishing spot you’re trying to get to will have to be within a 150km radius of the nearest charger if you want to make it back in one piece with range to spare.

    How does the Solterra behave as an EV? Four adjustble levels of regen says good things, as does a single-pedal driving mode.

    Not everyone is a fan of this, but I depend on it in most electric cars when commuting around town.

    Weirdly, it doesn’t seem to come to a complete stop most of the time, you still need to use the brake pedal to stop it from rolling when the regen cuts out.

    Where does this leave us? This is an electric SUV well suited to a Subaru buyer. The brand pillars of a great ride, easy going steering and smooth power output, as well as just enough off-road and EV cred should keep it widely appealing.

    But if you’re looking to make a statement on range or performance, there are better options further up the price scale.

    Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 9/10

    Like most Subarus, the Solterra gets all the key active safety equipment as standard, even if it is a slightly different flavour from the brand’s signature 'EyeSight' suite.

    Expect freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane keep aids, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as driver attention monitoring, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.

    The best part is these systems largely play their part in the background, and unlike some rivals, you don’t need to turn certain features off because they become too annoying.

    Just in time for the launch, the Solterra was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to 2024 standards.

    Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 9/10

    It’s the usual five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty for the Solterra with five years of roadside assist.

    The high-voltage battery pack is covered by a separate but also industry-standard eight-year and 160,000km warranty.

    The best part? Servicing for the first five years or 75,000km will cost you $0. For a brand which usually has slightly higher service costs than its Japanese rivals, it’s a big win.

    Pricing & SpecsInsurance Quote
    Verdict

    This specific mid-size EV space has become quite busy in recent years and it’s increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. Subaru has approached this issue by sticking to what it has always done best - offering ready-for-adventure credientials at a value price-point compared to its rivals.

    But this comes at a cost. The Solterra isn’t bringing the price of entry down for this class of EV, nor does it have a stand-out driving range, which can be important factors for many first-time electric car buyers. Subaru is clearly leaning on syncing this model up as best it can to the rest of its range to lure in its loyal customers.

    Our pick of the range is the base AWD - like most other Subarus, it gets the lion's share of equipment at a compelling price.

    Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

    $69,990

    Based on new car retail price

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    Score

    3.9/5
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    Price Guide

    $69,990

    Based on new car retail price

    See pricing and specification for 2024 Subaru Solterra pricing & specs
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