Subaru officially unveiled its long-anticipated first electric vehicle this week, after months of hinting and teasing. The 2023 Solterra is a compact SUV with standard all-wheel drive (of course) and over 220 miles of driving range.
Subaru has given no hints as to the Solterra’s price range. Automakers have introduced many small electric SUVs with prices in the mid-$40,000-range this year. We expect the Solterra to be priced in a similar realm to stay competitive. It reaches U.S. dealerships in mid-2022.
A Toyota Twin
The Solterra was designed in collaboration with Toyota and is nearly the same as the 2023 Toyota bZ4x. Both vehicles are among the introductions at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Attendees might struggle to tell them apart.
They share the same angular silhouette. Both feature oversized fender cladding. But designers have given them slightly different front fascias. The Subie has a hexagonal black trim piece aping a traditional grille, where the Toyota’s nose is pure sheet metal. The Subaru’s headlights appear slightly larger, with U-shaped daytime running LEDs surrounding the low and high beams. And, of course, the badges identify them. But it’s not going to be easy to tell the two apart.
But the Subaru is AWD-Only
Mechanically, there is at least one major difference between the Solterra and the bZ4X. The Toyota is available in both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations. The Subaru comes only with all-wheel drive (AWD).
Subaru still calls this system Symmetrical AWD, like the system found on gas-powered Subies. But it works in a much simpler way. The Solterra has one electric motor mounted to each axle, driving the front and rear wheels separately. Subaru says the system’s total output is 215 horsepower. An X-Mode traction control system offers hill ascent and descent assists.
No one outside Subaru has driven the Solterra yet. Subaru has a more robust off-road reputation to defend than Toyota, so we’re eager to find out if the through-the-road AWD system and 8.3 inches of ground clearance match up with Subaru’s rugged image. We’ll bring you drive impressions soon.
The EPA hasn’t tested the Solterra’s range yet. Subaru expects it to be certified for about 220 miles on a single charge. With a Level 2 fast charger, the company says, the Solterra can charge to 80% battery capacity “in under an hour.”
Stylish, Contemporary Cabin
If you’ve driven Subarus before, you’ll find the Solterra’s cabin a bit of a departure for the brand. Two-tone upholstery and a cloth-textured dashboard lend a tweed-like air to the proceedings. The cabin is built around a relatively large 12.3-inch touchscreen – big enough that the center stack has to curve toward the passenger’s side to contain it. However, early observers note that the steering wheel partially blocks the driver’s view of the screen.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard. Owners can use their smartphone to lock and unlock the car and warm or cool the cabin to a preferred temperature remotely.
Subaru’s EyeSight suite of safety technologies is standard, including adaptive cruise control and lane centering. For the first time, it includes 360 degrees of camera views.
