2023 Subaru Solterra SUV

　　

2023 Subaru Solterra Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　At long last, Subaru has gotten into the EV game with its all-new 2023 Solterra SUV. It comes as a result of a collaboration with Toyota, which builds its related bZ4X EV in the same plant. As is the case with its Toyota sibling, the Solterra has some great selling points as well as some drawbacks.

　　

Subaru Solterra EV Insights

Trim:Solterra Premium

　　Premium 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $44,995 MSRPLimited 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $48,495 MSRPTouring 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $51,995 MSRP

　　

Range

　　228 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 194 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　No battery warranty information available

　　

Charging at Home

　　11 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$69/mo

　　Solterra

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　Size-wise, the Solterra is similar to Subaru's Forester. And as a Subaru, it benefits from some light off-road capabilities thanks to its elevated ride height and 8.3 inches of ground clearance. It also comes with all-wheel drive by way of two electric motors. They combine to produce a modest 215 horsepower — a dual-motor Tesla Model Y generates approximately twice as much — but we drove the Solterra on both city streets and off-road and found that it has suitable acceleration for most people.

　　Subaru estimates the Solterra can go up to 228 miles of range on a single charge, which is also on the low end for EVs today. Some rivals can push past 300 miles. On the plus side, owners can take advantage of a free home charger or a credit for charging on the EVgo network. For longer trips, you have access to 10 days of free Subaru rentals at participating dealers.

　　Like many electric vehicles, the Solterra makes an instant impression inside. It has interesting textures such as a denim-like cloth dashboard, soft plastic touch points, and a glossy piano black center console and touchscreen area. The combination lends the Solterra a distinctive eco-focused vibe compared with traditional compact SUVs. From the driver's seat, the steering wheel and forward digital display screen are housed in a futuristic-looking design that sits higher than usual.

　　There are definitely some areas where the 2023 Subaru Solterra comes up short against other top EVs, but it may redeem itself in other areas once we can get one in and run it through our usual battery of tests and evaluations. In the meantime, we suggest also checking out the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y as part of your search for an electric SUV.

　　

Which Solterra does zzdcar recommend?

The base Premium trim gets our recommendation since there are no performance or range differences between models. You get a lot of standard features for the money along with plenty of advanced safety features, including adaptive cruise control.

　　

Subaru Solterra models

The 2023 Subaru Solterra is an all-electric SUV that is offered in three trim levels: Premium, Limited and Touring. A 72.8-kWh battery pack powers two electric motors that produce a total of 215 horsepower and 249 lb-ft of torque. The Solterra is all-wheel-drive and Subaru projects a range of 228 miles on a full charge (the EPA has not released its estimate as of this writing). Feature highlights include:

　　Premium

　　Comes reasonably well equipped with:

　　18-inch alloy wheels Roof rails LED headlights DC fast charging (up to 100 kW) Windshield wiper de-icer Keyless entry and ignition Dual-zone automatic climate control Cloth upholstery Heated front seats Heated steering wheel 60/40-split folding rear seats 8-inch center touchscreen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (with wireless connectivity) Remote control and monitoring via a smartphone appStandard advanced safety features include:

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front) Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot) Automatic reverse braking (applies the brakes automatically to avoid an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle) Lane keeping assist (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Emergency steering assist (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance) Front cross-traffic alert (warns of potential collisions in intersections)Limited

　　Adds several convenience and comfort features such as:

　　20-inch wheels LED foglights Power liftgate Rain-sensing wipers Power-folding mirrors Simulated leather upholstery 12.3-inch touchscreen Wireless charging pad Power-adjustable driver's seat with memory functions Heated rear outboard seats Heated steering wheel Auto-dimming rearview mirror Integrated navigation system Harman Kardon premium audioAdditional safety features include:

　　Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the vehicle and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Semi-automated parking system Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your path while you're in reverse)Touring

　　Tops off the Solterra lineup with:

　　Panoramic sunroof Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area) Ventilated front seats Interior ambient lighting

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