The fresh bison droppings were the giveaway: Less than half an hour into our off-road drive in the 2023 Subaru Solterra electric crossover we were on the wrong trail, separated from the rest of the test cars and in a no-cell-signal zone.
We knew we were on our own because though we’d started behind several other Solterras, the bison patties on the brush-choked trail hadn’t been flattened by vehicles that should’ve been ahead of us.
Ultimately we got to where we needed to be, and were able to drive the new Subie in some pretty rough terrain along the way, experiencing its capabilities climbing into and out of deep canyons in the interior of Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California.
“Subaru–at home where the bison roam” seems an appropriate slogan. The island’s wild bison are descended from 14 bovines abandoned after being brought to the island for a movie in 1914. They go where they want, and so does the Solterra.
Twinning with Toyota
Unlike pure-bred bison, the 2023 Solterra is a mongrel, co-developed with Subaru’s part-owner, Toyota, and in most respects a twin of the just-introduced 2023 Toyota bZ4X.
The differences between the two EVs are mostly in front-end and lighting treatments, Subaru’s use of matte black plastic cladding rather than the gloss black used by Toyota, a few bits of extra standard equipment on the Solterra, the badging and extra ground clearance. Subaru claims 8.3 inches for the Soltera while Toyota’s version gets just 8.1.
The mechanical pieces are identical on both, said Garrick Goh, Subaru’s Solterra planning manager, and the interiors are also almost carbon copies, with base-model 8-inch infotainment screens and 12.3-inch units on higher trims.
There’s lots of interior storage, plenty of leg and head room in both rows of seating–although a little less rear legroom than the competition. There’s up to 29 cubic-feet of storage in the dual-level cargo area behind the rear seats. That’s about the same as in the Subaru Forester and, among likely EV competitors, only the Volkswagen ID.4 has more.
The Solterra looks nothing like the Forester, however. Two inches longer, and an inch wider and with a roof that’s 4 inches closer to the ground, it’s much sleeker. Its 7.3 inches of additional wheelbase also give it a roomier interior than the Forester.
On the plus side, the seats are supportive and well-bolstered. Also, ever mindful that a lot of its customers live in snowy regions and drive with gloves on, Subaru insisted on meaty knobs and physical switches for climate, audio and drive mode controls rather than burying them in complicated screens.
Lagging the Field
The Solterra will be competing with the likes of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and VW ID.4 as well as the bZ4X. And it trails potential rivals (except the Toyota) in several areas.
It’s range—222 miles, or 228 for the base model, which runs on smaller tires—is lowest of the pack. Its charging speed, 100 kilowatt maximum capacity at DC fast-charge stations, is slowest at an hour for an 80 percent recharge. Other small electric crossovers can replenish in 30 minutes or less. Its 215 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque trail the competition as well, although most Subaru owners tend to care more about ruggedness than speed
Definitely a Subie
We can’t attest to the 2023 Solterra’s dependability—it rides an all-new, EV-specific platform (Subaru calls it the e-Subaru Global Platform, Toyota the e-TNGA) with no track record—but the ruggedness seems to be there. That makes it the Subaru many green-leaning fans of the brand have been waiting for.
Despite the absence of a mechanical driveshaft connecting front and rear axles, the all-electric Solterra performs just like other Subarus off road and offers slightly better ride quality on the highway. That’s thanks to a skateboard platform design that places the heavy battery pack beneath the cabin floor, lowering the Solterra’s center of gravity, helping it stick to the road and minimizing body roll.
It won’t win many drag races, but it can get out of its own way and, as an EV, its torque is instantly available for maximum low-speed power when off-roading. Oddly though, for a vehicle marketed in part for its off-road capabilities, the Soltera has no spare tire. The extra weight could have affected its EPA fuel efficiency rating, one engineer explained.
Subaru has never been known for fuel economy and the Solterra continues that trend, just with a different power source. The Solterra uses no gas, of course, but its base trim earns a 104 MPGe rating from the EPA, which trails most other EV crossovers, even the bZ4X. Only the heavier, more vigorous versions of the Mustang Mach-E fare worse.
X-cellent AWD
The AWD system, which Subaru is sharing with another automaker for the first time, is an electronic version of Subie’s renowned Symmetrical AWD, called StarDrive for the EV. It features X-Mode, Grip Control, and both Downhill and Hill-Start assist.
X-Mode is an electronically controlled torque, brake and throttle management system that gives the compact crossover Velcro-like grip, tank-line traction and off-road cruise-control (Grip Control) over different (and selectable) surfaces. It maintains low speeds with the precision of the U.S. Army Drill Team to prevent jerky acceleration when easing over rocks and through mud wallows and over unstable terrain.
We had no problem climbing any of the steep, deeply rutted and rock-strewn sections of our uncharted trail and never lost footing in the thick loose dirt and gravel on the flatter portions of the trail. The Solterra was just as sure-footed rolling along the highways and winding paved roads north of Santa Barbara.
Poised for Incentives
All Solterras will be AWD, and Subaru intends to launch mid-year in all 50 states, then let the market decide which dealers should get the highest allocations. Only 6,500 units will come stateside for 2022, and Goh said that all have been reserved since online ordering opened in February.
Another 13,000 have been earmarked for the U.S. in 2023 and Subaru is hoping that demand and production capabilities will be in sync for even expanded availability thereafter.
One significant long-term advantage the 2023 Solterra holds over bZ4X is that the federal clean car tax credit for Toyota EV buyers is about to start phasing out and could be gone by late 2023. Subaru’s eligibility should continue for years, making the Solterra considerably cheaper.
Solterra Pricing and Trims
For now, the 2023 Solterra is available in three trim levels with the two top trims each running several thousand dollars more than their corresponding Toyota twins.
The base Solterra Premium trim, which doesn’t have a bZ4X counterpart, starts at $46,220 before incentives and includes a $1,225 destination fee. It comes with 18-inch alloys, cloth upholstery, manual seats and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen.
But the Solterra comes standard with several features that are either options or not available on the Toyota. Among them are heated seats, a “power” drive mode for sportier accelerator pedal response and paddle-activated regenerative braking with a one-pedal mode that rapidly slows it to a near stop before the brake pedal is needed.
Also reserved for the upper trims—the $49,720 Solterra Limited and $53,220 Touring—are goodies such as 20-inch alloys, roof rails, a power-adjustable driver seat, faux leather upholstery, heated rear seats, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a Harmon-Kardon audio system. The Touring trim gets a glass roof, cooled front seats and a few appearance amenities.
All 2023 Subaru Solterra trims also get Subie’s well-regarded “EyeSight” driver assistance package with lane keeping and lane centering assist, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and front and rear collision avoidance with emergency braking and pedestrian and bicyclist recognition.
The Solterra uses a version of development partner Toyota’s infotainment system. It includes Wi-Fi-based music streaming, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual smartphone pairing, over-the-air software updates and, in the two upper trims, cloud-based navigation with real-time traffic information.
The Way Forward
Many other automakers have embraced the transition to EVs, but Subaru has set a rather modest goal of just 40% electric and gas-electric hybrid vehicle sales globally by 2030 with a 90% reduction in total CO2 emissions from its vehicles by 2050. Nor has the company announced any intent to do away with internal combustion engines any time soon. That would be a costly goal for this relatively small automaker.
However slowly it inches toward electrification, though, the Solterra is a good first step. It is a dedicated EV, not a conversion of an existing gas-engine model, and it is built on a platform that can easily be adapted for other all-electric models in both crossover and sedan styles.
Like its Toyota twin, the Solterra is a competent EV that a few years ago would have been considered a very good one. Subaru will have to get moving on subsequent EVs if it hopes to stay competitive, but the Solterra carries the best off-road qualifications of any of the AWD electric crossovers in its class. It’ll also continue to enjoy federal incentives for years to come, a big boost to its value proposition.
