Subaru Solterra endurance test: what is the driving experience like?

Our car tester Rutger drives Subaru’s first electric car for a month: the Solterra. This week he talks about the driving experience.

When does the car run well, and when does it run badly? Car manufacturers always measure the so-called NVH: noise, vibration and harshness. How much noise do you get, what are the vibrations and when do you feel a kick in the butt? In addition, there is something that must be determined more by emotion: how does it lead and how does the body work react? Does the car respond quickly to steering movements? Does the body rotate at an angle? Something like that. NVH is highly measurable and, furthermore, less noise, vibration and vibration is always better in a passenger car. The cars that score badly on this are racing cars, because everything is made to go fast, at the expense of everything, including comfort.

Craftsmen built the front and the door

How a car drives is largely a matter of taste. What? do you want the smooth feeling of a rolling magic carpet, or would you like to have more views from the road at the expense of comfortable and engaging driving? Citroen and Volvo are traditionally the first type, Mazda and BMW the second. Subaru has always been a little crazy, also in the choices they make when it comes to the driving experience.

Subaru is built by craftsmen. It’s a bit of a stupid car. But not for the car connoisseur who would prefer to drive a racing car, but for the car adventurer who usually wants to get from A to B, on the occasional sand road, a horse trailer behind him or a canoe on the roof.

It really feels like a Subaru

The entire driving experience is designed for this. The car has good suspension, but does not hate corners. It feels at home on the highway, but also plows effortlessly through a muddy forest trail. As a driver, you always feel what the car is doing, without suffering for it. Just like in my old 2000 Subaru Legacy, when you hit the accelerator you want to let out a little noise at the last minute to drive over the accelerator in a short stroke, where the car seems to go smoothly with perfect suspension. it takes effect.

I dare say the Solterra feels like a Subaru, even though it’s half a Toyota.

Earlier in this Subaru Solterra endurance test:

How stupid is a Japanese brand?

Subaru Solterra: infotainment and driver assistance systems

Rutger Middendorp tests a different electric car every month in the Endurance Test.