The Subaru Solterra is Subaru’s first electric car.

Visually, the Solterra has the unusual metal armor of the bZ4x, but at least it doesn’t have to be ashamed of its name – the Solterra beats the bZ4x very clearly. With its large exterior, attractive plastic panels and elegant 20-inch designs, the Solterra doesn’t look particularly sensible, so the 4.69m Stromer definitely stands out.

The back of the Soltera also stands out.
Photo: Subaru

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If you think about the typical customer of Subaru, which, at least according to the cliché, is in close contact with forests, hunting and forests, you can certainly think of Solterra in this environment; All-wheel drive, produced by two 109 hp electric motors on the front and rear axles, supports this theory. Even standard road values ​​such as ground clearance (21 cm), approach angle (17.7 degrees front, 25.4 degrees rear) and ramp angle (18.1 degrees) do not leave Solterra and its driver safe. deep slopes, muddy paths and steep winding paths. Special off-road driving modes and an all-round camera help when navigating on rough terrain.

But Solterra shows no weakness on the pitch either. It looks balanced on the road, and this is where it differs from other electric SUVs that are very well organized, and clear various bumps. And that despite the large 20-inch aluminum. Driving in the Subaru Solterra does not give any reason to complain, however, acceleration is more than enough thanks to two engines, and overclocking is not a problem even when driving. Otherwise, Solterra and its residents can swim along with the traffic in and out of the city.

There is a lot of space in the interior, and adults will not reach their limits even in the back seats. Operation offers a mix of digital and analog, Subaru/Toyota have refrained from creating a modern interior that offers conventional buttons and switches – a good thing. The fact that these buttons, which control the temperature of the seat (without a visible effect) or the climate, are touch-sensitive surfaces without clearly defined feedback, is the second best solution – the “real” buttons still work well.

The manufacturer promises a range of 416 kilometers with a fully charged battery; In fact, a lot has to come together to even begin to reach this value. With an outside temperature of 20 degrees, the on-board computer showed 325 kilometers after a full charge at night. And despite careful driving, they melted much faster than the number of kilometers added to the meter reading. Switching off the air conditioning adds almost ten percent to the range, but the days when e-mobility was about squeezing out the last few kilometers without sacrificing any comfort should be long gone.

Low-to-the-ground cockpit.
Photo: Subaru

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Anyone charging at home using an 11 kW three-phase wall box needs patience: the Solterra can only be charged at 3.7 kW per hour. of hunting for hours to find the right time to shoot may have the right patience. Or, if you need something fast, switch to a public fast charging station. However, this should only be done in exceptional cases to treat the battery as gently as possible.