2024 Subaru Solterra review

If you keep up to date with the news you’ll have likely noticed headlines falling into one of two camps: electric vehicles are either an inevitable future or a miserable dead end. Manufacturers have been just as divided on the debate, though more and more are emerging as moderates as time passes and technology improves.

Subaru is one of these, opting to join the EV market later than most and with a smaller investment, co-developing its Solterra SUV with Toyota (which badges its version as the BZ4x). 

Off the bat, the Solterra differentiates itself by way of line-up. Available only in dual-motor all-wheel drive configuration (with no front-wheel drive option as seen on the bZ4X), the Solterra starts from $69,990 for the base model AWD and is topped by an AWD Touring spec at $76,990.

These follow price cuts of $8000 and $6700 respectively, meaning the cheapest Solterra undercuts the Toyota AWD bZ4X by $4910 and the cheapest AWD variant of the Tesla Model Y (Australia’s best-selling EV) by $2910. (Editor's note: since writing this review, Tesla has dropped the price of the Long Range Tesla Model Y to $69,990 before on-road costs.)

Subaru also offers free servicing for the Solterra for the first five years (with 12-month/15,000km intervals) compared to the bZ4X which will cost owners $180 per service over the same span. The high-voltage battery gets an eight-year/160,000km warranty while the rest of the car is covered for five years/unlimited kilometres. 

The cabin has a solid feel, with all controls placed logically. Passable ergonomics and supportive seats make long distance drives a breeze. A responsive 12.3-inch centre touchscreen runs a Toyota interface, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav and DAB+ radio.

Rear leg room is a strength, as is the tiltable rear seat, although these come at the expense of boot space, with the Solterra’s 441- to 452-litre capacity (with rear seats up) lacking compared to the Subaru Outback’s 509 litres.

Black plastic fenders and bumper trims feel very ‘Subaru’ and are seen elsewhere across the brand’s line-up. Stepping up to Touring spec sees wheels grow from 18 to 20 inches, which suits the body lines much better.

Safety has been Subaru’s bread and butter for yonks and that same emphasis is brought into the Solterra.

A five-star ANCAP rating and suite of safety features (including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic and blind spot alert, driver attention warning and road sign recognition) come as standard, with the brand’s famed symmetrical all-wheel drive system also featuring under the guise of ‘X Mode’ switchable drive modes.

This ‘symmetry’ presumably refers to the electric motors fitted front and rear, turning out an identical 80kW each to achieve the model’s 160kW/337Nm outputs.

A 71.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack offers a claimed range of 414km between charges. Our testing confirmed this as achievable in the right circumstances, although the figure is still on the slight side for the capacity, falling behind segment rivals.

A 150kW DC and 11kW AC maximum charge rate, as well as lack of vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-load capability, may further dampen the Solterra’s appeal to some.

On the road, the Solterra earns its keep. Brake regeneration and throttle have been smoothly tuned, with the model seeming to have more urgency from a standstill than its Toyota twin (perhaps due to no front-wheel drive version being offered). Steering feel and suspension are both refined, providing good feedback in all driving scenarios. 

The 2024 Subaru Solterra at a glance

Overall, the Solterra is a worthy addition to the growing electric SUV space – and likely cost Subaru a lot less than developing its own EV from scratch. As with its BZ4x sibling, the Solterra falls short on a spec sheet but delivers on-road. Subaru’s smart move to cut pricing and place the Solterra below both the Toyota and Tesla offering may pay off in the long run.

Pros: Great build quality; affordable compared to rivals

Cons: Features list not competitive; forgettable styling