Pricing and details released for Subaru’s first EV in Australia

Notably, it is also the first battery electric vehicle from Toyota, as the Solterra is in essence a re-skinned Toyota bZ4X.

The announcement lands just days after Toyota copped criticism from EV pioneer Tesla for claiming EVs are “impractical for the vast majority of Australian motorists”.

Both the bZ4x and the Solterra were subjected to recalls in overseas markets two months after going on sale because an engineering flaw caused a risk that screws in the wheel would come loose.

Having seemingly overcome this not insignificant blip, Subaru has now confirmed a limited number of Solterra SUVs for the local market.

An exclusive pre-order invitation has been sent to interested drivers that have registered their interest.

Previously, just one variant of the Subaru Solterra had been confirmed for Australia, with a 71.4kW battery, 160kW/337Nm powertrain, and a market leading 210mm ground clearance.

Now, Subaru has confirmed two variants, starting with the Solterra AWD priced from $77,990.

Sitting above this is the Subaru AWD Touring which is priced from $83,690, all before on-road costs.

While Australian specs are yet to be finalised, Subaru has now indicated a WLTP driving range of 414km.

Standard inclusions in addition to the powertrain above are a 12.4” central touch screen, a 7” instrument cluster, powered driver seat with electric lumbar support, and heated front and back seats as well as steering wheel.

Intelligent driving dynamics are promised, with symmetrical all-wheel drive, single-pedal driving and a dual motor “X mode” with grip function.

This, along with 210mm ground clearance – the highest in the electric vehicle segment – is aimed squarely at the adventure crowd.

The 71.4kW battery can be recharged in around 30 minutes from 20 to 80 per cent on a 150kW charger, 7-8 hours charging at a maximum rate of 7kW on an AC charger.

Other key features include a power tailgate, LED fog and headlights, and a digital rear view mirror.

The standard AWD variant is joined by the Solterra AWD Touring, which in addition to these, features a 10-speaher Harmon Kardon sound system, wireless Qi smartphone charger, synthetic leather seat trim, seat and mirror position memory for the driver and heated power seats for the front passenger.

Standard 18-inch alloys are swapped for 20-inch wheels for the Touring trim, and it also features smart parking and a panoramic glass roof.

Numerous safety features are listed for both variants under the moniker “Subaru Safety Sense.”

This includes advanced features such as an adaptive high-beam system, dynamic radar cruise control, emergency driving stop system, emergency steering assist, lane departure alert, lane tracing assist, low-speed acceleration suppression, pre-collision system, and road sign assist.

The Solterra also comes with vision assist, which consists of blind spot monitoring (BSM), a panoramic 360 degree view monitor, parking support brake, rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), and rear parking sensors.

In addition to this, the vehicle is equipped with a driver monitor system, which provides warnings for distractions and drowsiness.

Optional for the Touring trim is a two-tone paint scheme from $1,200.

Drivers can also choose one of two charging add-ons.

One bundle, priced at $2,250, includes installation of a single-phase home Ocular LTE Plus charger with 6 metre tethered cable.

The second bundle, which is priced at $2,645, includes the same but in a three-phase format.

All vehicles also come with a 2kW/8amp mobile charging cable, carpet mats and cargo tray.

A five-year/unlimited kilometre general warranty and eight-year/160,000km warranty are also included.