Subaru comes with the assurance of go-anywhere and do-anything spirit in its DNA, be it an off-roader, or cars like BRZ and WRX sports car. The Japanese automotive giant is now looking to tap the electric crossover market with the brand new 2023 Solterra. In fact, this is the first-ever pure electric vehicle in Subaru’s line-up.
The crossover is developed in collaboration with Toyota which is already making a foothold in the electric vehicle market. So, it’s no coincidence if the Solterra seems a lot more similar to the Toyota BZ4X in more ways than not. One major difference though is the sole all-wheel-drive version in the Subaru’s crossover, compared to the additional option of the front-wheel-drive version with the BZ4X.
Designer: Subaru
The EV is powered by the 72.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack sitting between the axles, generating 215 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque. The car goes from 0-60 mph in just 6.5 seconds flat which is good considering this is an EV. Solterra has a very low center of gravity and soft suspension which makes it a bit jittery while tackling tight corners.
The silver lining here though is the high ground clearance of 8.3 inches and the multiple levels of regenerative braking which is controlled via the paddles mounted on the steering wheel. This provides a strong level of regen for one-pedal driving. Soleterra comes with the X-Mode all-wheel-drive tech that brings functions like hill start assist, descent control, variable traction and stability options.
This peppy electric crossover vehicle is loaded with a 72.8-kWh battery pack with an estimated range of 228 miles for the Premium models and 222 miles for the Limited and Touring models due to the big wheels. According to Subaru, the battery charges to 80 percent in under an hour with the 100-kW DC fast-charger.
On the inside, the car gets Toyota’s 12-inch infotainment system (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible) for the Limited and Touring trims. Overall, the cabin is quite spacious for passengers, and there’s ample space to haul cargo for longer trips. The interior cabin design is very clean, perfectly contrasted with the textured elements like dashboard fabric or the peculiar digital motif on the center console. The damping system works great on the Solterra as it handles the road imperfections with minimum fuzz. For dirt roads, the traction is good enough thanks to the X-Mode with Grip Control.
The price for the 2023 Subaru Solterra crossover is still to be officially announced but it’s expected to start at around the $42,000 mark. It should be noted that only 6,500 units will be produced this year, and the number will be slightly more in 2023.
