2023 Subaru Solterra Review

At long last, Subaru has gotten into the EV game with its all-new 2023 Solterra SUV. It comes as a result of a collaboration with Toyota, which builds its related bZ4X EV in the same plant. As is the case with its Toyota sibling, the Solterra has some great selling points as well as some drawbacks.

Size-wise, the Solterra is similar to Subaru's Forester. And as a Subaru, it benefits from some light off-road capabilities thanks to its elevated ride height and 8.3 inches of ground clearance. It also comes with all-wheel drive by way of two electric motors. They combine to produce a modest 215 horsepower — a dual-motor Tesla Model Y generates approximately twice as much — but we drove the Solterra on both city streets and off-road and found that it has suitable acceleration for most people.

Subaru estimates the Solterra can go up to 228 miles of range on a single charge, which is also on the low end for EVs today. Some rivals can push past 300 miles. On the plus side, owners can take advantage of a free home charger or a credit for charging on the EVgo network. For longer trips, you have access to 10 days of free Subaru rentals at participating dealers.

Like many electric vehicles, the Solterra makes an instant impression inside. It has interesting textures such as a denim-like cloth dashboard, soft plastic touch points, and a glossy piano black center console and touchscreen area. The combination lends the Solterra a distinctive eco-focused vibe compared with traditional compact SUVs. From the driver's seat, the steering wheel and forward digital display screen are housed in a futuristic-looking design that sits higher than usual.

There are definitely some areas where the 2023 Subaru Solterra comes up short against other top EVs, but it may redeem itself in other areas once we can get one in and run it through our usual battery of tests and evaluations. In the meantime, we suggest also checking out the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y as part of your search for an electric SUV.

The 2023 Subaru Solterra is an all-electric SUV that is offered in three trim levels: Premium, Limited and Touring. A 72.8-kWh battery pack powers two electric motors that produce a total of 215 horsepower and 249 lb-ft of torque. The Solterra is all-wheel-drive and Subaru projects a range of 228 miles on a full charge (the EPA has not released its estimate as of this writing). Feature highlights include: