2026 Subaru Solterra

The Subaru Solterra, an electric SUV that shares much of its hardware with the Toyota bZ (née bZ4X), gets some big upgrades for 2026. It has improved range, more powerful electric motors and now comes standard with a Tesla-style North American Charging System (NACS) port that brings it up to date with the new industry standard.

But it's still a bland SUV that doesn't compare well to competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Tesla Model Y. The exterior styling is dull and the interior is even worse. If you've spent any time in a modern Toyota, the interior will be familiar to you. A 14-inch screen is new for 2026, and much of the glossy black plastic that adorned previous models is thankfully gone. Unfortunately, it hasn't been replaced by more interesting or engaging materials or colors. There is drab plastic everywhere you look, even in the top-tier Touring XT trim.

The good news is pricing has remained mostly flat for 2026 after Toyota slashed the starting price of the Solterra for 2025. That may be the saving grace for the Subaru, which starts around $5,000 cheaper than the Model Y and Ioniq 5.

The 74.7-kWh battery pack is slightly more energy-dense than the pre-refresh car, and Subaru says that range is now more than 285 miles on a full charge. That's a 25% increase compared to the outgoing model. Subaru also added a new battery preconditioning system that allows the Solterra to charge from 10% to 80% in less than 35 minutes at a max of 150 kW.

The new Solterra also gets more power. The base car is bumped from 215 horsepower to 233 hp. There's also a new XT model that adds even more powerful motors for a grand total of 338 horsepower and should enable Subaru's EV to make the 0-60 mph sprint in less than 5 seconds. The last Solterra we tested needed 6.4 seconds to get to 60 mph from a standstill, so that would be a significant improvement.

A new 14-inch touchscreen leads the list of upgrades to the Solterra interior. The interface is perfectly fine, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard features. Two physical knobs allow you to control the temperature of the vehicle, which is nice, though I'd also love to see a knob for controlling the stereo system.

Subaru also added a pair of wireless chargers to the center console. In theory, these are great. You set your phone down (assuming it is wireless charging compatible, of course) and you're on your way. Unfortunately, Subaru placed these charging mats flush on the console. That means accelerating, decelerating and turning all tend to make your phone slide off the charging mat and onto the floor. Ask me how I know.

Speaking of the center console: It has been lowered a couple of inches to create more space in the cabin. Sadly, the console is now exactly at the height of my knee, which banged against the hard plastic for most of my time in the driver's seat.

And while functionality has improved, the interior is still quite ugly. It's not just the sea of plastic, though, that is unappealing. It's that the muted blues of the Solterra I drove provide no contrast to the drab black plastic. If the word "blah" was an interior, it would be the Solterra's.

The front seats of the Solterra are plenty comfy for long stretches of driving. All but the base Premium trim come with power-adjustable seats for both the driver and front passenger, and legroom is ample for all passengers. Headroom in the second row may be compromised on Touring XT trims for passengers taller than 6 feet because of the panoramic sunroof.

That sunroof is impressive, though, and unlike some rivals comes with a power sunshade. You won't have to worry about your Solterra turning into a convection oven when the calendar flips to June.

And its 23.8 cubic feet of cargo space will be plenty for most shoppers. Folding down the rear seats gets you 63.5 cubic feet of storage, which is more than the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Subaru built a small off-roading course north of Denver and the Solterra performed well on it. X-Mode, which manages your speed and wheelspin while you handle the steering wheel, is a very useful feature. The Solterra's long wheelbase is great for on-road comfort, but it also made me anxious while snaking between trees.

The Solterra offers a decidedly less comfortable ride on bumpy gravel roads. There was more jostling than I expected while on unpaved roads, at certain points becoming something to endure rather than something to enjoy. Still, the Solterra is up to the challenge if the limit of your off-roading will be driving on unpaved roads in national parks.

Is that enough to recommend the Solterra over its rivals? No, it's not. But if you were interested in the Solterra before, the upgrades coming to the 2026 model will help. Just not enough to pull the Solterra out of the mushy middle of the electric SUV pack.