Summary
The Subaru Solterra is a mid-size five-door SUV, and the first fully-electric model to join the Subaru family, which went on sale in the UK in spring 2023.
The Solterra is essentially the same vehicle as the all-electric Toyota bZ4X SUV, which went on sale more than a year earlier than Subaru’s verision. However, unlike the Toyota, the Subaru is only available in the more expensive all-wheel drive format, which has led to some criticism from the motoring media.
“The lack of a cheaper two-wheel drive model limits the appeal of the Solterra”, the What Car? team explains, “and that’s before discussing the convenience of Toyota’s larger dealer network.”
Parker‘s Tom Wiltshire argues that neither the Solterra or bZ4X “is among the best electric cars on sale at their price point”. The Subaru’s battery range and charging speeds are nothing to shout about when compared to the rest of the increasingly crowded electric SUV market, and rivals offer more room in the boot too.
That said, AutoTrader‘s Dan Trent concludes that the SUV is still a “large and spacious car perfectly suited to its family SUV role”, while Top Gear‘s Paul Horrell adds that, should you be looking for off-road ability and long-term reliability, the Solterra is certainly worth considering.
As of April 2024, the Subaru Solterra holds an Expert Rating of A with a score of 74%. This score is five points short of the 79% held by its sister model, the Toyota bZ4X.
Solterra highlights
- Comfortable driving experience
- Tech-laden interior
- All-wheel drive as standard
- Capable off-roader
Solterra lowlights
- Average range and charging speeds
- Rivals offer more boot space
- No entry-level two-wheel drive model
- Toyota bZ4X comes with a longer warranty
Key specifications
Body style: Medium SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £49,995 on-road
Launched: Spring 2023
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Subaru Solterra is an impressive, well rounded electric family SUV, but keys rivals offer substantially more range and boot space.”
Author: Ellis Hyde, John McIlroy
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“The angular looks are certainly distinctive, and the Solterra is a large and spacious car perfectly suited to its family SUV role. Limited range may count against it.”
Read review
Autocar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“A hint of Subaru-typical capability doesn’t take this EV quite far enough.”
Author: Matt Saunders
Read review
Carbuyer
Score: 7.8 / 10
“The Subaru Solterra is a four-wheel drive electric SUV that’s practical but rather expensive to buy.”
Author: Sam Naylor
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
“If you are looking for an electric car with four-wheel drive, or you want something a bit different, the Subaru Solterra is worth a place on your shortlist. However, you can buy cheaper or quicker alternatives.”
Read review
Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Subaru’s first electric car is a well-rounded family SUV that’s surprisingly good to drive, but doesn’t match the practicality or range of the best in this class.”
Author: Alex Ingram
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Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“We think we might prefer the Solterra to the bZ4X. The all-wheel-drive version of the Toyota is the best version, and that’s the default in the Subaru – and for less money, too. Granted, it’s not an affordable electric SUV, and nor is Subaru’s warranty quite as generous.”
Author: Tom Ford
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Solterra also lacks the premium interior of many rivals, and the real-world electric range seems to fall quite a way short of the official figure. However the Solterra has lots of plus points, the main one being the rewarding, agile driving experience, which is missing in many EVs.”
Author: Paul Clarke
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Move Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“We could copy and paste the BZ4X verdict here. Both come recommended, and are fairly evenly matched on price, so if you’re sold on them both, it’ll likely come down to whichever brand has a dealer closer to you.”
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5.8 / 10
“The Solterra is in many ways a good choice. But we can’t see any reason to choose it over its Toyota bZ4X sibling – and neither model is among the best electric cars on sale at their price point.”
Author: Tom Wiltshire
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Solterra plays to Subaru’s strengths, and while it’s not the best all-round EV out there, it’s more engaging than you might expect.”
Read review
What Car?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The lack of a cheaper two-wheel drive model limits the appeal of the Solterra – and that’s before discussing the convenience of Toyota’s larger dealer network. If you’re looking for an electric SUV that can tackle some off-roading then the Subaru should be on your shortlist, but many rivals cost less and can go farther on a charge.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2022
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 88%
Child protection: 87%
Vulnerable road users: 79%
Safety assist: 91%
The Subaru Solterra has not be specifically tested by crash tests Euro NCAP. Instead, it shares the five-star safety rating awarded to the structurally identical Toyota bZ4X SUV.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of April 2024, the Subaru Solterra has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of April 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Subaru Solterra to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Solterra, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 273 miles | B | 257 – 289 miles | A – B |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 3.9 m/KWh | C | 3.6 – 4.1 m/KWh | C – D |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 46 | D | 45 – 46 | D – D |
The Subaru Solterra is more expensive than you might think to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
The car’s battery range is competitive, but not as impressive as the 286-mile average that its sister model, the Toyota bZ4X offers. Like the Toyota, electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for petrol and diesel cars) is only average. The Solterra’s insurance premiums are surprisingly high, with expected costs being higher than many rivals of this size.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Subaru Solterra, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Audi Q4 e-tron | BMW iX3 | Citroën ë-C4 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Hyundai Kona Electric | Kia e-Niro | Kia EV6 | Mercedes-Benz EQA | Nissan Ariya | Polestar 2 | Skoda Enyaq iV | Tesla Model Y | Toyota bZ4X | Volkswagen ID.4 | Volvo XC40 Recharge
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Subaru Solterra at The Car Expert
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