The Solterra is yet another collaboration model between two popular Japanese brands – Subaru and Toyota. The Solterra’s svelte, mini-SUV exterior looks almost identical to its Toyota counterpart – the BZ4X.
The Solterra is set to get a facelift in 2026, which will see some new exterior flourishes and, most importantly, a boost in power, charging speed and range.
Performance and drive
What’s refreshingly apparent as soon as you get behind the wheel of the Solterra is that Subaru has clearly put effort into driving dynamics. While it may not have the sharpest steering around, the Solterra feels incredibly confident in the corners, and you can feel the bite of its four-wheel drive set-up keeping you glued to the road.
The Solterra also offers impressive acceleration – hitting 62mph in under seven seconds – and a surprisingly cushy suspension, somewhat of a rarity in the EV market. Throttle input can feel a little delayed from a dead stop, taking half a second or so to register, but this isn’t unusual with EVs, and you’ll likely get used to it in the first hour of driving.
For those who want to get agricultural, there is a dedicated ‘X mode’ on offer, and while we didn’t get the opportunity to take the Solterra off-road, we have no doubt that its traction-rich set-up will tackle muddy trails with ease.
Behind its four-wheel drive set-up are two motors, one at the front and one at the back, powered by a 64kWh battery. All-in, you get 218hp and a WLTP range of up to 288 miles. The Solterra will accept up to 150kW of DC charging, meaning you can charge from 10-80% at the motorway services in around 30 minutes.
Interior and tech
The Solterra’s cabin clearly benefits from Toyota’s mastery of blending high quality and lower quality materials, which is to say it has soft and glossy surfaces where it matters. The layout is simple, with a large touchscreen system that sits above a row of shortcut functions to control key in-car functions like air-con. The touchscreen is snappy too, with impressive graphics, although compared with rivals, the menus do look a little dated. No doubt this will be rectified with the pending facelift.
All Solterras come well-equipped with adaptive cruise control, heated front and rear seats, a 360-degree parking camera and a digital rear view mirror. Flagship Touring models gain the likes of faux leather seats, a sunroof, wireless phone charging and a Harman Kardon sound system.
The instrument cluster can take a bit of getting used to as it offers a digital speedo readout that sits rather far away from you, much like a head-up display. The graphics are of a lower quality than the touchscreen system too.
Practicality in the cabin is okay, with plenty of cubby areas for sweets and receipts, although it is worth noting that the Solterra doesn’t have a glovebox.
In the rear, the Solterra offers an enormous amount of legroom, bordering on saloon territory. Even six footers will be able to stretch their legs out in front of them – and head room is on point too. The floor is flat as well, so you’ll be unperturbed when moving from one side to another.
The boot set-up in the Solterra is basic, but agreeable. You get 452 litres of storage space (441 in the Touring model), a low load lip, under floor storage for charging cables, and the seats fold down relatively flat.
Positive: Fun to drive, excellent rear legroom, impressive kit levels
Negative: Low electric range, some rivals offer bigger boots, uninspring cabin design
Standard equipment: Adaptive cruise control, heated front and rear seats, 360 degree parking camera, digital rear view mirror, power tailgate, dual zone air conditioning, wireless Apple Carplay, wired Android Auto, DAB radio, satellite navigation, Bluetooth.
Engines: Electric: 218hp
Equipment grades: Limited, Touring
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
| Model | Subaru Solterra Touring AWD 218PS 71.4kWh 150kW |
| P11D | £55,440 |
| Residual value | 44.6% |
| Depreciation | £30,732 |
| Fuel | £4,291 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | TBC |
| Cost per mile | TBC |
| Range | 257 miles |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 0g/km (3%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £28/£55 |
| Luggage capacity | 441 litres |
| Battery size/power | 71.4kWh/218hp |
| Score | 7/10 |
