As always incredible video. Some non imperial conversions, for those not living in the imperial world: Ground clearance: 210mm: Presenter height: 195.5cm; Efficiency = 24.85kw/100km - (swapped from 2.5 miles/kWh); polestar averages 20.16kw/100km
Thank you for your service, James! I really enjoy Fully Charged, but it's like watching a video where the presenter suddenly starts speaking Sumerian or Klingon. One moment they're talking boot capacity in litres, the next it's all inches and cubits. And don't get me started on trying to figure out whether they mean US gallons or UK gallons...
@@jonathanfields4ever Now consider someone that may not be comfortable driving a car with below 20% and they charge only up to 80% to preserve battery and they only have 60% of those 200km they feel are comfortably useful. Now add proper winter time -15C, and you get about 80km of comfortable driving.
Thank you, Jack, for another honest-no-BS review... It''s always a pleasure to watch. And yes, I totally agree, there's absolutely no excuses valid from Subaru and Toyota with their arrogance and huge bank accounts to deliver such poor products this late to the party.
Yes, this review it's really great - I also loved how Jack at 2:12 plainly exposed Toyota current EV position. That's what a proper journalist should do!
After nearly 3 months of owning a Solterra I'm glad to say the wheels have not fallen off yet. I average 2,5 miles per kilowatt Just as Jack said but when the temperature gets to around 9oc I can see 3 or 3.5 miles per kilowatt. if I drive to the speed limits and I don't do aggressive acceleration. You also have to remember and reset the gauge as the car remembers your previous driving style. As for one pedal driving if you judge it carefully the car almost comes to a halt which is fine by me as I'm not sure I would trust an electronic system stop the car for me. I have no problem with the driving position and having owned Subarus for more than 30 years I can say this I am enjoying the experience immensely.
Is it bad to point out that the brake pedal you're using is also an electronic system that stops the car for you? :) You can still use the brake with one-pedal driving, and most people would instinctively in an emergency, but as long as you're not pulling up excessively close to the car in front of you, you will have plenty of time to use the brake pedal if the car isn't slowing as much as you expected it would.
Reviewers and commentators seem to prefer one pedal driving that brings the car to a halt completely and not just a slow creep. I’m quite happy with the slow creep as my foot would probably be hovering over the brake pedal just in case it didn’t stop. Toyota said that they preferred humans to make the final decision over an electronic system. Of course the crash prevention systems are a different matter when things can happen very quickly.
@@johnnyboy7459 I'm sure your foot would hover over the pedal, until you got used to the system and gained confidence in it. But so many people like it, I'm sure it works just fine once you're used to it.
Thanks for the, as always, honest review. We have owned Subarus for several years now and usually have two Foresters in the drive. However, I took the leap into the EV world and I now drive a Kia EV6 GT-Line ordered Dec 21 and delivered June 22. With almost 26,000kms on the clock all I have to say is it is a stellar vehicle despite some minor niggly quirks. We ordered a Solterra Spring 22 before specs and prices were announced and have been told it should arrive early Summer this year. Once the specs and reviews started coming in I began questioning why we are replacing a four year old Forester XT that only gets driven 5000kms a year. This review I think has solidified in my mind that the Solterra is not up to snuff. Maybe their next try will get it right, but for now it's a pass.
I think the Solterra would feel massively inferior to your EV6. By the way, curious to know what your small gripes are with the Kia as a long term owner?
@Jack Scarlett, sorry for the delay in responding. Here are the niggly bits in no particular order. Some of these may present themselves due to living in Canada. 1) The windshield wipers cannot be raised high enough off the windshield to clear snow and ice from around the wiper arms and/or the base of the windshield. As a result there is a build up of ice and slush that sometimes causes issues with the wipers retracting/returning to their lowest position in use and when turned off. 2) The door handles often freeze closed or the will not retract after opening. 3) There is a temperature sensor in the charge port for safety when AC charging that is too sensitive and sometimes shuts down charging at higher Level 2 speeds (11kW). This is a known issue and has been resolved in some markets (US) through a firmware update that has yet to be released in Canada. The resolution in the meantime is to reduce L2 charge rates to 9.6kW or lower. 4) There remains no route planning option using the built in navigation that integrates DCFC charging stops and automatic battery pre-conditioning (leading to my next peeve) 5) Battery pre-conditioning was not included in early production 2022 models and those of us who were early adopters were assured it would be added in a firmware update. That has happened in other markets, but has yet to be rolled out in Canada where it is arguably more of a necessity. 6) As in the UK, many of the rural roads I drive daily are narrow and/or twisty. As a result, I have Lane Keep Assist turned off. When Cruise Control is engaged on the motorway Lane Keep Assist also turns on, which is perfectly understandable. However, when Cruise Control is disengaged Lane Keep Assist remains on, despite the fact I have it off in daily driving, and as a result I often find myself 'fighting' the system if I didn't remember to turn it off manually before leaving the highway. 7) Proximity sensors and cameras seem to be very sensitive to weather conditions. I have had them shut down in rain conditions more often than I can count and so far this winter on a couple of occasions as well during snow events. I have also had false warnings from sensors at times when it is snowing even though a visual inspection of those sensors doesn't indicate they are blocked or covered by snow/ice. 8) Lastly, and possibly most importantly, when Snow Mode is engaged in slippery conditions it does not remain engaged when the vehicle is turned off and restarted. This is particularly annoying (and dangerous?) when a trip involves frequent stops (running errands, etc.). The system turns off Snow Mode and on restart automatically reverts to Normal Mode with the regeneration settings you have set in that mode. Whether you normally drive in Eco or Sport the system goes to Normal. As a result, if you forget or don't notice, the system reverts to a RWD bias with what could be Level 3 or iPedal regeneration thus creating a hazard in slippery conditions that could cause the driver to lose control.
@@jockstrappery Hmm, maybe my sarcasm detector is turned up to high? 🤔 The original comment sounded snarky since he's not an actor (I think). No biggie.
If you're gonna show up late, you need to come correct! Yes Jack, can't agree more with you on this! Also, those are probably some proper challenging shooting conditions, kudos to FullyCharged team working it out somehow
good film. i think this car might find a niche market with us farmers. goats, hay and dogs down the farm track....4 wheel drive good, range gets me to the market, ground clearance excellent, flat floor boot....my goat said "Bhaaaaaaa, I like it"
Great video with a pertinent conclusion - having started so well with the Nissan Leaf, it's infuriating that Japan has just sulked while everywhere else has raced ahead, EV-wise. I'm reminded of Doc in 'Back To The Future' pointing out to Marty that Japan is where all the best stuff comes from - for so long that was true, but no more, and in the face of such need, their refusal to apply their genius to EVs is almost criminally negligent - WTF??? South Korea is my new far-eastern hero country - can I have an Ioniq 5 please?!?
I still buy Toyota, Honda, Mazda, or Subaru, because they build the most bulletproof vehicles. BEVs just haven’t reached prime time yet. An example is the Yo-Yo pricing of Tesla.
@@matthewhuszarik4173 I entirely agree - I drive a 1999 JDM Toyota Harrier because it's absolutely excellent, but how I wish the current Harrier (or Venza in the US) was electric - it's incomprehensible that it and many other contemporary Japanese cars are still ICE. The market is bound to fluctuate, but electric is here and established - my local water board now uses only electric Hyundai vehicles.
Subaru faces a real crisis of purpose. For almost four decades, Subaru has defined itself (and built a loyal following of customers) around its unique Boxer engines and AWD drivetrains in non-SUV bodies. Since EVs can, almost by definition, be ground-up AWD, Subaru has a big problem of marketing and a samey-samey fat crossover isn't going to convince the dedicated Subaristas. I am, however, keeping my fingers crossed for a proper Subaru EV estate car, a segment that Subaru could conquer... but only if they get the vehicle right.
Yes, a proper Subaru estate EV would be very welcome. Although Jack praised the cargo space of the Solterra, it's clearly badly reduced by the very shallow sloping tailgate. There is basically no proper EV estate on the UK market (and the MG5 doesn't count IMO because it's not much more than a hatchback, plus the seats don't fold flat)
I recently bought a Subaru (Outback) because I bought a block of land here in Australia and my decade-old Prius couldn't get out there because it kept bottoming out on the unmaintained dirt track. I'm so happy with the Subaru as it does it effortlessly, even without X-Mode. I've been waiting for an EV with high enough ground clearance to handle that trip so I'm tempted to get this even with all its faults, as it's just about the only EV that would work for me. Unfortunately the journey is a 230 km round trip which comes a bit close to the maximum real-world range which might unfortunately rule it out, at least until they realise their mistake and come out with a larger battery version.
Love your videos. Glad to see the other Japanese manufacturers are beginning to embrace BEV. BTW, @13:02 do you mean Subaru & Toyota (instead of Nissan)?
@@JackScarlett1 No worries, you are doing an outstanding job, I just wanted to alert you. You are keeping us informed and simultaneously entertained. Looking forward to your next vid.
Great review, Jack - and bravo for soldiering on through that obviously inclement weather to bring us this review... very stoic, dude...! As for the Soltera / BZ4X... It's almost as though Toyota doesn't actually WANT to sell any pure electric cars, isn't it...? I guess then they can say... "There ya' go - we told you no one wants a BEV..." 🤣
As a Subi and Honda owner, when we purchase our 1st EV (when the current insanity stabilizes), I will be shocked if we stick with any Japanese OEMs. Other than Nissan, Japan has really dropped the ball with BEVs.
@@xiaoka Agree. But at least they have the Ariya with "some" degree of BEV credibility. I wouldn't purchase one, but other than offroading, it is more competent than the Solterra.
For 20-plus years, I have owned Subarus. My latest one is a sedan with safety systems that have been left largely intact since 2015. We lived where the full-time all-wheel drive was important. It came on most often on slippery wet hard-surfaced roads. The most off-roading we did was on Forest Service fire roads or fairly basic roads into camp sites.
Unfortunately, he retains the role as chairman of the board. We’ll see what happens, but he will still be in a position to obstruct progress if he chooses to do so.
I have owned 3 Subaru Foresters in succession & I was so impressed with their XC traction which was every bit as good as a Land Rover Defender if not better. As a farmer my current car is a Skoda Enyaq IV80x but I know that it's nowhere near as good on the land, but I don't think the electric Subaru will be any better.
I've been looking forward to this. We've moved on from our Forester but I've been watching to see how and when Subaru would enter the BEV market, mostly with disappointment over the last few years. Efficiency aside, this looks like almost a spiritual successor to the Forester which is a car that I absolutely loved - I've had three - because of its actual capabilities off road. Not like a slightly bumpy gravel track but places where some people feel apprehensive taking a Hilux. If they can get that efficiency sorted and the ergonomics for the driver sorted out it sounds like a great contender for families that like a bit of adventure but live in an urban environment where the smaller car makes sense, another reason I loved the Forester.
I'm actually awaiting for the delivery of my MY23 Forester imminently and simply cannot wait for it (I would have gone full EV had Tesla given Australians the options to get the Model Y LR but sadly that's not the case yet so had to (somewhat reluctantly) get another ICE vehicle). IF the Soltera had been a Forester EV I think it could have been such a phenomenal car! In fact, I'm upgrading from an Impreza which it too, had it been an EV I think would have been a fantastic offering (or even better, the an XC/Crosstrek EV would sell like hot cakes!). There's just so much to love about Subaru (though obviously reliability and "thrill" isn't quite what it used to be...) but the Soltera simply looks like a 100% Toyota with a Subaru badge stuck on it. And that's a real real shame but any true Subaru fans out there... :(
I felt like the Solterra was more of a Crosstrek kind of car than the Forrester. To mee the Forrester alway was the high head clearance car and the Outback/Crosstrek/Impreza was the shorter head height wagon which is what I see the Solterra filling. I agree with the disappointment though about the Subaru BEV situation in general but its the struggle of being a Japanese brand.
@@maxmouche yeah I like the Model Y, but actually do use my vehicle for it's intended purpose. My Foresters have legit been places I wouldn't think about taking a Y. We've even started stepping out of the bounds of a Forester lately with our Ford Everest, which is a full 4x4. Even though it's a little too big I kinda hope the Cybertruck makes it Down Under as that would be the likely replacement for our current car. Not a wagon, but as good as we'll get here I think in terms of range and capability. Rivian R1S is about the only pure replacement for our car I think, not sure what availability of that is going to be either though. Honestly I'd take a really good PHEV at this point, if they could make an Everest that had an actual 50km range in the city on battery that would do most of our day to day easily and charge from our solar.
@@morosis82 we're 100% on the same wavelength. Model Y would be our ideal car for 90% of the time (city driving) and we'd compromise on the "adventure" capabilities due its relatively low clearance which is a shame (because a more rugged Model Y would probably the best car ever? OR as discussed, a proper Forester EV would be too!) Regarding the Cybertruck, I can't wait for it to arrive either! I've got a cheeky reservation for one in the knowledge that it's probably another 3 years away at this point maybe?... Also - probably a VERY awkward car to be driving in and around Sydney but hey ho... I keep telling my wife "we'll make it work" lol. The R1S looks fantastic (except for some UI issues which could be fixed via software update) but the price is simply too high for us at this point. Lastly - same thing here re a PHEV. I really like the sound of the Outlander PHEV but they have a 18 to 24 months wait which is simply ridiculous, it's a shame.
That's horrific range. I have 2022 eNiro, and while there was -16°C and some wind, I was getting very similar range to you. That is was mostly long distance travel over a quite an elevation (up and down). I digress. Very good video. Can't wait for EV9 to pop, and even BYD Yangwant U8.
Love your reviews Jack. You give plenty of info with good humour and a personal take on liveability. I do like the look of this Subaru /Toyota but would never buy one, the range is ridiculously low not only for going on an adventure but for living a normal life in and a round a city and it suburbs plus the price here in NZ that will work out at over a hundred G's which is more than a years wages/salary for 90% of people.
My understanding is the new software update being rolled out by Toyota and Subaru will improve charging and usable battery capacity, plus will provide a percentage charge remaining display. The reports I have read have been favorable, but the roll out is proceeding slowly as it has to be installed at a dealership.
Thank you. Was getting tired of all the 'this EV is great' reviews with each click, but this it's refreshing to see some genuine criticism and consumer advice. I appreciate the agenda to get people to make the switch, but if everything is exciting then nothing's that exciting.
I think Toyota / Subaru have learned an important lesson in this (at least, I hope they will). You can't just take a hybrid system and try to scale it up. Critical parts of the electric drivetrain are compromised because of that.
I expect the engineers will explain that to the management. The management have already promised delivery to the board 2 years ahead of it actually having a chance of being ready.
That is a really concise way of pointing out that a car like this needs a larger than average battery, not a smaller than average one. Maybe they need to sell electric equivalents of a jerry can full of petrol you can carry with you? :)
It's a shame that Jack didn't put the back seats down, to show if they go flush, or how much LENGTH there is available with the lid down! So far, for me, the MG5 is the winner for my requirements of range, boot space - and price.
To be honest, I've always used my in car infotainment systems except when I have a rental with no satnav. Now, as you would know, Jack, the Polestar 2s system is superior to just about everything anyway. Most people in my FB group said they wouldn't use Carplay when it came via OTA. (I don't use Apple products) That said, I can't disagree with anything here. If it was $20k less it would be a good SUV. For this price though, it eats the dust of its competition.
I just saw that my Subaru dealer has one of these in the showroom. I was considering stopping by to check it out. I didn’t have high hopes. But I don’t think I’ll bother now.
I feel like it is for someone very specific. Maybe someone that lives in a rural town with a charger, or on the edge of a city where they can go off road but still be able to get to a charger. I think being for someone does makes it better than the BZ4X which just doesn't seem worth it for anyone.
Agree with you on lack of efficiency of this SUV. If this was introduced 5 years ago it would be an ok EV, but with other offerings from VW, MG, Kia, Hyundai, Ford, GM, Tesla, Polestar, etc. this just does not cut it! Throw in all the Chinese manufacturers going global with their EVs and this Subaru/Toyota EV falls way short!
The best EV for someone with a small dog would be a Microlino. I have an almost two year old Petterdale terrier bitch of 5.2 kg. I really do hope that microcar comes to the UK. Love your videos. Best wishes from George
Brilliant review and absolute spot on points, perfect story telling and conclusion! Can't see my loving brand get trapped with Toyota, break away Subaru break away!
Thank you for taking this one on! Can you tell me if this, or any recent ones you've reviewed, other than the proper trucks, have any been able to lay in a 4x8 sheet of plywood across it's trunk width? I feel like that particular aspect is missing from SUV reviews in total.
Unfortanetly it doesn’t seem so. Us hardware store frequenters likely will need a cybertruck or e-transit. However, ford have decided their transit doesn’t need any decent range, so that only leaves cybertruck. Unless canoo or some other company comes through.
Thanks for the review. As a Subaru owner for over 50 years I was so hoping that they’d get the EV right. Unfortunately as Toyota has invested more and more into the company we Subaru owners have seen more and more Toyota crap leaking in. The Solterra is, I’m afraid just a crap Toyota with Subaru badges… drive train aside. As for the back end and your “dog comments,” yes, you could get a couple of dogs in, but with that steeply sloping back end you wouldn’t get their crates in so they’re safe. Guess I’ll have to keep on waiting.
Sadly a shockingly expensive car, with dreadful plastics and almost "brand leading" inefficiency!! What a dreadful shame for something that externally looks very OK. Brilliant video... As honest as you could possibly ask for. 👍
My first two cars were Subarus and I loved them, and by extension the brand, but this is just a sad showing. I didn't expect much when I read the stats but seeing all of the foibles laid out in video form like this just makes it worse. Oh well I've been really happy with my Bolt and eventually something like my dream of an electric Brat will come out. (Or I'll save enough money to convert one)
We split the year between France and Arizona, with cars that stay at each home. In Arizona, we have a nearly ten-year-old Buick Encore, which we chose because it was best in entry/exit. We're in our 70s so... In France, we both have even older Citroën Picassos. That's a mini-minivan: tall, excellent entry/exit, and only five seats so the length is reasonable. There used to be similar cars from all manufacturers, but they’re all gone now, replaced by never-leaves-the-road "SUV"s. So when we have to update, on both sides of the pond, we'll probably have to get an "SUV".
@@bobnelsonfr We bought a six year old Picasso 2.0 HDI and drove it for 10 years/100,000 miles. Used it as a van and a family bus. Five proper seats and a good boot in14'1". Brilliant design
I want an electric forester (old school wagon forester). Had this come out ten years ago it would have gotten rave reviews from all over the place. But that kinda shows how far behind Toyota/Subaru are right now.
We have a Subaru Outback, partly because we live in a hilly, snowy location with poor roads and tracks, and partly because we ski, sail and camp a lot and it's great for lugging stuff around. We need some proper ground clearance and 4x4 ability and robustness. No particular interest in a fancy interior or 'options'. So this would fit our needs pretty well; I reckon better than any other electric option available now in Europe. But it's a pity the price is £10k too high and the range 100 miles too low.
I appreciate the realistic review. There have been a few reviews of Chinese cars that were not critical at all and started with the reviewer putting on company merch.
Omg!!! Driving position is back to the Bubaru roots!!! In my Outback 3 I found comfortable position after 20 thousand kilometers!! Literally, it's the weirdest seat/pedals/wheel position. But when you figure it out, it fits like a glove!
Good honest review. I am on my second Subaru Forester. I would prefer an electric Subaru Forester for its better interior, visibility, cargo space, display arrangement, turning circle, even the exterior appearance. Solterra has too little range, too expensive, too much cargo space lost to the sloping rear hatch, poor driver seat set up, ugly and non-ergonomic driver display, cloth dash cover will always be dusty, dirty and difficult to keep clean and I don’t like the look.
To put into perspective just how bad 2.5 miles per kilowatt hour is, the first nissan leaf released 12 years ago did 3 miles per kwh in real world conditions
Why a soft spot Jack? The only difference between this and any other is slightly higher groud clearance and bad range. A lift kit on a ID buzz would crush this...
Imagine a Rivian type adjustable ride height on any other EV. Or especially say an MG5. Twice the range and half the price and you wouldn't have to worry if Toyota sorted the wheels falling off problem. Luckily for Toyota/Subaru they will probably all they make on looks.
Thanks Jack, I don't think we can look past the Forest e for a better example of Subaru's complete misunderstanding of what it means to put a competent drive train together that meets the market's expectations. To fail so badly on their second foray speaks volumes to your conclusion, if you are going to show up late ... Wow, the market is wide open, the Rivian is ok for the US but other locales I,m not so sure. A big missed opportunity and perhaps it does suggest the entire Japanese car manufacturing industry is asleep at the wheel - maybe that's why their cars beep so much.
Well done Jack! Brilliantly enjoyably honest review whilst remaining well balanced. Hopefully Subaru and Toyota will step up soon. They could be such a positive force, but clearly choose not to be.
The mileage I seem to be getting on my Solterra Premium in Arizona has been much better than claimed n this video. Granted, this has all been in hot weather, but around town I typically can get 3.5mpk or better, and on a trip between Southern Arizona and Northern Arizona and back, mostly at 70mph, including a charge stop in Phoenix at 117F ambient temperature, I was typically seeing 3.1mpk. The drive to the charge station in Sedona was quite scenic, and the view from the station was scenic itself!
Worst I've ever had in my Kona was 3.3m/kWh and that was with a roofbox on in freezing weather at Christmas. Same battery size so 211 miles range in winter motorway driving (at 65 mind)
@@Lewis_Standing yup. I've got the eNiro so same core structure and get 230mile range in winter because the heater is on full blast, but 300miles in summer. 100-150miles suits most round the doors commuters but the Subaru shouldn't be aiming at that crowd. It's not enough to take the BEV pessimists away from their 3L turbos!
The price of this or the Toyota makes the MG4 look ridiculously good value. Of course the real competition is the EV6 or ioniq 5/6, which wipe the floor with toyoburu
Hubris from the Japanese had led to them being far behind their competitors. Not just in cars but other areas as well eg. tech. They now have to climb back up to their once lofty heights of excellence if they wish to remain competitive. They can do it but it's going to be a tough slug uphill all the way. Reticence has a price.
Good video! You forgot to talk about the DC fast-charging rate max of 100kW. That would make it unusable on any road trip in the US. Also, my Rivian R1T gets 2.4mi/kWh in warmer weather everyday driving...yikes Subaru!
Will Subaru recall and repurchase their Solterra EV as their Toyota cousin? It seems that the wheel bolt issue may not be the real reason they were removed from market but the very poor battery autonomy?
In the immortal words of Tom Scott: “Buy some damn subtitles!” It makes watching youtube videos so much better, especially for people who are HOH or who speak English as a second language. And it’s doubly important when your presenter is standing on a windy beach, or has accidentally swallowed his microphone.
So we're the market for this car. And we got one. It's the 38th vehicle I've owned. Everything from a Ford Pinto to a Porsche 911 turbo. Couple of things. I was the creative director for new model launch training for Toyota for several years about a decade ago and we worked through all the hybrid skepticism but Toyota hybrids are the most reliable passenger vehicles in the world and have stupendous battery live in normal use (300,000 - 600,000 miles unless the battery is defective or the vehicle is weirdly abused). I get 3-3.1 KwH efficiency all the time and I live in the mountains and have done mixed highway, freeway driving (in mountains and flat deserts) and a lot of short-hop local driving. Subaru and Toyota's skepticism of EVs partly involves long term reliability and safety without owners having to take extraordinary ownership steps to "preserve" their vehicles. The reliability has to match their brand standards. I happen to know that the Solterra's battery self controls the charge level between about 15-18% and 80-85%. Their reliability target is the battery outlasting the car. No other manufacturer has that goal. Also the battery controller prevents misuse of the battery. You can't charge it too fast, you can't overcharge it, you can't fully discharge it (back to the reliability targets). Other manufacturers are catering to wealthy buyers who don't care about charge cost (level 3 fast charging here costs nearly as much as my 23mpg diesel pickup whereas level 2 charging at home coasts 1/4 what putting gas in our Prius costs). And they aren't looking for long-term reliability or quality (otherwise nobody would buy a Tesla). Additionally, Subaru and Toyota learned (particularly Toyota) how damaging user idiocy with throttle pedals can be. They had a lot of debates about fully one-pedal driving and decided it was a mistake to have driver's stop the car with the throttle pedal. The throttle pedal makes the car go, lifting off slows it down and braking stops it. That having been said, the "one pedal" mode will ALMOST stop the car. However, it also puts the brake lights on (as does the 4th level of normal regen). But the first 3 levels do not so you can take advantage of fairly significant regen/"engine braking" without looking like you're riding the brakes or freaking out the drivers behind you ever time you lift off the gas. There is a wide belief that the "innovators" have come up with the ultimate way EVs should be used but conservative auto makers who have individual vehicle models that outsell every EV in the world combined over one year have a lot more experience in making reliable vehicles that operate predictably and safely for the majority of users. This vehicle is specifically NOT designed to hit numbers by sacrificing quality and reliability. It is not intended to try and be a long-distance vehicle (which will allow lots of battery-killing level-3 charges at high charge speed and ridiculous cost) and it has a very conservative charge rate (which basically negates doing long-distance driving) especially for reliability purposes. This isn't inability or stupidity or deviousness, it's two of the most dependable and highest quality auto manufacturers in the world getting together to make an EV which hits those standards with the available technology at a particular price point. Nowhere have I read that the Lexus RZ is the exact same platform with a bigger motor and more range. That is a much more expensive vehicle and so those features that this vehicle is criticized for are available for users who want to spend the money. That is the third vehicle on this platform. Let's catch up in 10 years and look at how many 2022-2023 EVs are still driving with their original batteries and original motors.
I admire your energy for posting such a long comment, and definitely take seriously your long and well supported argument about the benefits (to the user) of hybrid vehicles. I was a very keen advocate for the Toyota Prius in the early days when every automotive journalist derided, belittled and snubbed it. I thought it was an amazing bit of transitory technology that holds a firm place in the history of automotive development. But, that was then, this is now, 2023, when battery electric technology has advanced to a truly remarkable degree and many of the arguments you tried to prove fell a bit flat. Whatever battery technology and chemistry was common 5 years ago will not exist in 5 years time. It is now clear that the next generation of batteries will outlast anything Toyota make now, and anything anyone else is making now. Very sadly, and I say this very sincerely, up until the last few days Toyota have stood out as the most reactionary, dated and increasingly redundant car maker. The top level management have spent $$millions fighting climate change legislation around the world, undermining democratic governments and spreading endless lie, Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. They are second only to the oil industry, with whom they have very close and I would suggest very unhealthy and corrupting ties. Hybrids were wonderful technology, 20 years ago. They are petrol/gasoline cars, just like any other petrol/gasoline car, they need to burn hydrocarbons of they don't work. Like all combustion technologies, they are doomed. Enbd of discussion
With current gas prices 2.0/L, driving this car 30,000 Km per year will save one person almost $5500-6000 just in gas alone. People overestimate how much they are gonna drive . The range is 360km and in Canada there are so many EV chargers now, it’s not bad. Total charging time now on level 3 is 45 minutes.
Half of my mountain club drive Subaru, but this vehicle would be hard pressed to do the average club day trip in the Summer. In the winter it would not make it to the highway turnoff and back. Is it meant to be sold, or is it meant to convince Subaru fans that EVs will not work?
With unique competitive advantages of cavernous rear loading space and high ground clearance, this car is ideal for off-road sports enthusiasts, those hauling lots of stuff, and those who drive in high snow and on bad roads.
Still doesn’t pass the dog test IMO as the rear window slopes too much. Fisker Ocean or Hyundai 7 should set the new dog standard. Happy to supply our 3 med/large dogs for that video 🐶 🐶 🐶
@@spiritualhumanist yep I keep meaning to go and have a look at one. I don’t like the way that it’s not purely EV designed though … must be design compromises for it to be available in multiple fuel types. I was planning on the EV9 but I think it may suffer with the same issues as the buzz … too much weight and poor efficiency. Honestly it’s a struggle to look past the Model Y - it seems to have everything and the boot is huge .. just worry about boot height for dogs
As always incredible video.
Some non imperial conversions, for those not living in the imperial world:
Ground clearance: 210mm: Presenter height: 195.5cm; Efficiency = 24.85kw/100km - (swapped from 2.5 miles/kWh); polestar averages 20.16kw/100km
Thank you for your service, James! I really enjoy Fully Charged, but it's like watching a video where the presenter suddenly starts speaking Sumerian or Klingon. One moment they're talking boot capacity in litres, the next it's all inches and cubits. And don't get me started on trying to figure out whether they mean US gallons or UK gallons...
A Japanese EV RUclipsr recently did highway tests with the BZ4X and he could barely get 200km out of it at 1°C
@@jonathanfields4ever Now consider someone that may not be comfortable driving a car with below 20% and they charge only up to 80% to preserve battery and they only have 60% of those 200km they feel are comfortably useful. Now add proper winter time -15C, and you get about 80km of comfortable driving.
kWh/100km not kW/100km
@@davidhaywood8029 The UK uses both metric and imperial measures with no issue, just pick the best one for the task
Thank you, Jack, for another honest-no-BS review... It''s always a pleasure to watch.
And yes, I totally agree, there's absolutely no excuses valid from Subaru and Toyota with their arrogance and huge bank accounts to deliver such poor products this late to the party.
Yes, this review it's really great - I also loved how Jack at 2:12 plainly exposed Toyota current EV position. That's what a proper journalist should do!
After nearly 3 months of owning a Solterra I'm glad to say the wheels have not fallen off yet. I average 2,5 miles per kilowatt Just as Jack said but when the temperature gets to around 9oc I can see 3 or 3.5 miles per kilowatt. if I drive to the speed limits and I don't do aggressive acceleration. You also have to remember and reset the gauge as the car remembers your previous driving style. As for one pedal driving if you judge it carefully the car almost comes to a halt which is fine by me as I'm not sure I would trust an electronic system stop the car for me. I have no problem with the driving position and having owned Subarus for more than 30 years I can say this I am enjoying the experience immensely.
As a serious contender for my money, however far in the future, I appreciate your comment.
Is it bad to point out that the brake pedal you're using is also an electronic system that stops the car for you? :) You can still use the brake with one-pedal driving, and most people would instinctively in an emergency, but as long as you're not pulling up excessively close to the car in front of you, you will have plenty of time to use the brake pedal if the car isn't slowing as much as you expected it would.
@@Berkeloid0 it IS bad because I think they know that
Reviewers and commentators seem to prefer one pedal driving that brings the car to a halt completely and not just a slow creep. I’m quite happy with the slow creep as my foot would probably be hovering over the brake pedal just in case it didn’t stop. Toyota said that they preferred humans to make the final decision over an electronic system. Of course the crash prevention systems are a different matter when things can happen very quickly.
@@johnnyboy7459 I'm sure your foot would hover over the pedal, until you got used to the system and gained confidence in it. But so many people like it, I'm sure it works just fine once you're used to it.
Thanks for the, as always, honest review. We have owned Subarus for several years now and usually have two Foresters in the drive. However, I took the leap into the EV world and I now drive a Kia EV6 GT-Line ordered Dec 21 and delivered June 22. With almost 26,000kms on the clock all I have to say is it is a stellar vehicle despite some minor niggly quirks. We ordered a Solterra Spring 22 before specs and prices were announced and have been told it should arrive early Summer this year. Once the specs and reviews started coming in I began questioning why we are replacing a four year old Forester XT that only gets driven 5000kms a year. This review I think has solidified in my mind that the Solterra is not up to snuff. Maybe their next try will get it right, but for now it's a pass.
I think the Solterra would feel massively inferior to your EV6. By the way, curious to know what your small gripes are with the Kia as a long term owner?
@@JackScarlett1 I agree, the KIA looks a step above this car
@Jack Scarlett, sorry for the delay in responding. Here are the niggly bits in no particular order. Some of these may present themselves due to living in Canada. 1) The windshield wipers cannot be raised high enough off the windshield to clear snow and ice from around the wiper arms and/or the base of the windshield. As a result there is a build up of ice and slush that sometimes causes issues with the wipers retracting/returning to their lowest position in use and when turned off. 2) The door handles often freeze closed or the will not retract after opening. 3) There is a temperature sensor in the charge port for safety when AC charging that is too sensitive and sometimes shuts down charging at higher Level 2 speeds (11kW). This is a known issue and has been resolved in some markets (US) through a firmware update that has yet to be released in Canada. The resolution in the meantime is to reduce L2 charge rates to 9.6kW or lower. 4) There remains no route planning option using the built in navigation that integrates DCFC charging stops and automatic battery pre-conditioning (leading to my next peeve) 5) Battery pre-conditioning was not included in early production 2022 models and those of us who were early adopters were assured it would be added in a firmware update. That has happened in other markets, but has yet to be rolled out in Canada where it is arguably more of a necessity. 6) As in the UK, many of the rural roads I drive daily are narrow and/or twisty. As a result, I have Lane Keep Assist turned off. When Cruise Control is engaged on the motorway Lane Keep Assist also turns on, which is perfectly understandable. However, when Cruise Control is disengaged Lane Keep Assist remains on, despite the fact I have it off in daily driving, and as a result I often find myself 'fighting' the system if I didn't remember to turn it off manually before leaving the highway. 7) Proximity sensors and cameras seem to be very sensitive to weather conditions. I have had them shut down in rain conditions more often than I can count and so far this winter on a couple of occasions as well during snow events. I have also had false warnings from sensors at times when it is snowing even though a visual inspection of those sensors doesn't indicate they are blocked or covered by snow/ice. 8) Lastly, and possibly most importantly, when Snow Mode is engaged in slippery conditions it does not remain engaged when the vehicle is turned off and restarted. This is particularly annoying (and dangerous?) when a trip involves frequent stops (running errands, etc.). The system turns off Snow Mode and on restart automatically reverts to Normal Mode with the regeneration settings you have set in that mode. Whether you normally drive in Eco or Sport the system goes to Normal. As a result, if you forget or don't notice, the system reverts to a RWD bias with what could be Level 3 or iPedal regeneration thus creating a hazard in slippery conditions that could cause the driver to lose control.
Big fan of Jack here. Gives you good info and entertaining 😁👏🏻
Yes his presentation career is on a par with his acting career..
@@jockstrappery Meaning?
@@ElroyMcDuff Means his presentation is worthy of an oscar, what did you think i meant ?
@@jockstrappery Hmm, maybe my sarcasm detector is turned up to high? 🤔 The original comment sounded snarky since he's not an actor (I think). No biggie.
If you're gonna show up late, you need to come correct!
Yes Jack, can't agree more with you on this!
Also, those are probably some proper challenging shooting conditions, kudos to FullyCharged team working it out somehow
100% agree - need to do better like Kia and Hyundai
good film. i think this car might find a niche market with us farmers. goats, hay and dogs down the farm track....4 wheel drive good, range gets me to the market, ground clearance excellent, flat floor boot....my goat said "Bhaaaaaaa, I like it"
Great video with a pertinent conclusion - having started so well with the Nissan Leaf, it's infuriating that Japan has just sulked while everywhere else has raced ahead, EV-wise. I'm reminded of Doc in 'Back To The Future' pointing out to Marty that Japan is where all the best stuff comes from - for so long that was true, but no more, and in the face of such need, their refusal to apply their genius to EVs is almost criminally negligent - WTF??? South Korea is my new far-eastern hero country - can I have an Ioniq 5 please?!?
So true. Still (just about) time for an epic comeback from the Japanese marques I think? Here’s to hoping.
I still buy Toyota, Honda, Mazda, or Subaru, because they build the most bulletproof vehicles. BEVs just haven’t reached prime time yet. An example is the Yo-Yo pricing of Tesla.
@@matthewhuszarik4173 I entirely agree - I drive a 1999 JDM Toyota Harrier because it's absolutely excellent, but how I wish the current Harrier (or Venza in the US) was electric - it's incomprehensible that it and many other contemporary Japanese cars are still ICE. The market is bound to fluctuate, but electric is here and established - my local water board now uses only electric Hyundai vehicles.
Your memory is faulty. It was Marty saying to a surprised 1955 Doc that "all the best stuff is made in Japan"
@@AJames-jr8kw we are the champions of the world
Subaru faces a real crisis of purpose. For almost four decades, Subaru has defined itself (and built a loyal following of customers) around its unique Boxer engines and AWD drivetrains in non-SUV bodies. Since EVs can, almost by definition, be ground-up AWD, Subaru has a big problem of marketing and a samey-samey fat crossover isn't going to convince the dedicated Subaristas. I am, however, keeping my fingers crossed for a proper Subaru EV estate car, a segment that Subaru could conquer... but only if they get the vehicle right.
(And I say this as a Subaru Levorg owner... who will be first to market with a genuinely good AWD EV estate car to replace my wagon?)
Full ACK, Legacy owner (270k km) - time to replace, but no EV in the market that fits in. Hope Subaru will reinvent itself with a proper EV AWD wagon.
Subaru stand no chance if they shackle themselves to Toyota
Yes, a proper Subaru estate EV would be very welcome. Although Jack praised the cargo space of the Solterra, it's clearly badly reduced by the very shallow sloping tailgate. There is basically no proper EV estate on the UK market (and the MG5 doesn't count IMO because it's not much more than a hatchback, plus the seats don't fold flat)
I recently bought a Subaru (Outback) because I bought a block of land here in Australia and my decade-old Prius couldn't get out there because it kept bottoming out on the unmaintained dirt track. I'm so happy with the Subaru as it does it effortlessly, even without X-Mode. I've been waiting for an EV with high enough ground clearance to handle that trip so I'm tempted to get this even with all its faults, as it's just about the only EV that would work for me. Unfortunately the journey is a 230 km round trip which comes a bit close to the maximum real-world range which might unfortunately rule it out, at least until they realise their mistake and come out with a larger battery version.
Thanks for the video! Small comment, I think you meant Subaru and Toyota at 13:02 (instead of Subaru and Nissan).
Excellent thorough review. Really appreciated the demonstration of their new vehicle exit safety measure.
Metric - when you tell measures in Imperial - please write them in Metric, so that the world outside UK and US can understand 🙂
Love your videos. Glad to see the other Japanese manufacturers are beginning to embrace BEV. BTW, @13:02 do you mean Subaru & Toyota (instead of Nissan)?
I spotted that too! Was surprised they didn't have a correction pop up!
Yes, I definitely think he meant Toyota 😂
I did. And I didn’t even clock this across multiple rounds of edits. Because I’m a muppet.
@@JackScarlett1 I’d leave it. 😄 Quite funny actually, would have been even more if you had said “Tesla” 🤣
@@JackScarlett1 No worries, you are doing an outstanding job, I just wanted to alert you. You are keeping us informed and simultaneously entertained. Looking forward to your next vid.
Great review, Jack - and bravo for soldiering on through that obviously inclement weather to bring us this review... very stoic, dude...!
As for the Soltera / BZ4X...
It's almost as though Toyota doesn't actually WANT to sell any pure electric cars, isn't it...?
I guess then they can say... "There ya' go - we told you no one wants a BEV..." 🤣
As a Subi and Honda owner, when we purchase our 1st EV (when the current insanity stabilizes), I will be shocked if we stick with any Japanese OEMs. Other than Nissan, Japan has really dropped the ball with BEVs.
Nissan dropped it too after the first Gen leaf. It’s barely keeping up with the also-rans now compared to its early lead.
@@xiaoka Agree. But at least they have the Ariya with "some" degree of BEV credibility. I wouldn't purchase one, but other than offroading, it is more competent than the Solterra.
They actually have a couple more EVs that are only sold in Japan, but they are all Kei cars that wouldn’t pass European and American safety standards.
@@HelenFire420 there’s also the e-NV200, which I’d like a leaf nose grafted on a van.
@@adroper62 the Aria looks nice. I’ve seen it on the road in Japan.
For 20-plus years, I have owned Subarus. My latest one is a sedan with safety systems that have been left largely intact since 2015. We lived where the full-time all-wheel drive was important. It came on most often on slippery wet hard-surfaced roads. The most off-roading we did was on Forest Service fire roads or fairly basic roads into camp sites.
That's 90% of Subie owners, but the same for Jeeps, etc.
30+years and 9 vehicles for this guy...
One day I came accross with this channel. And now, I get excited when they publish new video.
Well deserved kick in the arsenal for Subaru/Toyota - thanks for honest review, Eamon
I like the new pitch for the live shows. Since you're showing of the car now I'm not skipping it anymore
Good luck on the return trip.
BTW Akio Toyoda resigned as CEO of Toyota today effective in April.
I just looked up about Akio Toyoda resigning, and it's true!!! Hopefully Toyota can get on the right track now.
Unfortunately, he retains the role as chairman of the board. We’ll see what happens, but he will still be in a position to obstruct progress if he chooses to do so.
@@chow-chihuang4903 Agreed but I think he felt the pressure and read the tea leaves … finally.
Ahh proper reviews, not all just sales fluff. I appreciate that and its why I like this channel (and Jack's reviews in particular)
I have owned 3 Subaru Foresters in succession & I was so impressed with their XC traction which was every bit as good as a Land Rover Defender if not better. As a farmer my current car is a Skoda Enyaq IV80x but I know that it's nowhere near as good on the land, but I don't think the electric Subaru will be any better.
Great review. Such a shame so few EV makers seem to care about efficiency
I've been looking forward to this. We've moved on from our Forester but I've been watching to see how and when Subaru would enter the BEV market, mostly with disappointment over the last few years.
Efficiency aside, this looks like almost a spiritual successor to the Forester which is a car that I absolutely loved - I've had three - because of its actual capabilities off road. Not like a slightly bumpy gravel track but places where some people feel apprehensive taking a Hilux. If they can get that efficiency sorted and the ergonomics for the driver sorted out it sounds like a great contender for families that like a bit of adventure but live in an urban environment where the smaller car makes sense, another reason I loved the Forester.
I'm actually awaiting for the delivery of my MY23 Forester imminently and simply cannot wait for it (I would have gone full EV had Tesla given Australians the options to get the Model Y LR but sadly that's not the case yet so had to (somewhat reluctantly) get another ICE vehicle). IF the Soltera had been a Forester EV I think it could have been such a phenomenal car! In fact, I'm upgrading from an Impreza which it too, had it been an EV I think would have been a fantastic offering (or even better, the an XC/Crosstrek EV would sell like hot cakes!). There's just so much to love about Subaru (though obviously reliability and "thrill" isn't quite what it used to be...) but the Soltera simply looks like a 100% Toyota with a Subaru badge stuck on it. And that's a real real shame but any true Subaru fans out there... :(
I felt like the Solterra was more of a Crosstrek kind of car than the Forrester. To mee the Forrester alway was the high head clearance car and the Outback/Crosstrek/Impreza was the shorter head height wagon which is what I see the Solterra filling. I agree with the disappointment though about the Subaru BEV situation in general but its the struggle of being a Japanese brand.
@@maxmouche yeah I like the Model Y, but actually do use my vehicle for it's intended purpose. My Foresters have legit been places I wouldn't think about taking a Y. We've even started stepping out of the bounds of a Forester lately with our Ford Everest, which is a full 4x4.
Even though it's a little too big I kinda hope the Cybertruck makes it Down Under as that would be the likely replacement for our current car. Not a wagon, but as good as we'll get here I think in terms of range and capability. Rivian R1S is about the only pure replacement for our car I think, not sure what availability of that is going to be either though.
Honestly I'd take a really good PHEV at this point, if they could make an Everest that had an actual 50km range in the city on battery that would do most of our day to day easily and charge from our solar.
@@morosis82 we're 100% on the same wavelength. Model Y would be our ideal car for 90% of the time (city driving) and we'd compromise on the "adventure" capabilities due its relatively low clearance which is a shame (because a more rugged Model Y would probably the best car ever? OR as discussed, a proper Forester EV would be too!) Regarding the Cybertruck, I can't wait for it to arrive either! I've got a cheeky reservation for one in the knowledge that it's probably another 3 years away at this point maybe?... Also - probably a VERY awkward car to be driving in and around Sydney but hey ho... I keep telling my wife "we'll make it work" lol. The R1S looks fantastic (except for some UI issues which could be fixed via software update) but the price is simply too high for us at this point. Lastly - same thing here re a PHEV. I really like the sound of the Outlander PHEV but they have a 18 to 24 months wait which is simply ridiculous, it's a shame.
Best motoring presenter anywhere. Never miss Jack’s posts.
Love my current subi and was hoping for good electric offering soon. Not there yet.
That's horrific range. I have 2022 eNiro, and while there was -16°C and some wind, I was getting very similar range to you. That is was mostly long distance travel over a quite an elevation (up and down). I digress. Very good video. Can't wait for EV9 to pop, and even BYD Yangwant U8.
Love your reviews Jack. You give plenty of info with good humour and a personal take on liveability. I do like the look of this Subaru /Toyota but would never buy one, the range is ridiculously low not only for going on an adventure but for living a normal life in and a round a city and it suburbs plus the price here in NZ that will work out at over a hundred G's which is more than a years wages/salary for 90% of people.
Thanks again Jack for an excellent & entertaining review with honesty. So sad that Toyota as shown again that they are not serious about EV transport.
My understanding is the new software update being rolled out by Toyota and Subaru will improve charging and usable battery capacity, plus will provide a percentage charge remaining display. The reports I have read have been favorable, but the roll out is proceeding slowly as it has to be installed at a dealership.
Thank you. Was getting tired of all the 'this EV is great' reviews with each click, but this it's refreshing to see some genuine criticism and consumer advice. I appreciate the agenda to get people to make the switch, but if everything is exciting then nothing's that exciting.
Thanks for the review……good to see a car reviewer critically reviewing a car and not watering it down in the closing comments
I'm a Subaru enthusiast. I've never been able to change the clock in any of them.
What happened in Berlin, should...
After 3 Nights in Berghain
No one cares…..
🤫
Disliked the video for that obscene joke
@@موسى_7 alhamduillah
Clear analysis - fun to watch - thanks 👏
I think Toyota / Subaru have learned an important lesson in this (at least, I hope they will). You can't just take a hybrid system and try to scale it up. Critical parts of the electric drivetrain are compromised because of that.
I expect the engineers will explain that to the management. The management have already promised delivery to the board 2 years ahead of it actually having a chance of being ready.
The perfect EV for getting to places where it can't be charged.
Haha!
That is a really concise way of pointing out that a car like this needs a larger than average battery, not a smaller than average one. Maybe they need to sell electric equivalents of a jerry can full of petrol you can carry with you? :)
ANDY, 7:47 to 12:04 Was the field audio monitored live? EXCELLENT show . Bravo.
We unfortunately had a very bad day with broken audio packs and being out in the sticks we had no other option, many apologies
It's a shame that Jack didn't put the back seats down, to show if they go flush, or how much LENGTH there is available with the lid down! So far, for me, the MG5 is the winner for my requirements of range, boot space - and price.
Love the banter with Andy. Second video in a row where I’ve seen the two of you having a laugh
To be honest, I've always used my in car infotainment systems except when I have a rental with no satnav. Now, as you would know, Jack, the Polestar 2s system is superior to just about everything anyway. Most people in my FB group said they wouldn't use Carplay when it came via OTA. (I don't use Apple products)
That said, I can't disagree with anything here. If it was $20k less it would be a good SUV. For this price though, it eats the dust of its competition.
I just saw that my Subaru dealer has one of these in the showroom. I was considering stopping by to check it out. I didn’t have high hopes. But I don’t think I’ll bother now.
Went for a testdrive in one.
4 adults, -25 Celsius, studded tires on ice/snow roads and got around 62-68miles range...
I feel like it is for someone very specific. Maybe someone that lives in a rural town with a charger, or on the edge of a city where they can go off road but still be able to get to a charger. I think being for someone does makes it better than the BZ4X which just doesn't seem worth it for anyone.
Seen one AND the Toyota in the flesh earlier today. Surprised to see them out and about already up in Scotland. (Not being used for outdoor-sy things)
"Best opening I've seen since Andy and I shared a room..."🤣
got to 160 miles range and switched off what good is that
I'd say it was good for about 160 miles
@@timscott3027 I do 175 mile journey fairly regularly Enero can do that without a problem yet this cannot. So no good for me
Everyone has different uses
Agree with you on lack of efficiency of this SUV. If this was introduced 5 years ago it would be an ok EV, but with other offerings from VW, MG, Kia, Hyundai, Ford, GM, Tesla, Polestar, etc. this just does not cut it! Throw in all the Chinese manufacturers going global with their EVs and this Subaru/Toyota EV falls way short!
The best EV for someone with a small dog would be a Microlino. I have an almost two year old Petterdale terrier bitch of 5.2 kg.
I really do hope that microcar comes to the UK.
Love your videos.
Best wishes from George
Microlinoooooooo ❤❤
I like Jacks thinly veiled contempt for SUV's, in pretty much all his reviews. Keep doing it.
Brilliant review and absolute spot on points, perfect story telling and conclusion! Can't see my loving brand get trapped with Toyota, break away Subaru break away!
Did you mention that it doesn't fast charge in the cold? Makes them pretty bad for skiing.
Bang up job, Jack! 👏👍
Thank you for taking this one on!
Can you tell me if this, or any recent ones you've reviewed, other than the proper trucks, have any been able to lay in a 4x8 sheet of plywood across it's trunk width? I feel like that particular aspect is missing from SUV reviews in total.
Unfortanetly it doesn’t seem so. Us hardware store frequenters likely will need a cybertruck or e-transit. However, ford have decided their transit doesn’t need any decent range, so that only leaves cybertruck. Unless canoo or some other company comes through.
Thanks for the review. As a Subaru owner for over 50 years I was so hoping that they’d get the EV right. Unfortunately as Toyota has invested more and more into the company we Subaru owners have seen more and more Toyota crap leaking in. The Solterra is, I’m afraid just a crap Toyota with Subaru badges… drive train aside. As for the back end and your “dog comments,” yes, you could get a couple of dogs in, but with that steeply sloping back end you wouldn’t get their crates in so they’re safe. Guess I’ll have to keep on waiting.
Awesome review as always this channel is flawless!!! I love the EV vibes! Is it just me or does it look a lot like a focus upfront?
Sadly a shockingly expensive car, with dreadful plastics and almost "brand leading" inefficiency!! What a dreadful shame for something that externally looks very OK. Brilliant video... As honest as you could possibly ask for. 👍
My first two cars were Subarus and I loved them, and by extension the brand, but this is just a sad showing.
I didn't expect much when I read the stats but seeing all of the foibles laid out in video form like this just makes it worse.
Oh well I've been really happy with my Bolt and eventually something like my dream of an electric Brat will come out. (Or I'll save enough money to convert one)
Love your vids Jack! But who else was looking at all that waste on the beach 😪
Around 13 minutes in Jack says Subaru and Nissan? is that a mistake or is the car also designed with nissan as well? Thanks
Mistake, clearly.
Hopefully, this is a good starting point. 🙏
We split the year between France and Arizona, with cars that stay at each home. In Arizona, we have a nearly ten-year-old Buick Encore, which we chose because it was best in entry/exit. We're in our 70s so...
In France, we both have even older Citroën Picassos. That's a mini-minivan: tall, excellent entry/exit, and only five seats so the length is reasonable. There used to be similar cars from all manufacturers, but they’re all gone now, replaced by never-leaves-the-road "SUV"s. So when we have to update, on both sides of the pond, we'll probably have to get an "SUV".
Yes, the death of "people carriers" such as the Picasso is a great shame. Really useful cars.
@@nigelgrant4123 My wife and I each have one. A dozen years old, so we'll have to change some day... but we're in no hurry.
@@bobnelsonfr We bought a six year old Picasso 2.0 HDI and drove it for 10 years/100,000 miles. Used it as a van and a family bus. Five proper seats and a good boot in14'1". Brilliant design
@@nigelgrant4123 That's why we've kept ours so long, and plan to keep them 'til they drop. 😀
@@bobnelsonfr Wish Citroen would make an electric one.
I want an electric forester (old school wagon forester). Had this come out ten years ago it would have gotten rave reviews from all over the place. But that kinda shows how far behind Toyota/Subaru are right now.
Good honest review.
We have a Subaru Outback, partly because we live in a hilly, snowy location with poor roads and tracks, and partly because we ski, sail and camp a lot and it's great for lugging stuff around. We need some proper ground clearance and 4x4 ability and robustness. No particular interest in a fancy interior or 'options'. So this would fit our needs pretty well; I reckon better than any other electric option available now in Europe. But it's a pity the price is £10k too high and the range 100 miles too low.
I appreciate the realistic review. There have been a few reviews of Chinese cars that were not critical at all and started with the reviewer putting on company merch.
Great review. My iX3 does 3.2 miles per kWh in Winter and as high as 4.0 in Summer. And it's big, and heavy
Omg!!! Driving position is back to the Bubaru roots!!!
In my Outback 3 I found comfortable position after 20 thousand kilometers!! Literally, it's the weirdest seat/pedals/wheel position. But when you figure it out, it fits like a glove!
Do the wheels stay on?
What a bad joke!!!!
Good honest review. I am on my second Subaru Forester. I would prefer an electric Subaru Forester for its better interior, visibility, cargo space, display arrangement, turning circle, even the exterior appearance. Solterra has too little range, too expensive, too much cargo space lost to the sloping rear hatch, poor driver seat set up, ugly and non-ergonomic driver display, cloth dash cover will always be dusty, dirty and difficult to keep clean and I don’t like the look.
To put into perspective just how bad 2.5 miles per kilowatt hour is, the first nissan leaf released 12 years ago did 3 miles per kwh in real world conditions
Great video, but I thought they were Scoobys not Subis?!
Why a soft spot Jack? The only difference between this and any other is slightly higher groud clearance and bad range. A lift kit on a ID buzz would crush this...
Imagine a Rivian type adjustable ride height on any other EV. Or especially say an MG5. Twice the range and half the price and you wouldn't have to worry if Toyota sorted the wheels falling off problem. Luckily for Toyota/Subaru they will probably all they make on looks.
Thanks Jack, I don't think we can look past the Forest e for a better example of Subaru's complete misunderstanding of what it means to put a competent drive train together that meets the market's expectations. To fail so badly on their second foray speaks volumes to your conclusion, if you are going to show up late ... Wow, the market is wide open, the Rivian is ok for the US but other locales I,m not so sure. A big missed opportunity and perhaps it does suggest the entire Japanese car manufacturing industry is asleep at the wheel - maybe that's why their cars beep so much.
Well done Jack! Brilliantly enjoyably honest review whilst remaining well balanced. Hopefully Subaru and Toyota will step up soon. They could be such a positive force, but clearly choose not to be.
@cal jeff they make old tech fossil burners and HFCVs that no one will buy
great review, thank you
Subaru (or Toyota) would need to increase the range between charging by at least 150 kilometres for the Solterra to be a practical SUV for me.
The mileage I seem to be getting on my Solterra Premium in Arizona has been much better than claimed n this video. Granted, this has all been in hot weather, but around town I typically can get 3.5mpk or better, and on a trip between Southern Arizona and Northern Arizona and back, mostly at 70mph, including a charge stop in Phoenix at 117F ambient temperature, I was typically seeing 3.1mpk. The drive to the charge station in Sedona was quite scenic, and the view from the station was scenic itself!
I really like the videos you guys put together. I'm definitely an EVangelist, but 160mile range puts me right off
Worst I've ever had in my Kona was 3.3m/kWh and that was with a roofbox on in freezing weather at Christmas. Same battery size so 211 miles range in winter motorway driving (at 65 mind)
@@Lewis_Standing yup. I've got the eNiro so same core structure and get 230mile range in winter because the heater is on full blast, but 300miles in summer.
100-150miles suits most round the doors commuters but the Subaru shouldn't be aiming at that crowd. It's not enough to take the BEV pessimists away from their 3L turbos!
The price of this or the Toyota makes the MG4 look ridiculously good value. Of course the real competition is the EV6 or ioniq 5/6, which wipe the floor with toyoburu
Thanks Jack.
Hubris from the Japanese had led to them being far behind their competitors. Not just in cars but other areas as well eg. tech. They now have to climb back up to their once lofty heights of excellence if they wish to remain competitive. They can do it but it's going to be a tough slug uphill all the way. Reticence has a price.
Good video! You forgot to talk about the DC fast-charging rate max of 100kW. That would make it unusable on any road trip in the US. Also, my Rivian R1T gets 2.4mi/kWh in warmer weather everyday driving...yikes Subaru!
Will Subaru recall and repurchase their Solterra EV as their Toyota cousin? It seems that the wheel bolt issue may not be the real reason they were removed from market but the very poor battery autonomy?
Complete FUD I'm afraid, the wheel hub bolts were redesigned as a result of the process - don't pay attention to the Electric Viking!!
In the immortal words of Tom Scott: “Buy some damn subtitles!” It makes watching youtube videos so much better, especially for people who are HOH or who speak English as a second language. And it’s doubly important when your presenter is standing on a windy beach, or has accidentally swallowed his microphone.
You know a car is genuinely horrible when FC say "mixed bag".
That beeping would drive me mad
kWh per 100km really feels easier to grasp for more people. Couldn't you include that?
This review bares out what I expected, and surmised from others. Their hearts are not in BEVs the way they were in Hybrid tech. And it shows.
So we're the market for this car. And we got one. It's the 38th vehicle I've owned. Everything from a Ford Pinto to a Porsche 911 turbo. Couple of things. I was the creative director for new model launch training for Toyota for several years about a decade ago and we worked through all the hybrid skepticism but Toyota hybrids are the most reliable passenger vehicles in the world and have stupendous battery live in normal use (300,000 - 600,000 miles unless the battery is defective or the vehicle is weirdly abused).
I get 3-3.1 KwH efficiency all the time and I live in the mountains and have done mixed highway, freeway driving (in mountains and flat deserts) and a lot of short-hop local driving.
Subaru and Toyota's skepticism of EVs partly involves long term reliability and safety without owners having to take extraordinary ownership steps to "preserve" their vehicles. The reliability has to match their brand standards. I happen to know that the Solterra's battery self controls the charge level between about 15-18% and 80-85%. Their reliability target is the battery outlasting the car. No other manufacturer has that goal. Also the battery controller prevents misuse of the battery. You can't charge it too fast, you can't overcharge it, you can't fully discharge it (back to the reliability targets). Other manufacturers are catering to wealthy buyers who don't care about charge cost (level 3 fast charging here costs nearly as much as my 23mpg diesel pickup whereas level 2 charging at home coasts 1/4 what putting gas in our Prius costs). And they aren't looking for long-term reliability or quality (otherwise nobody would buy a Tesla).
Additionally, Subaru and Toyota learned (particularly Toyota) how damaging user idiocy with throttle pedals can be. They had a lot of debates about fully one-pedal driving and decided it was a mistake to have driver's stop the car with the throttle pedal. The throttle pedal makes the car go, lifting off slows it down and braking stops it. That having been said, the "one pedal" mode will ALMOST stop the car. However, it also puts the brake lights on (as does the 4th level of normal regen). But the first 3 levels do not so you can take advantage of fairly significant regen/"engine braking" without looking like you're riding the brakes or freaking out the drivers behind you ever time you lift off the gas.
There is a wide belief that the "innovators" have come up with the ultimate way EVs should be used but conservative auto makers who have individual vehicle models that outsell every EV in the world combined over one year have a lot more experience in making reliable vehicles that operate predictably and safely for the majority of users. This vehicle is specifically NOT designed to hit numbers by sacrificing quality and reliability. It is not intended to try and be a long-distance vehicle (which will allow lots of battery-killing level-3 charges at high charge speed and ridiculous cost) and it has a very conservative charge rate (which basically negates doing long-distance driving) especially for reliability purposes.
This isn't inability or stupidity or deviousness, it's two of the most dependable and highest quality auto manufacturers in the world getting together to make an EV which hits those standards with the available technology at a particular price point. Nowhere have I read that the Lexus RZ is the exact same platform with a bigger motor and more range. That is a much more expensive vehicle and so those features that this vehicle is criticized for are available for users who want to spend the money. That is the third vehicle on this platform.
Let's catch up in 10 years and look at how many 2022-2023 EVs are still driving with their original batteries and original motors.
I admire your energy for posting such a long comment, and definitely take seriously your long and well supported argument about the benefits (to the user) of hybrid vehicles. I was a very keen advocate for the Toyota Prius in the early days when every automotive journalist derided, belittled and snubbed it. I thought it was an amazing bit of transitory technology that holds a firm place in the history of automotive development.
But, that was then, this is now, 2023, when battery electric technology has advanced to a truly remarkable degree and many of the arguments you tried to prove fell a bit flat.
Whatever battery technology and chemistry was common 5 years ago will not exist in 5 years time. It is now clear that the next generation of batteries will outlast anything Toyota make now, and anything anyone else is making now.
Very sadly, and I say this very sincerely, up until the last few days Toyota have stood out as the most reactionary, dated and increasingly redundant car maker. The top level management have spent $$millions fighting climate change legislation around the world, undermining democratic governments and spreading endless lie, Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. They are second only to the oil industry, with whom they have very close and I would suggest very unhealthy and corrupting ties.
Hybrids were wonderful technology, 20 years ago. They are petrol/gasoline cars, just like any other petrol/gasoline car, they need to burn hydrocarbons of they don't work.
Like all combustion technologies, they are doomed. Enbd of discussion
With current gas prices 2.0/L, driving this car 30,000 Km per year will save one person almost $5500-6000 just in gas alone. People overestimate how much they are gonna drive . The range is 360km and in Canada there are so many EV chargers now, it’s not bad. Total charging time now on level 3 is 45 minutes.
Half of my mountain club drive Subaru, but this vehicle would be hard pressed to do the average club day trip in the Summer. In the winter it would not make it to the highway turnoff and back. Is it meant to be sold, or is it meant to convince Subaru fans that EVs will not work?
Thats a hello helluva difference between wltp range and reality!
With unique competitive advantages of cavernous rear loading space and high ground clearance, this car is ideal for off-road sports enthusiasts, those hauling lots of stuff, and those who drive in high snow and on bad roads.
The expression on that dogs face is priceless lol
Still doesn’t pass the dog test IMO as the rear window slopes too much. Fisker Ocean or Hyundai 7 should set the new dog standard. Happy to supply our 3 med/large dogs for that video 🐶 🐶 🐶
Kia Niro is perfect for dogs, maybe not 3 but 2 definitely.
@@spiritualhumanist yep I keep meaning to go and have a look at one. I don’t like the way that it’s not purely EV designed though … must be design compromises for it to be available in multiple fuel types. I was planning on the EV9 but I think it may suffer with the same issues as the buzz … too much weight and poor efficiency. Honestly it’s a struggle to look past the Model Y - it seems to have everything and the boot is huge .. just worry about boot height for dogs
Do the wheels stay on now
great vid
Well said Jack!!
Don't need one pedal driving. 7.4 kW AC and it's problems in the cold are a bit weird.