Worst EV I’ve driven, other than the bZ4X. Honorable mention is ID.4. Laughable anyone would pay the price for any of them with much better options available.
I have the 2023 Touring and I love it. I only drive local/medium distances so the fast charging performance means nothing to me. But the 8.3" ground clearance and the snow performance mean a lot, and the car absolutely coasted through the last winter for me! The ride is smooth, the build quality is excellent, the car is solid and feels well put together...very pleased with my purchase. It fits my lifestyle perfectly.
@@JohnCap523pretty much everything in the same category. I don't need huge range and I never fast charge - it's all home charging. The bz4x/Solterra both pull away and stop much better in winter conditions than the other cars they were tested against, by clear car lengths. They are much better equipped to handle snow boulders on the road due to over 2" more ground clearance than the other options I looked at. Those are the features I need. Giving those up for more range or better fast charging would make no sense for me whatsoever. The Solterra is also very, very well constructed. It feels incredibly well put together, solid, and substantial, more so than any of the other options I looked at. The car is an absolute tank, in the best possible way. Bottom line: everyone's needs are different. A lot of the RUclipsrs seem to fail to realise this, which is why everyone needs to go into a purchase with their eyes open. What's good for someone else isn't necessarily good for me.
@@commanderbernhardt5317 You’ve obviously not driven any good EVs in the class. 🤣 All AWD EVs are good in snow by virtue of their weight. These EVs universally get awful reviews and I can affirm both are bad compared to the competition, IN ALL REGARDS. And both are way overpriced. But hey, I know how it goes for both Toyota bros and Subaru aficionados. Afterall someone has to buy cars based on old reps… 😎 Enjoy. PS- technical and practical reviews are based on a perceived uniform baseline, they don’t factor in brand bias, like evidently yours.
@@JohnCap523You can make assumptions about what I test drove if you want. You're speaking from a position of total ignorance, but you don't seem the type to let that bother you. Carry on! :)
@@commanderbernhardt5317 Nope, because I’m very good at recognizing people who go look at something, and buy it, without doing any real comparison, usually because of instead bias, like a Tesla fanboi, Tesla bro, or Subaru Dawg. So yea, you bought it without actually looking at good EVs… 🍷
A 2023 Solterra was my first EV purchase. I was driving it as a town car and doing 100% of my charging in my garage. For me, it was a perfect car. Quiet, comfortable and very inexpensive to operate. It was the perfect car for my needs. However, I replaced it after just one year, not because I disliked anything about the car but because of issues with the dealership. I think that mine was the first EV that they had sold and they knew absolutely nothing about the car or any of its features. A friend of mine inherited a slightly used WRX. She took it to the same dealership for a checkup. They told her that brakes needed major repair. She took it to an independent mechanic whom she had dealt with before and he said that there was nothing wrong with the brakes. So, since they knew nothing about my car and the service department apparently couldn’t be trusted, I traded my Solterra for an Audi Q4 EV. While I like my Audi, there are some features that I miss. I would still be driving the Solterra if I felt better about the dealership.
I just purchased it. It gets me from point A to point B. I don't usually look at reviews, because almost always I disagree. I had a Nissan frontier PRO4X. I have a 42 mile one way commute. So 84 miles round trip. LOTS OF GAS. LOL This costs me nothing to charge and run. My house has 60 solar panels and 12 batteries on the house. SO the savings is over the moon. I really like it.
@JohnCap523 well let's see. 165 dollars a week for gas. That's 660 dollars a month in gas. To 95 dollars a month charging every day to full. And actually not even that because I have a 50 panel solar array and a dozen back up batteries. So my solar charges it. Maybe if you don't know what your talking about you should stay in your basement with your tinfoil hat in place. The vehicle has been as good as every subaru I have owned. And I have owned several and drove them till the wheels fell off. They are awesome. Now I do understand that this is made by Toyota for subaru. But the all wheel drive is as responsive as the subs I have owned. You are no different than the people that bashed the internal combustion engine when it came around. Guess they were wrong. Weren't they. I'm not saying electric vehicles are the answer. God knows they are far from green. Just look at lithium mines and refining plants. Toxic. But they fill a need.
@PUMPADOUR 10 dollars more a month than I was paying for the pickup truck. And I use Erie insurance. And I on a 9 month payment plan. So about 167 a month now.
@@gimlion a Nissan Ariya I was referring to. Much nicer and better powertrain than Solterra. I too was a longterm Frontier owner so I get the costs. I now drive an EV6.
I did the same thing! Plus I'm trading in my 21 Crosstrek Limited. I'm saving about $24k, and I know that I'm keeping the Solterra after the lease is up.
I bought a 2023 Solterra with 5,000 miles for $27,000 and only paid taxes on the first 12k due to state incentives. INCREDIBLE car for that price, love driving it, always charge at home, and gas savings pays the monthly payment (I live in a rural area so grocery store is 30 min roundtrip, gas was awful). Best deal on a car I've ever made.
Been driving a 2023 since a year and half. Doing short to medium range and I had to use the public fast charge couple of time without any issue. Using fast charging on winter this is the real issue tho. I heard the 2024 is not much better. But like you said, for daily use, city and medium range traveling, this is one of the best EV I had. The driving is so smooth compare to other brand I tried. On a snow storm....this is SSOOOOOOO fun to drive, it's a little tank. Can't wait Toyota/Subaru improvement on next version.
I just leased the Soltera. I've been with 4 previous Subaru's before EV venture. So many EV hater's out there. Love their comments. 😂 Anyway I'm giving this one a shot. Thank you for your review. It certainly helps. I can't get a Subaru tech to help me with all the info until October 31 appointment. What? EV hater's gonna love that one.
@@KirkKreifels norway and the Netherlands relativly small countries compared to the Usa.... . We have in the Netherlands the best charging capacity worldwide every business, street, highway, restaurant, most of the houses and appartement blocks have charging points...... . Range is no issue, you can charge every were anytime.....
I'm going to get a Solterra Touring when the one I've ordered arrives in about two weeks. I loved the test drive, and while I love the 2021 Crosstrek Limited, the Solterra is a dream come true for me.
I own a 2023 limited. Love the Solterra beautiful interior rides very nice. We live in the mountains and it does great, driving up the mountains like speedy Gonzales. Beautiful vehicle.
I saw one of these in person at the shopping mall. It looks nice and I didn't think the EV badges were too much. But it was on the edge of being too much 😅 I am glad to see more car makers making the transition to EVs. I love the sounds they make when pulling into the parking lot. In the future when battery technology gets more advanced, we will be able to get cars that can go 500 miles on one full charge and recharge in 15 mins or less. It is only a matter of time.
This infotainment should be in every Subaru and the team that made it deserves a massive promotion. Even if the EV struggles but just this part of the Solterra survives, it will be a major win for the brand.
Great video, thank you. I'll say it again - there are no "bad" new cars (unless you are talking about something like Ford Pinto). There are cars that are not worth what they are at the price they are selling them, i.e. value. At almost 50K, Solterra or bZ4x are a "hard pass", but if you take into consideration all the money that Toyota threw into the lease deal, my bZ4x ended up costing me 25K. I leased at 4.5K down 138 a month. Now, that's a steal, and the car is totally worth it. Thanks again, Kirk.
Really appreciate your review! We will be getting one as our around town driver which is what we were looking for with regard to an EV anyway. Less maintenance and operating cost for our 2nd vehicle. When it’s time for a road trip, an ICE Tribeca three-row is already in our possession.
The problem with these EVs is that you can buy this car with 8k miles for HALF the new price. And they are starting to offer 299 leases for this model. So, it makes very little since to pay 50k for this vehicle new.
We just leased one today. It was between the Forester and the Solterra. The Solterra was the best ride, best handling, quietest, fastest and just a much better price. The base model was discounted almost $10k and we received the $7500 rebate on top of that. For $329 a month, it was a no brainer. We've owned two other EVs, but again, we leased this knowing that in three years there will be tons of choices. We will rent a vehicle for long trips and this Solterra is for every day use around town. BTW.....my wife LOVED the steering wheel and how the car handled, as did myself.
I am a former Owner. Take it on a road trip and try to DCFC at any charger above 50% SOC. Report your charging speed…..it’s 16.8 kWh! And try a winter road trip at 33F. Every 2 -3 hours of driving you need 1.5-2 hours of charging at a 200 kw charger. It’s a train wreck! And how much of the 72.8 kWh battery is usable…about 62 kWh the lowest percentage in the industry.
Seems to me that you should have known that before buying it (if you really did). The biggest knocks on both this and the BZ4X are the small battery, long charging times, and limited range. If you bought this expecting more, that's on you and your ignorance not the car
I knew about usable battery and range. No where talks about charge speed above 50% SOC is 16.8 kWh and 20-25 kWh in above freezing temps winter after preheating and a two hour highway drive is horrible and not noted in any specs or reviews. 95% of my charging was level 2 and it got me to work and back until it broke. but it is worse than any review or spec says. NO ONE has ever got close to 100 kW charging either. I know exactly what I leased and so glad it’s Gone! A hint, parts are not available either. This sat at a dealer with no heat for 4 months!
@@jimmyjamesl2318the Ioniq 5 is a much better option. 10 year powertrain warranty, 5 year bumper to bumper, longer range by over 50 miles, better winter range due to much more efficient heating, better highway range, similar cost, illuminated interior window switches, the best navigation that allows EV trip planning for free, a great App, and 8-10 times faster level 3 charging speed and nearly 2 times level 2 charging when needed. It can also be repaired when it breaks as parts are available. I will say the good feature was the wiper less resr window worked well keeping it clean in the winter. My heat pump died at 4K miles and took 4 months to repair. My solterra loaner died in my driveway and had to be towed. anyway, buy what you like. There are many better EV alternatives…
@@jimmyjamesl2318this is going to be EXACTLY my usage. 70 miles to and from work, AND there are on site chargers at work. I'm extremely excited to get one.
I just leased the 2024 Solterra limited in all black last week, and I absolutely love it so far. I was looking for an EV with better safety features than my previous 2018 Ford Escape SEL. This car gives me the peace of mind with keeping me safe in my daily commute to work and has amazing tech with the wireless charging/Apple CarPlay and the large display. I couldn't ask for a better or a safer SUV. Yes, the range is lower than other EV SUVs, but it is more than enough for my purposes. I am only paying $350 per month plus the dealership's protection plan which will pay for itself in the end. I also got a $7,500 rebate towards the lease. I would highly recommend leasing this vehicle if you're looking for a safe and reliable EV!
Hey Kirk, thank you so much for your objective and detailed evaluation of this vehicle. Prior to seeing your video I was mostly seeing negative reviews. I am truly loving my 2023 Solterra Limited. I traded in a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek for a used Solterra with 850 miles.. I got a great deal as it was a demo car. I also had before the Crosstrek a 2022 Toyota Prius XLE. I really started to love the hybrid and eventually may end up with a plug in hybrid but for right now the Solterra is the right fit for me. Shortly after getting the vehicle it had 3 recalls . The dealership gave me the Subaru Outback as a loaner to drive for 2 days. I am not a fan of the Outback and was thrilled when I got the call to pick up my Solterra. Initially I was doing regular level one charging but I drive approximately 60 miles per day and the length of time to charge to 80% was way too long. I invested in a level 2 charging and it only takes on average 2 hours and 20 minutes. You are spot on about how the vehicle handles and the responsiveness of the braking. Another great point is the rattling which is so random and I have had it occur in both very cool and hot days. My only complaint is Apple CarPlay and connecting to my phone. There is definitely a glitch. When I listen to local radio stations on the Subaru interface it is frustrating to reconnect to Apple CarPlay or even Bluetooth. My workaround was to download the IHeart radio app and so far that has been mostly successful. Thank you again and I will definitely subscribe to your channel.
I lease the 2023 Limited and have taken it on long-ish trips (220 miles max so far). I am very impressed - although, I did set the bar really low because I had my doubts about long distance traveling in an EV. When my lease is up, I will probably upgrade to the Touring. Overall, I really love this car.
I wonder what kind of residual is being shown on those leases. Presently, seems to me, used car dealers are unable to reliably evaluate or to estimate reconditioning costs for resale. EV's flow right through ordinary auctions, getting pitiful bids. And new car dealers offer a pittance on trade-ins, if they don't turn them away entirely.
I just leased a Limited, after the incentives etc... residual for a 36/10k is about 25k; Mind you to get the 329 down 329/month on a premium means there are a crap ton of incentives, with a payment total of 11844. Obviously, none of this includes tax, tags, title, fees etc...
Three months into my lease with my Solterra, I actually enjoy it. You are correct about the use case, our use case is for using around town and I have a garage where I put in a charger.
I doubt this and the BZ4X are as bad as everyone says. Range is probably fine for most and build quality is likely well above average. While I think its great that EVs are a choice in the marketplace, I will pass on this and all other EVs, thanks.
Still a lot of room for improvement. Better versions will come out soon. Subaru’s next-generation Eyesight will come out in a few years time and also their next-generation BEV platform dedicated for BEV(shared with Toyota).
I have had my bZ4X AWD with 20's for over a year now. It went through a Minnesota winter. The driving, efficiency and range were fine. Some have blown concerns way out of proportion. And now that it's getting warm, I'm seeing mid 4's for mi/kWh.
If i just wanted an electric city car with admittedly slow charging I would go for a used Chevy Bolt. Can find many well under $18k with less than 30k miles
We owned a Chevy Bolt for just a short period of time due to the fire recall. There is no comparison in size, etc. The Solterra is a much better vehicle. BTW...we did enjoy the bolt for the short time we had it, lots of positives, but again, no comparison.
I don't get what's the problem with the EV logos. Why is it considered as corny. It's an EV and I think it's a good thing for the non EV drivers to acknowledge that there are more and more of them around. The ultimate goal, if you truly are conscious about the environment, is to have more of them on the road.
I wanted to really like this, but I couldn’t stand the gauge cluster and lack of storage (mainly no glove box). Absolutely loved the Prius, but the same weird gauge cluster killed it for me.
I have a 2024 BZ4X AWD XLE lease for the reasons you talked about. Local driving, second car, I can charge at home. 2k down $230 a month for 36 months. The fact that it’s a nice car to be in and drive, is a bonus.
If it's just going to be a city car why put a battery that big in it and not use an LFP battery? If you are going to put an NMC battery that big in it why wouldn't you make it a little bigger and let people charge it fast enough and enough times to make it not just a city car? I'm guessing they will say it will take care of 80 percent of your driving but I don't want to pay $50000 for a car that won't handle pretty much all of my driving, especially when there are alternatives at a similar price that will.
I get it mate. LFP batteries will slowly come to USA and reduce costs. NMC batteries will get much better in just a few years. In the meantime sacrifices must be made. $329 / mo is a solid deal.
I like the Soltera and I'm considering one only because of the lease deal. It's a really good price considering with other cars to get it that low you need like a $5k deposit or more. The range is fine for me since I rarely if ever do any road tripping. 110% agree you should only lease EVs, in 3 years it will be old tech no one wants, but the dealership / bank will take it off your hands when the lease is done.
I bought a Tesla 3 outright for ~ $51,000 US, drove it 104,000 miles, and sold it private party for $28,500. Tesla and local dealers only offered about $18k. They either wanted to make a huge profit or had no idea what the resale market was like and were scared to pay a reasonable amount.
No electric car in my opinion is worth 50+ K. I would pick a used I3 over this honestly may have a little bit less range than the subaru but driving the vehicle is fun. I will get to test drive the solterra tomorrow so i will see out of curiosity
I've seen these as used for 25k with nearly zero miles. I don't see why leasing is better than buying used because you are still having to pay for all that initial depreciation.
The way that the economy is going right now is absolutely atrocious! So many vehicles go unsold not because they are bad, but because of what it takes to get one!
That’s interesting news. Do you think Subaru is just “dipping their toes in the water” or is Toyota just not willing to go in whole hog to supply more models (assuming that Toyota is going to be building the hybrid Foresters). I would think that hybrid Subaru Outbacks would sell like hotcakes. 😂
I wish the Solterra had the range of a Model S or Rivian. Battery tech has to get way better for these vehicles to mainstream. This generation of EV’s remind me of the first iPhone. You can see the future but you’re stuck on EDGE. EDGE in this case is low range and not great charge options.
Used to drive an Outback before Tesla. Wish Subaru would bring an electric Outback. Compared to Tesla it’s still a very long way for Subaru. For my taste the battery should have at least 80kWh capacity and that glossy black plastic is awful. And then, the price is way too high compared to Tesla or Chinese cars (Europe is not affected by import tax like US).
The Good: Lease Price. Sound system. Ride quality. Handling. Torque feel. Mediocre: Everything else The Bad: No Volume knob. Glossy piano black plastic. Headliner rattles in heat. Blah Range. Barf DCFC.
@@KirkKreifels10 years warranty? After 10 years just 30% degradation batteries. Not one other carmanufacturer will give thatckind of warranty and reason toyota and subaru don't want uscthe fast cgarge. It kills the batteries....of all bev's manufacturers
It will stay unpopular !!! Toyota completely failed with the bZ4X and Solterra. The proof : only 9329 bZ4X sold in US (8872 Solterra) last year and 626 in France. I understand why they stay with hybrid and PHEV.
Lack of the $7,500 tax-credit played a major role it how many Toyota/Subaru decided to even try to sell. They are treating it just like gen-1 of Prius, not interested in high-volume since that is the plan for gen-2... which was exceptionally successful for Prius. Why not with bZ4X/Solterra too?
btw, the measure of success or failure is not based entirely on initial sales. Vital traits... like reliability... take time. Once that is proven, sales pick up. Absence of patience tells us nothing of what to expect later.
This is a very mediocre EV, but if you are okay with that, the price might be right. It just seems like Toyota wanted to prove EVs were not very good making one that wasn’t very good. I’m certain they could have made a much better EV if they cared to do so.
Kirk.... I get that you have a soft spot in your heart for Toyota, but this is a horrible vehicle. This is more of a sales pitch video for a half baked product than a true review. I'm glad you at least agreed this is a lease vehicle. First, yes, the quality of Toyota and Subaru is going to be better than a lot of start up EVs, however remember this was on a stop sale for a long time because they couldn't keep the wheels on it. Second, the range is laughable. Sure, if you lease it, not an issue but this is not a serious product for anyone who wants to keep it 5-10 years. Third, yes, they increase the charging rate. Great, but it's still slow. A range of 222 is just ridiculous low. Over all, a product like this is only going to hurt Toyota and Subaru in the future since most are going to remember this as their first electric vehicle.
@@atmartens I don't believe you drove one, just my honest opinion. Granted I wish it had more range, but it is a wonderful car to drive. IT will serve us well around town and $329 a month sure beats all the $500 and above per month leases out there. Perfect for us. We considered the Model Y, but at the end of the lease you can not purchase it. Sad.
@@KirkKreifels it took Toyota, 25 years or so to perfect the hybrid.... . Tesla is in business 12 years now? Still battery degradation major issue, also with Tesla... . Source Autoweek, dutch magazine. 6 year old model Y, 175.000 km, battery degradation 34%... . Only 6 years old and relativly low mileage. That's the problem with all current bev's...only developed for a lifespan of 5 or 6 years, after that no one wants that car..... .
@avdp9095 Huh? My 2012 plug-in Prius (sold to a good friend) is still working great. My 2017 Prius Prime (sold to my niece when I got my bZ4X last year) is still working great too... full EV drive with heat-pump, delivered 7 years ago.
Been riding my Yamaha 250x supermoto exclusively for the past year, even thru the Maine winter... Every once in a while it needs a tire, or 5bucks in the gas tank. I purchased it lightly used Fourteen yrs ago for $3600. Have done zero maintenance besides a chain or two. Do That math... absolutely Trouncing any/all EVs 😉😁😎
The problem with this car is the price. At 215HP, 227 miles range, and 100kw fast charging it competes more with the Leaf and the old discontinued Bolt not with the Model Y, Mach-E, ID4, Blazer EV etc. If they priced it starting at 25k it would be awesome but even at its discounted price it's still way too expensive.
I have weirdly seen more of the Subaru Solterra on the road than the BZ4X and RZ combined!! I have literally seen two RZ's in the wild and a handful of BZ4Xs
True, You can't satisfy them petrolheads 🤣 They're not wrong but even engines have their limit, thats why most super and hyper cars are electrified nowadays or mostly plug in hybrids :0 The Model S and Lucid Air prove that electric are the solutions to more power and torque but just go to fast, Not for for towing and long distance travel 🤣👎🏽 @@ryanfraley7113
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm going to sleep very soundly on this one Kirk
😂😂😂
😂
Worst EV I’ve driven, other than the bZ4X. Honorable mention is ID.4. Laughable anyone would pay the price for any of them with much better options available.
I have the 2023 Touring and I love it. I only drive local/medium distances so the fast charging performance means nothing to me. But the 8.3" ground clearance and the snow performance mean a lot, and the car absolutely coasted through the last winter for me! The ride is smooth, the build quality is excellent, the car is solid and feels well put together...very pleased with my purchase. It fits my lifestyle perfectly.
@@commanderbernhardt5317 what are you comparing it to, bZ4X? 😝
@@JohnCap523pretty much everything in the same category. I don't need huge range and I never fast charge - it's all home charging.
The bz4x/Solterra both pull away and stop much better in winter conditions than the other cars they were tested against, by clear car lengths. They are much better equipped to handle snow boulders on the road due to over 2" more ground clearance than the other options I looked at. Those are the features I need. Giving those up for more range or better fast charging would make no sense for me whatsoever.
The Solterra is also very, very well constructed. It feels incredibly well put together, solid, and substantial, more so than any of the other options I looked at. The car is an absolute tank, in the best possible way.
Bottom line: everyone's needs are different. A lot of the RUclipsrs seem to fail to realise this, which is why everyone needs to go into a purchase with their eyes open. What's good for someone else isn't necessarily good for me.
@@commanderbernhardt5317 You’ve obviously not driven any good EVs in the class. 🤣 All AWD EVs are good in snow by virtue of their weight. These EVs universally get awful reviews and I can affirm both are bad compared to the competition, IN ALL REGARDS. And both are way overpriced. But hey, I know how it goes for both Toyota bros and Subaru aficionados. Afterall someone has to buy cars based on old reps… 😎 Enjoy.
PS- technical and practical reviews are based on a perceived uniform baseline, they don’t factor in brand bias, like evidently yours.
@@JohnCap523You can make assumptions about what I test drove if you want. You're speaking from a position of total ignorance, but you don't seem the type to let that bother you. Carry on! :)
@@commanderbernhardt5317 Nope, because I’m very good at recognizing people who go look at something, and buy it, without doing any real comparison, usually because of instead bias, like a Tesla fanboi, Tesla bro, or Subaru Dawg. So yea, you bought it without actually looking at good EVs… 🍷
A 2023 Solterra was my first EV purchase. I was driving it as a town car and doing 100% of my charging in my garage. For me, it was a perfect car. Quiet, comfortable and very inexpensive to operate. It was the perfect car for my needs. However, I replaced it after just one year, not because I disliked anything about the car but because of issues with the dealership. I think that mine was the first EV that they had sold and they knew absolutely nothing about the car or any of its features. A friend of mine inherited a slightly used WRX. She took it to the same dealership for a checkup. They told her that brakes needed major repair. She took it to an independent mechanic whom she had dealt with before and he said that there was nothing wrong with the brakes. So, since they knew nothing about my car and the service department apparently couldn’t be trusted, I traded my Solterra for an Audi Q4 EV. While I like my Audi, there are some features that I miss. I would still be driving the Solterra if I felt better about the dealership.
I just purchased it. It gets me from point A to point B. I don't usually look at reviews, because almost always I disagree. I had a Nissan frontier PRO4X. I have a 42 mile one way commute. So 84 miles round trip. LOTS OF GAS. LOL This costs me nothing to charge and run. My house has 60 solar panels and 12 batteries on the house. SO the savings is over the moon. I really like it.
What is your insurance payment?
@@gimlion You should’ve stuck with Nissan.
@JohnCap523 well let's see. 165 dollars a week for gas. That's 660 dollars a month in gas. To 95 dollars a month charging every day to full. And actually not even that because I have a 50 panel solar array and a dozen back up batteries. So my solar charges it. Maybe if you don't know what your talking about you should stay in your basement with your tinfoil hat in place. The vehicle has been as good as every subaru I have owned. And I have owned several and drove them till the wheels fell off. They are awesome. Now I do understand that this is made by Toyota for subaru. But the all wheel drive is as responsive as the subs I have owned. You are no different than the people that bashed the internal combustion engine when it came around. Guess they were wrong. Weren't they. I'm not saying electric vehicles are the answer. God knows they are far from green. Just look at lithium mines and refining plants. Toxic. But they fill a need.
@PUMPADOUR 10 dollars more a month than I was paying for the pickup truck. And I use Erie insurance. And I on a 9 month payment plan. So about 167 a month now.
@@gimlion a Nissan Ariya I was referring to. Much nicer and better powertrain than Solterra.
I too was a longterm Frontier owner so I get the costs. I now drive an EV6.
Just lease the premium base model for $199/month for 36 months with zero down. Couldn't be happier. There is $16000 off if you buy.
SOLID deal. Grats
How’d you get that 16k off figure
@@edgara4361 from our local dealer in MA
$200 per month lease is what i paid for a Bolt in 2017. Seems like a fair amount of car for the price.
I did the same thing! Plus I'm trading in my 21 Crosstrek Limited. I'm saving about $24k, and I know that I'm keeping the Solterra after the lease is up.
I bought a 2023 Solterra with 5,000 miles for $27,000 and only paid taxes on the first 12k due to state incentives. INCREDIBLE car for that price, love driving it, always charge at home, and gas savings pays the monthly payment (I live in a rural area so grocery store is 30 min roundtrip, gas was awful). Best deal on a car I've ever made.
how much is the insurance? 😮
Been driving a 2023 since a year and half. Doing short to medium range and I had to use the public fast charge couple of time without any issue. Using fast charging on winter this is the real issue tho. I heard the 2024 is not much better. But like you said, for daily use, city and medium range traveling, this is one of the best EV I had. The driving is so smooth compare to other brand I tried. On a snow storm....this is SSOOOOOOO fun to drive, it's a little tank. Can't wait Toyota/Subaru improvement on next version.
I just leased the Soltera. I've been with 4 previous Subaru's before EV venture. So many EV hater's out there. Love their comments. 😂 Anyway I'm giving this one a shot. Thank you for your review. It certainly helps. I can't get a Subaru tech to help me with all the info until October 31 appointment. What? EV hater's gonna love that one.
2nb bestselling car in Norway...bz4x. Far better car than media wants us to believe.
It's a great all-rounder (edit: for a city car)
@@KirkKreifels norway and the Netherlands relativly small countries compared to the Usa.... . We have in the Netherlands the best charging capacity worldwide every business, street, highway, restaurant, most of the houses and appartement blocks have charging points...... . Range is no issue, you can charge every were anytime.....
Does the Solterra use a heat pump for HVAC?
It’s a good value car with its discounts and updates. I like the Subaru one better than the BZ4X because I’m a Subaru fanboy more.
I'm going to get a Solterra Touring when the one I've ordered arrives in about two weeks. I loved the test drive, and while I love the 2021 Crosstrek Limited, the Solterra is a dream come true for me.
I own a 2023 limited. Love the Solterra beautiful interior rides very nice. We live in the mountains and it does great, driving up the mountains like speedy Gonzales. Beautiful vehicle.
I also own a white Subaru Solterra EV limited. Great car! ❤
I saw one of these in person at the shopping mall. It looks nice and I didn't think the EV badges were too much. But it was on the edge of being too much 😅
I am glad to see more car makers making the transition to EVs. I love the sounds they make when pulling into the parking lot. In the future when battery technology gets more advanced, we will be able to get cars that can go 500 miles on one full charge and recharge in 15 mins or less. It is only a matter of time.
I can't imagine anyone ordering this car in any color but black.
Due to the huge black plastic cladding?
@aeronYTco lol, yes
Notice how many Tesla owners wrap their vehicle? If you don't like the cladding, just wrap them to match. No big deal.
@@john1701a If Tesla owners do it, then it must be a great decision 👍
@@ytj22 It's because Tesla colors are fugly.
This infotainment should be in every Subaru and the team that made it deserves a massive promotion. Even if the EV struggles but just this part of the Solterra survives, it will be a major win for the brand.
It's only a matter of time before Subaru will license Toyota software. Probably by 2028
USB-A port can be used for a flash-drive. That allows you access & play a large collection of MP3 files.
Great video, thank you. I'll say it again - there are no "bad" new cars (unless you are talking about something like Ford Pinto). There are cars that are not worth what they are at the price they are selling them, i.e. value. At almost 50K, Solterra or bZ4x are a "hard pass", but if you take into consideration all the money that Toyota threw into the lease deal, my bZ4x ended up costing me 25K. I leased at 4.5K down 138 a month. Now, that's a steal, and the car is totally worth it. Thanks again, Kirk.
Really appreciate your review!
We will be getting one as our around town driver which is what we were looking for with regard to an EV anyway. Less maintenance and operating cost for our 2nd vehicle.
When it’s time for a road trip, an ICE Tribeca three-row is already in our possession.
The problem with these EVs is that you can buy this car with 8k miles for HALF the new price. And they are starting to offer 299 leases for this model. So, it makes very little since to pay 50k for this vehicle new.
We just leased one today. It was between the Forester and the Solterra. The Solterra was the best ride, best handling, quietest, fastest and just a much better price. The base model was discounted almost $10k and we received the $7500 rebate on top of that. For $329 a month, it was a no brainer. We've owned two other EVs, but again, we leased this knowing that in three years there will be tons of choices. We will rent a vehicle for long trips and this Solterra is for every day use around town. BTW.....my wife LOVED the steering wheel and how the car handled, as did myself.
I'm looking at leasing one when I get back to California next month. How much did you have to put down on it?
Just leased one and am loving it!
I am a former Owner. Take it on a road trip and try to DCFC at any charger above 50% SOC. Report your charging speed…..it’s 16.8 kWh! And try a winter road trip at 33F. Every 2 -3 hours of driving you need 1.5-2 hours of charging at a 200 kw charger. It’s a train wreck! And how much of the 72.8 kWh battery is usable…about 62 kWh the lowest percentage in the industry.
Seems to me that you should have known that before buying it (if you really did). The biggest knocks on both this and the BZ4X are the small battery, long charging times, and limited range. If you bought this expecting more, that's on you and your ignorance not the car
I knew about usable battery and range. No where talks about charge speed above 50% SOC is 16.8 kWh and 20-25 kWh in above freezing temps winter after preheating and a two hour highway drive is horrible and not noted in any specs or reviews. 95% of my charging was level 2 and it got me to work and back until it broke. but it is worse than any review or spec says. NO ONE has ever got close to 100 kW charging either. I know exactly what I leased and so glad it’s Gone! A hint, parts are not available either. This sat at a dealer with no heat for 4 months!
But if u drive a total of 75 miles a day and charge at night...seems like it's a good fit.
@@jimmyjamesl2318the Ioniq 5 is a much better option. 10 year powertrain warranty, 5 year bumper to bumper, longer range by over 50 miles, better winter range due to much more efficient heating, better highway range, similar cost, illuminated interior window switches, the best navigation that allows EV trip planning for free, a great App, and 8-10 times faster level 3 charging speed and nearly 2 times level 2 charging when needed. It can also be repaired when it breaks as parts are available. I will say the good feature was the wiper less resr window worked well keeping it clean in the winter. My heat pump died at 4K miles and took 4 months to repair. My solterra loaner died in my driveway and had to be towed. anyway, buy what you like. There are many better EV alternatives…
@@jimmyjamesl2318this is going to be EXACTLY my usage. 70 miles to and from work, AND there are on site chargers at work. I'm extremely excited to get one.
I sell them and just leased a Touring in gray. Love the hell out of it. Not worth buying well worth the lease!
I just leased the 2024 Solterra limited in all black last week, and I absolutely love it so far. I was looking for an EV with better safety features than my previous 2018 Ford Escape SEL. This car gives me the peace of mind with keeping me safe in my daily commute to work and has amazing tech with the wireless charging/Apple CarPlay and the large display. I couldn't ask for a better or a safer SUV. Yes, the range is lower than other EV SUVs, but it is more than enough for my purposes. I am only paying $350 per month plus the dealership's protection plan which will pay for itself in the end. I also got a $7,500 rebate towards the lease. I would highly recommend leasing this vehicle if you're looking for a safe and reliable EV!
Hey Kirk, thank you so much for your objective and detailed evaluation of this vehicle. Prior to seeing your video I was mostly seeing negative reviews. I am truly loving my 2023 Solterra Limited. I traded in a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek for a used Solterra with 850 miles.. I got a great deal as it was a demo car. I also had before the Crosstrek a 2022 Toyota Prius XLE. I really started to love the hybrid and eventually may end up with a plug in hybrid but for right now the Solterra is the right fit for me. Shortly after getting the vehicle it had 3 recalls . The dealership gave me the Subaru Outback as a loaner to drive for 2 days. I am not a fan of the Outback and was thrilled when I got the call to pick up my Solterra. Initially I was doing regular level one charging but I drive approximately 60 miles per day and the length of time to charge to 80% was way too long. I invested in a level 2 charging and it only takes on average 2 hours and 20 minutes. You are spot on about how the vehicle handles and the responsiveness of the braking. Another great point is the rattling which is so random and I have had it occur in both very cool and hot days. My only complaint is Apple CarPlay and connecting to my phone. There is definitely a glitch. When I listen to local radio stations on the Subaru interface it is frustrating to reconnect to Apple CarPlay or even Bluetooth. My workaround was to download the IHeart radio app and so far that has been mostly successful. Thank you again and I will definitely subscribe to your channel.
I lease the 2023 Limited and have taken it on long-ish trips (220 miles max so far). I am very impressed - although, I did set the bar really low because I had my doubts about long distance traveling in an EV. When my lease is up, I will probably upgrade to the Touring. Overall, I really love this car.
I wonder what kind of residual is being shown on those leases. Presently, seems to me, used car dealers are unable to reliably evaluate or to estimate reconditioning costs for resale. EV's flow right through ordinary auctions, getting pitiful bids. And new car dealers offer a pittance on trade-ins, if they don't turn them away entirely.
I just leased a Limited, after the incentives etc... residual for a 36/10k is about 25k; Mind you to get the 329 down 329/month on a premium means there are a crap ton of incentives, with a payment total of 11844. Obviously, none of this includes tax, tags, title, fees etc...
Can you use ducktape to cover the eyeball sensor and still drive?
That resembles the Electric Mustang Mach-E. // Speaking of the Mustang Mach-E, why do they call it an SUV, it's a Hatchback.
I started watching you because I was car shopping. Great reviews man 😍
Toyota is discounting these close to 18k where I'm at
where is this?
@@masonvevo. gladstone Toyota in Portland area
Toyota is marking it up 3000 here at Mack Hiak in Houston
Is the Solterra cheaper than bz4x ?
Appreciate your review!
Three months into my lease with my Solterra, I actually enjoy it. You are correct about the use case, our use case is for using around town and I have a garage where I put in a charger.
I'm looking at leasing one when I get back to California next month
I doubt this and the BZ4X are as bad as everyone says. Range is probably fine for most and build quality is likely well above average. While I think its great that EVs are a choice in the marketplace, I will pass on this and all other EVs, thanks.
Still a lot of room for improvement. Better versions will come out soon. Subaru’s next-generation Eyesight will come out in a few years time and also their next-generation BEV platform dedicated for BEV(shared with Toyota).
I think you like it cuz you don't like evs😂
@@JamaicanMeCrazy I like EVs but hopefully not with lithium-ion batteries but with solid-state batteries
@@aeronYTco the soltera/bz4x is ok. The problem is at the price point it's not. Maybe at Camry prices I'd take a look at it
I have had my bZ4X AWD with 20's for over a year now. It went through a Minnesota winter. The driving, efficiency and range were fine. Some have blown concerns way out of proportion. And now that it's getting warm, I'm seeing mid 4's for mi/kWh.
My lease is up on my Outback and they're offering a $320 lease $0 down for the limited trim on the Soltera. I'm really tempted
Solid
What will it happen to all these vehicles after 3 years, once returned after the leases are up? Will dealer sell them up at 18k ?
@@kpmmsupervision1297 They’ll go to Uber drivers who will jam up public chargers with these dogs.
If i just wanted an electric city car with admittedly slow charging I would go for a used Chevy Bolt. Can find many well under $18k with less than 30k miles
But what's your monthly payment?! Probably closer to $400/mo for a worse car. However after 5 years the bolt would be paid off.
We owned a Chevy Bolt for just a short period of time due to the fire recall. There is no comparison in size, etc. The Solterra is a much better vehicle. BTW...we did enjoy the bolt for the short time we had it, lots of positives, but again, no comparison.
Great video, 2023 Subaru TOURING or Limited used are 23k to 29k LOL
$200 per month lease is what i paid for a Bolt in 2017. Seems like a fair amount of car for the price.
Why wouldn’t you recommend getting the Subaru if you will need to use DC? 10:51
I don't get what's the problem with the EV logos. Why is it considered as corny. It's an EV and I think it's a good thing for the non EV drivers to acknowledge that there are more and more of them around. The ultimate goal, if you truly are conscious about the environment, is to have more of them on the road.
So what color are you buying Kirk ? ? ?
The cheapest lease color lol
Black so you don't notice the cladding
I wanted to really like this, but I couldn’t stand the gauge cluster and lack of storage (mainly no glove box). Absolutely loved the Prius, but the same weird gauge cluster killed it for me.
I have a 2024 BZ4X AWD XLE lease for the reasons you talked about. Local driving, second car, I can charge at home. 2k down $230 a month for 36 months. The fact that it’s a nice car to be in and drive, is a bonus.
@JustZod great deal....I can't seem to catch it for under 450....w 1k down for 15k miles a year on a 36 month
If it's just going to be a city car why put a battery that big in it and not use an LFP battery? If you are going to put an NMC battery that big in it why wouldn't you make it a little bigger and let people charge it fast enough and enough times to make it not just a city car? I'm guessing they will say it will take care of 80 percent of your driving but I don't want to pay $50000 for a car that won't handle pretty much all of my driving, especially when there are alternatives at a similar price that will.
I get it mate. LFP batteries will slowly come to USA and reduce costs. NMC batteries will get much better in just a few years. In the meantime sacrifices must be made. $329 / mo is a solid deal.
Who's paying $50k????????? They are giving you the full $7500 rebate and knocking another $9800 off the price.
i found a used 24 touring with 5k miles for $36k is that a good deal ?
Eh. It's okay. Its value will keep going down fast.
See if you can get the $4k used tax credit on it.
@KirkKreifels I mean it already dropped half it's value I don't plan to trade it if purchased , crazy how a $56k car depreciated in just 5 months 😅
Its a 4 x 4 designed for off road so test it as such not on city streets
At that price there are so many many other options
Its a 4x4 and can do a lot more than your "options"
Yes but lease is insanely great options!
$50k for such an unremarkable car is absurd but a $300 lease for a city commuter is not bad.
I like the Soltera and I'm considering one only because of the lease deal. It's a really good price considering with other cars to get it that low you need like a $5k deposit or more. The range is fine for me since I rarely if ever do any road tripping. 110% agree you should only lease EVs, in 3 years it will be old tech no one wants, but the dealership / bank will take it off your hands when the lease is done.
I bought a Tesla 3 outright for ~ $51,000 US, drove it 104,000 miles, and sold it private party for $28,500. Tesla and local dealers only offered about $18k. They either wanted to make a huge profit or had no idea what the resale market was like and were scared to pay a reasonable amount.
Great lease car for sure.
I am going to wait until it falls to 17k used. but its nice!
Why you guys don't like the name BZ4X nothing wrong with that good name
You're the only person I've ever heard with that opinion
I understand why people don't prefer the bZ4X name, but they have a lot of vehicles that used this naming scheme: MR2, RAV4, FJ40. . .
No electric car in my opinion is worth 50+ K. I would pick a used I3 over this honestly may have a little bit less range than the subaru but driving the vehicle is fun. I will get to test drive the solterra tomorrow so i will see out of curiosity
I've seen these as used for 25k with nearly zero miles. I don't see why leasing is better than buying used because you are still having to pay for all that initial depreciation.
Why can’t this have a better faster battery?! 😭
A lot of reviewers like to trash this ride,glad your review didn’t repackage all the negativity. Pretty fair review overall.
great lease deals, dealers are giving them away
The way that the economy is going right now is absolutely atrocious! So many vehicles go unsold not because they are bad, but because of what it takes to get one!
If every gas station has a 10 minute fast charge, then this would have been a good price.
Are there any plans for a hybrid Subaru?
Forester hybrid coming early 2025
That’s interesting news. Do you think Subaru is just “dipping their toes in the water” or is Toyota just not willing to go in whole hog to supply more models (assuming that Toyota is going to be building the hybrid Foresters). I would think that hybrid Subaru Outbacks would sell like hotcakes. 😂
I wish the Solterra had the range of a Model S or Rivian. Battery tech has to get way better for these vehicles to mainstream. This generation of EV’s remind me of the first iPhone. You can see the future but you’re stuck on EDGE. EDGE in this case is low range and not great charge options.
Used to drive an Outback before Tesla. Wish Subaru would bring an electric Outback. Compared to Tesla it’s still a very long way for Subaru. For my taste the battery should have at least 80kWh capacity and that glossy black plastic is awful. And then, the price is way too high compared to Tesla or Chinese cars (Europe is not affected by import tax like US).
just casually rolling through stop signs
We are leasing our and we love it, just charges slow
I paused when you appeared to go through a stop sign 😀
No rear wiper. So what. I got a Solterra and you don't need a rear wiper with that kind of angle on the window.
Wow. Mediocre at everything. No volume knob. Software updates at the dealer. No thank you.
The Good: Lease Price. Sound system. Ride quality. Handling. Torque feel.
Mediocre: Everything else
The Bad: No Volume knob. Glossy piano black plastic. Headliner rattles in heat. Blah Range. Barf DCFC.
@@KirkKreifels10 years warranty? After 10 years just 30% degradation batteries. Not one other carmanufacturer will give thatckind of warranty and reason toyota and subaru don't want uscthe fast cgarge. It kills the batteries....of all bev's manufacturers
@@KirkKreifels the base model has a volume knob.
I’d lease it only. 👍
Needs to be under $300 for good lease. More around $250/mo
Did you mean 0-60 in 6.29s and 0-100 in 16.7s?
Why is nobody mentioning that this is made by Toyota?
He did many times in the video
The eye sensor has difficulty penetrating sunglasses.
It will stay unpopular !!! Toyota completely failed with the bZ4X and Solterra. The proof : only 9329 bZ4X sold in US (8872 Solterra) last year and 626 in France. I understand why they stay with hybrid and PHEV.
Lack of the $7,500 tax-credit played a major role it how many Toyota/Subaru decided to even try to sell. They are treating it just like gen-1 of Prius, not interested in high-volume since that is the plan for gen-2... which was exceptionally successful for Prius. Why not with bZ4X/Solterra too?
btw, the measure of success or failure is not based entirely on initial sales. Vital traits... like reliability... take time. Once that is proven, sales pick up. Absence of patience tells us nothing of what to expect later.
They can keep it
Mustang MachE front end and Mazda CX-30 plastic clad wheel well moldings....what could go wrong?
why on earth can't it be updated over the air!?!?!?!?!
Because it's old technology
100% looks like the mach-e from the front
I didn’t think the bz4x could get uglier but here we are!
Hahaha 😂
Nah i looked at the Soltera and went a got the Y for way less money and more function. The car was incredibly meh for the price.
This is a very mediocre EV, but if you are okay with that, the price might be right. It just seems like Toyota wanted to prove EVs were not very good making one that wasn’t very good. I’m certain they could have made a much better EV if they cared to do so.
Kirk.... I get that you have a soft spot in your heart for Toyota, but this is a horrible vehicle. This is more of a sales pitch video for a half baked product than a true review. I'm glad you at least agreed this is a lease vehicle. First, yes, the quality of Toyota and Subaru is going to be better than a lot of start up EVs, however remember this was on a stop sale for a long time because they couldn't keep the wheels on it. Second, the range is laughable. Sure, if you lease it, not an issue but this is not a serious product for anyone who wants to keep it 5-10 years. Third, yes, they increase the charging rate. Great, but it's still slow. A range of 222 is just ridiculous low. Over all, a product like this is only going to hurt Toyota and Subaru in the future since most are going to remember this as their first electric vehicle.
It's a good lease car for city. Have you driven one? It's not all about numbers mate.
@@KirkKreifels Yes, driving isn’t just about quick acceleration. Yes it’s quiet, I’ll give you that.
@@atmartens I don't believe you drove one, just my honest opinion. Granted I wish it had more range, but it is a wonderful car to drive. IT will serve us well around town and $329 a month sure beats all the $500 and above per month leases out there. Perfect for us. We considered the Model Y, but at the end of the lease you can not purchase it. Sad.
Soltera much better name
Too much uncertainty and equivocation to be a useful review.
Toyota is selling their version like hot cakes.
Kirk. Every current EV is ancient over 3 years.....
Yep. I wonder how long it will take before EVs age better.
@@KirkKreifels it took Toyota, 25 years or so to perfect the hybrid.... . Tesla is in business 12 years now? Still battery degradation major issue, also with Tesla... . Source Autoweek, dutch magazine. 6 year old model Y, 175.000 km, battery degradation 34%... . Only 6 years old and relativly low mileage.
That's the problem with all current bev's...only developed for a lifespan of 5 or 6 years, after that no one wants that car..... .
@avdp9095 Huh? My 2012 plug-in Prius (sold to a good friend) is still working great. My 2017 Prius Prime (sold to my niece when I got my bZ4X last year) is still working great too... full EV drive with heat-pump, delivered 7 years ago.
@@john1701a because it are Toyota's.
agree %1000
You Can get the toyota version for like $129/month with 1200 down lease. Noone wants it bc its crap and they have to give them away.
I’ll pass on it. Because this ev is beyond subpar
I’d rather ride my motorcycle than an EV. And save a heckuva lot of money
Been riding my Yamaha 250x supermoto exclusively for the past year, even thru the Maine winter...
Every once in a while it needs a tire, or 5bucks in the gas tank.
I purchased it lightly used Fourteen yrs ago for $3600.
Have done zero maintenance besides a chain or two.
Do That math... absolutely Trouncing any/all EVs 😉😁😎
The problem with this car is the price. At 215HP, 227 miles range, and 100kw fast charging it competes more with the Leaf and the old discontinued Bolt not with the Model Y, Mach-E, ID4, Blazer EV etc. If they priced it starting at 25k it would be awesome but even at its discounted price it's still way too expensive.
I have weirdly seen more of the Subaru Solterra on the road than the BZ4X and RZ combined!! I have literally seen two RZ's in the wild and a handful of BZ4Xs
I will buy EV the day they have 500-600 miles range on a single charge.
this is not a subaru its just not so i will very much sleep on this one
Mustang Mach E should've been a sedan, then we can finally have an awd 4 door muscle car atleast, not some stung by bee head ahh suv 🤣👎🏽
The petrolheads will quickly shout no EV can be a muscle car. Any Model S or Lucid Air owner would contest that, though.
True, You can't satisfy them petrolheads 🤣 They're not wrong but even engines have their limit, thats why most super and hyper cars are electrified nowadays or mostly plug in hybrids :0 The Model S and Lucid Air prove that electric are the solutions to more power and torque but just go to fast, Not for for towing and long distance travel 🤣👎🏽 @@ryanfraley7113
Only worse EV is its cousin, the bZ4X. Both are way overpriced garbage.