I never thought I'd get an automatic car unless forced to, but once I tried the one pedal driving in my Bolt I won't go back. It's awesome. My first two cars were old manual transmission Subarus and I loved em. I also love my new Bolt. This Solterra seems too big for me. I went from a 2door GL to an Impreza wagon which felt was a bit big. Then the Bolt which is taller, but about the same length as the Impreza. The Solterra is longer and wider than the Bolt. I do occasionally miss 4/AWD, especially the part time 4WD from the GL, however the Bolt has been surprisingly good in the snow since I put decent tires on it. Specs wise the Solterra doesn't seem all that much better. A few more HP, but less EPA range. That lower range is greatly offset by much faster DCFC. Having slightly worse 0-60, being slightly heavier, and quite a bit bigger I doubt it will be as fun to drive on road. Having off road capability offsets that though.
I'm far out from being able to afford an EV, which is good, because even though I'm excited for off road capable EVs like this, still plenty of bugs to work out. Great potential and hopefully they listen to their first series of buyers to fine tune it into the car it deserves to be.
I own a Solterra and while going out during a heavy storm, one street had a current of about 8" of water coming down and I drove through it at about 13 MPH and several undercarriage panels got ripped off and it was not cover under the guarantee. But the worst part is that the spare parts are not available and I can be without a car for 2.5 months according to the Subaru dealer. Subaru is selling cars without caring for having spare parts available. Be Careful.
That was interesting about the too-high floor in the back seat area. Looked like an uncomfortable angle for your knees. Must be a requirement of the big battery under floor.
Second comment. I actually think an electric Subaru makes perfect sense. It fits well with Subaru's adventurous, eco minded customers and I can see it becoming a key part of their line up, but the Solterra, doesn't quite hit the mark. Ideal end state is an electric Outback or at least a plug-in hybrid. The Solterra seems to be trying too hard to be futuristic. Jeep's 4Xe approach may be better suited for the next phase of Subaru's EV line up.
You said in the video that the Volvo XC40 has the same ground clearance as the Solterra. This is true of the petrol XC40 (211mm/8.3"), but the XC40 Recharge electric has only 171 mm/6.7". The latter is only marginally more than say a Hyundai Kona electric with 158 mm/6.2".
I'm really looking forward to this car. But why have a twist knob for for shifting where there is, what, all of three choices, and no knob for volume or tuning where a knob is really useful?
Thats a car segment that could get me over to an ev. Just needs 80 miles more range. The mountains here will cut it in half or more fast. Just need something i can shuttle my Mountainbikes up the mountain.
Ryan, You get full marks for dutifully advising people who want to fully utilize the off-road capability to avoid the low profile tires. Let's see how many listen😉
@@paulholterhaus7084 235/45 ratio tires are pretty fine. Thats what i have on my legacy and i get good response for on the road, its plenty comfortable and i have 0 problems even going on dirt trails and snow.
I also noted the tire pressure was over 42psi on all 4 tires prior to the offroad portion. That seems REALLY high and probably didn't help at all during that part of the test drive.
Its interesting that all of these EV reviews compare the car to other EVs. As a current Subaru owner looking for the EV to transition to I would like a Solterra vs Outback/Forrester review.
Okay, seriously. Carmakers must stop that piano black frenzy. It doesn't look cool, nor does it look luxurious. It scratches just by looking at it and it contributes to a low resale value. I know it's a cheap material that lowers costs for the carmakers themselves. But it sucks. I hate piano black with a passion. Just stop. Stop piano black. STOP IT.
I'm a huge subaru fan and very happy to see Subaru dip their toes into the BEV market, but I gotta be honest.. I don't think this is going to sell well. I don't think it stands out in the current BEV/EV market. It's not really subaru styling, no more boxer engine/rumble, it doesn't seem to do any single thing better (cargo space, seating capacity), not even better EV range than the competition. A solid EV for sure, but seems kind of 'middle of the road' in terms of what it is. That said, I hope Subaru brings more EV/PHEV/Hybrid options to their lineup. In fact, I'd LOVE to have a PHEV or traditional hybrid for something like the Ascent or maybe the Outback (the true family haulers of the subaru lineup).
This could be the most off-road capable modern Subaru in the range since it isn't hampered by a CVT. A comparison with the Wilderness trim of the Outback and Forester would be interesting.
yeah but it does come standard with AWD system which usually eat up range. As well as high ground clearance and profile which is not the most aerodynamic Toyota BZ4 with two wheel drive will have more range
I got rid of my 42,000 Tesla SR+ because its range was butt... it advertised 250 miles, but I could barely get 200 and I wasn't even driving it fast, AND the Tesla did have fast charging. considering this is advertised as 220 miles, I suspect it'll get around 180 at best, and nearly 1 hour to 'fast charge' is insane. no thank you, subaru. :(
If you plan on getting one but want to avoid first production year, you can still order one now and you will most likely get a 2024 or 2025 model year. If the wait time is anything like for the Toyota, there is already more than 2 years wait to get one (at least here in Canada). It’s still less than the Rav4 Prime which is now over 3 years, but it’s still a long wait time, especially for a car that has not yet been released.
Great video, Ryan (as usual). As my wife is seriously considering one (once order banks open back up) this is the info we need. Be nice if they made the bigger wheels an option vs standard on the two upper models. No way in hell we're going to run 20" tires.
Spec wise the Solterra & bZ4x doesn't break new ground, but that's OK since Toyota has always been a conservative company to start. That said at 72 kWh the battery is smaller than the ID.4, Ioniq 5, EV6, Mach-E and Ariya, so the price better be less than those or else this is going to be a tough sell.
I actually don't think it will be as tough as you might think considering Subaru has such a loyal customer base who, to some extent, don't even consider other manufacturers.
@@vedder10 oh no lol they lost me with all the new models with the huge tablets and annoying headlights that look like high beams when you drive in front of one. Not to mention the cvt.
@@v8_sami But they still sell a ton of those CVT, tablet equipped vehicles. The fact is most people are attracted to those huge tablet consoles now. Also the CVT may or may not be going away within the next few years. Regardless just look at how many sales of the Outback, Crosstrek, and Forrester. It has been working well for Subaru and people tend to repeat buy their cars. Not to mention you would be surprised at how many of these car review channel hosts that actually drive Subaru's for their own personal cars.
I feel Subaru really missed the mark with their first EV here. Underwhelming range, not super fast charging, no front trunk storage like a lot of EVs, and lower ground clearance than the Outback, Forrester, and Crosstrek. It's a decent first step, but not something I'd jump to buy. When Subaru can have a battery that's good for 500+ miles of range, has 8.7+ inches of clearance...wait, that's essentially an electric Outback. Yeah, when they have an electric Outback, I'll be in. :)
"can this do a donut?", and "sleeping" in the trunk/hatch. LOVE IT !!!! This is why I love watching your reviews. You really do drive these cars and as a viewer, it is obvious that you love what you do, which helps make your reviews that much more relatable and realistic
Those slow number are crap. Almost no one is going to be Level 3 charging regularly, but when you do, do you want to be spending an hour or more to get to 80% while on one of those rare journeys ?
If Subaru launched a 400plus range electric truck, bring back the Baja or Brat, make it a five seater, than I think it would sell really well. Car companies like Land Rover and Volkswagen proves that retro designed EVS from vehicle designs from the past can play well in todays market. An electrified version of the Baja or Bratt would be so cool and it could feature modern but retro design which is proving to be popular
Thanks for this video. Looks good, great AWD capabilities. Sure will be performing here (Quebec region) in the snow/ice during winter, potholes in the spring and country roads to the cottage. Took note on 18” wheel, at least for the winter season and off-roading as a separate set of wheels.
I like the idea of EVs, I just wish the range was better. I drive from Florida to PA every year to visit family, and stopping to charge my EV slows that journey a lot. Would love to see more of them integrate solar panels to keep it charging while you're on the road. I am sure as these pick up, that will come. Great video as always.
Very, VERY sadly, even if the whole car was covered in solar panels from bumper to bumper it would probably take like a solid week of strong sun to recharge even just one full drain - I'm in the same boat though. I assume powertrain efficiency / storage will move faster towards (y)our goal than solar tech .... so it's looking like Plugin Hybrids (that can do those in town trips full electric AND long drives on gas) are probably better suited for people like you and me for the near future.
Dig it! Great review as always. Excited to see the aftermarket/offroad gear for this. Hopefully down the line they'll come out with a long-range, 300+ mile version which would give people like me that would love for this to be my daily/adventure vehicle more confidence.
Just picked up a new Outback in Sweden, and saw this at the dealer, and it didn't make me want one. It's a Toyota bZ4X. It's not nearly as outdoorsy as an Outback. In three years when I return the lease, I hope to get a real Outback electric and not this...thing. Thanks for the video though, great as always!
@@peterp9148 Yeah Volvo is in a majority for sure. But I'm biased growing up in north Sweden, it was Subaru Leone station wagon or go home :D. A Volvo with sand bags in the back didn't do the trick.
Agree, I'd be WAY more interested in a plug-in/hybrid Outback than I am this EV which can't compete on range or charging speeds than the competition from Hyundai/Kia.
On more than one occasion while he was detailing the exterior, I forgot I was looking at a Subaru and seriously thought this was a Toyota. Should be all you need to know about this Subie
I live in the Uk and drive a diesel Outback. The Solterra (at time of writing) has yet to hit our dealerships although Subaru are rolling out 'first looks' to people who own a Subaru. The one thing that for me lets it down is the lack of spare tyre, (tire if you live in America). Its' off road capability is great but can you imagine going out into the wilderness, well off the beaten track, get a flat tyre and the liquid glue repair kit has no effect at all on the hole/puncture. Who is going to come out and rescue you? A tow truck in the form of another Subaru? It needs a spare wheel although the charging cable etc limits the space in the cargo area. I'm not going out when they hit the dealers and rush to buy one. The lack of range, lower ground clearance, and lack of spare tyre is not enough for me to get out my cheque book. I think Subaru could have done a better job with their first attempt at an electric vehicle. I hope they improve upon it within the next 10 years or so. I'm 66 so my driving days are not unlimited. I would like one before I get too old to drive. Come on Subaru, don't make me wait too long for an improved version.
Nice car, an EV that I would actually considering. Still waiting on Subaru to make a minivan, hybrid or whatever. Need it to take family of 7 with comfortable room and AWD confidence on snowy road.
Great video and as usual this is the first place I visit for off-road and actual driving experience of new cars especially the Subarus. Good detail and knowledge sharing. Thx.
I don’t really get this car. I currently drive an outback and when i go on my adventures up north (Canada), i don’t see too many gas stations, let alone charging stations. Couple that with the Soltera’s very limited range, and it seems like a really bad choice. My outback can get upwards of 1000km range. For my purposes, i don’t know when electric will make sense. But for now it certainly doesn’t make sense.
I'm curious what your use case is for the Ascent (and the Solterra)? I'm guessing you are not carrying a lot of passengers in the Ascent or much cargo and also not towing? I'm not seeing how the Solterra could replace the Ascent unless you had the Ascent mostly for offroad with it's 8.7 inches of ground clearance. We are looking at buying an Ascent later this year, but we are a family of 6 (soon to be 7) and would never fit in the Solterra. I figured most people with the Ascent bought it for the passenger, cargo, towing, and/or ground clearance...which the Solterra has less of across the board.
@@slandshark Correct. We only have 1 child and a dog. We keep our 3rd row folded down for extra cargo room. Love that for hauling a large stroller and the dog kennel. We really like the Ascent but with rising gas prices it’s made me think about savings from an EV. Avg about 22mpg. The Solterra’s trunk space seemed pretty decent too.
I cannot see it doing anything a $30k forester could not do better............And by the way, The drive train was designed complete by BYD of China...................Paul
Break vectoring with electric motors? That's strange as the electric motors themselves should be able to detect "slipperage" and apply more power where there is more resistance.
Unless you go with the Rivian approach and have a separate motor at each wheel, you still need differentials front and rear, which can still let power go to a spinning wheel. It's basically like a locked center differential or traditional 4x4 without lockers.
Well dang. Leave it to an out of stater to show me where I can go off road out in the desert. I've been down Bartlett Lake road plenty of times (and Horseshoe Res) and didn't know they had that little area to ride dirt (I was aware of folks going off road - just not that special spot). Range and charging times need to be improved (yah, I know, broken record....) and the torque, at first blush, seems a bit low.
OMG 14:44 it's not the latest Eyesight gen 4 like found on the latest Forester? That's a bummer. We have a local TV show testing véhicules and most if not all Toyota fail in preventive collision and collision avoidance. I know Toyota is really advanced in the electric aspect but that's all I wanted from them in this vehicle, I wanted everything else to be Subaru. Oh well I'm disappointed.
I do wonder if the warranty offered by Subaru and Toyota are going to be different. For example, here in the UK, Subaru warranty now only three years but Toyota, you can get 10 years warranty. as long as the yearly maintenance is done by them. I think both might offer 8-10 warranty on the battery but what about the rest of the vehicle?
I have zero interest in this vehicle. It's not zero emissions as advertised. Good luck going on adventures with limited range and there are no charging stations on trails. Even my dealer says that this is a joke of a vehicle. Picking up my 2023 Outback Wilderness in two weeks. Soltera costs $20K more than the Outback Wilderness here in Canada. The choice is obvious. Fill up and go anywhere. Charge up and go..........nowhere. Would never make it from Toronto to Algonquin Park and back, a very popular day trip. Would have to stay overnight to charge the damn thing. Can get a lot of gas for $20K. Also, wondering what this Soltera will be worth 5 years down the road.
Several gripes about this subie EV: that design and space between the steering wheel and guage is a dust display. It's more suitable for a smaller Prius, and you look weird driving it at that position the whole time. Next, it's the no opening of the moonroof, and the reclining of the rear seats. Lastly, it's the short range. I assume most people buying it because of its AWD capability. In winter time, that 200+ miles range is gonna become 150ish or less...
I'm not a fan of these huge center consoles /shifter consoles with not a lot of storage. I like a more open console area with the cup holders further forward and a storage bin in front of the shifter
Starting at less than 40k. Yeah right. Try 60k. Its 2022. And compact cars cost 30k. Be real. Inflation has crippled this market. And its only getting worse. Nothing is cheap. Especially a ev brand new to the market.
For the love of god subaru why not just an EV Forester? Why must you be this uselessly extra (It's because you missed the chance and had to make bed with Toyota and now Hyundai is running around pantomiming the re-awakened corpse of the Baja -- and it rocks. That's why jfc)
Excellent review! You could be my driving instructor- soo clear. Unbiased and not unimpressed like every other reviewer ever. THANK YOU!! Also Arizona sick choice!!!
Mark, you and Alex are the only reveiwers on the platform that really grok Subarus. I guess RCR as well. So many reviews boil down to "It isn't a Wrangler, so it's garbage" that it's nice to see the insights into where Subarus do fit into the market, and into lifestyles. Also, oh god, so much piano black.
Thanks for the review, I having a Outback -18 right now that i relay like and ill keep for som years bot the next step i think will be electric, it seems like a have to and i want to stay in the Subaru family so i consider this car to be an option
220 mile, not really good for touring. Maybe getting groceries or going to work that is close by. Would work OK for City dwellers but not so much for people in Spread out Surburia or Rural areas. Looks like the made the Crosstrek electric.
It’s fantastic to see Subaru’s awd system working as intended. Without a terrible cvt to hinder its capabilities. I’m no Subaru fan, but this is a step in the right direction. Working with Toyota should increase its poor reliability history.
Excellent review as always. But please, keep right on roads. Be more German, it's safer and also, it's the law. If not overtaking, stay on the right, even if there is no one and if you are at speed limit. Danke.
Need to do something about that glossy piano black in the front console. Just watching it reflect across your face during the street driving annoyed me, much less actually being the driver and having that happen...
Weakest off road i think ive ever seen. A gio metro could have done everything in that video. Except the so called doughnuts on hard packed smooth as silk dirt in reverse. I thing its a stretch calling it off road capable.
People still getting excited about EVs yet they are years away from being practical. I shall wave to you as I pass in a proper Subaru while you wait for the tow truck because you run out of power.
Over mentioning your opinion about the wheel position and view of controls was over stated. We heard ya the first time. Other than that it was a solid review. Thumbs up.
Placed my "reservation" at 11:59 on the day they opened at noon. Sure am curious about pricing though. I don't like how they call the base trim "Premium" when it's clearly got the features of a BASE model Subaru of every other model. I also don't like the 20" wheels. I always want the smallest wheels that fit over the brakes for where I live. But the "Premium" (base) is probably too stripped down for me. Again, waiting on pricing.
Why most car manufacturers don’t allow you to spec different sized wheels at order or either dealer exchange at purchase is beyond me. I would gladly switch wheels to smaller ones on most vehicles if that was a cheap/no-cost option.
I know Tesla is competition but they have the best battery/charging tech and an infrastructure in place. Why not just swallow your ego and use the tech in your car
low range slow charge and really bad interior design from cluster to radio may make this a great value on the used market...but at full price....its a hard pass. 2 years used at half price....yes.
I so a solterra on the freeway yesterday and I was curious to see how it was like , but after seeing this video , like I saw others of electric vehicles I’m not to much in to electric, or hey just don’t cut it just yet , since I go on a lot of trips far in the mountains and lakes , and this one is doesn’t give to much of miles per charge
It seems like regular subaru driving range, my little impreza hatch is a NA and gets 240 miles on a full tank. It would've been super cool if they used the levorg for the ev
The most leg to torso proportionate reviewer in the world! Great job.
lol I love it when he mentions that too.
🤣
I don't know why it is not printed on the official T-Shirts.
Where do I have to go to get someone to tell me if my legs are proportionate to my torso?
@@da1battlefront Pacific North West...
I never thought I'd get an automatic car unless forced to, but once I tried the one pedal driving in my Bolt I won't go back. It's awesome.
My first two cars were old manual transmission Subarus and I loved em. I also love my new Bolt.
This Solterra seems too big for me. I went from a 2door GL to an Impreza wagon which felt was a bit big. Then the Bolt which is taller, but about the same length as the Impreza. The Solterra is longer and wider than the Bolt.
I do occasionally miss 4/AWD, especially the part time 4WD from the GL, however the Bolt has been surprisingly good in the snow since I put decent tires on it.
Specs wise the Solterra doesn't seem all that much better. A few more HP, but less EPA range. That lower range is greatly offset by much faster DCFC.
Having slightly worse 0-60, being slightly heavier, and quite a bit bigger I doubt it will be as fun to drive on road. Having off road capability offsets that though.
I'm far out from being able to afford an EV, which is good, because even though I'm excited for off road capable EVs like this, still plenty of bugs to work out. Great potential and hopefully they listen to their first series of buyers to fine tune it into the car it deserves to be.
Man! your off road reviews are amazing!
Well done. I'm digging the Solterra. And I like the lo-fi music throughout the video.
I own a Solterra and while going out during a heavy storm, one street had a current of about 8" of water coming down and I drove through it at about 13 MPH and several undercarriage panels got ripped off and it was not cover under the guarantee. But the worst part is that the spare parts are not available and I can be without a car for 2.5 months according to the Subaru dealer. Subaru is selling cars without caring for having spare parts available. Be Careful.
That's industry-wide right now. Lots of folks with damaged cars are waiting months for even basic repair parts.
That was interesting about the too-high floor in the back seat area. Looked like an uncomfortable angle for your knees. Must be a requirement of the big battery under floor.
Second comment. I actually think an electric Subaru makes perfect sense. It fits well with Subaru's adventurous, eco minded customers and I can see it becoming a key part of their line up, but the Solterra, doesn't quite hit the mark. Ideal end state is an electric Outback or at least a plug-in hybrid. The Solterra seems to be trying too hard to be futuristic. Jeep's 4Xe approach may be better suited for the next phase of Subaru's EV line up.
hybrids are too complicated, go electric or go gas, trying to stuff both in one car is just a mess.
It doesn't have ONE Pedal Mode. It will slow it down to a creep but it will not come to a full stop without you physically using your brake.
You said in the video that the Volvo XC40 has the same ground clearance as the Solterra. This is true of the petrol XC40 (211mm/8.3"), but the XC40 Recharge electric has only 171 mm/6.7". The latter is only marginally more than say a Hyundai Kona electric with 158 mm/6.2".
Yessss! If I get a second car for the wife, it’ll be an electric, and this is definitely top of the list 😎
300 miles of range is the sweet spot in my opinion after 11 years of EV driving.
At what price point? Model Y long range is $70K out the door. Ioniz 5 is around $55K. If this sells for $50K, it will fail.
@@jml9550 Yup. This seems expensive for the range etc.
@@craig8638 To me the only EVs that goes 300 miles consistently are model S and Lucid only, and cost are all $110K OTD.
This thing is AMAZING! I need this!!
I'm really looking forward to this car. But why have a twist knob for for shifting where there is, what, all of three choices, and no knob for volume or tuning where a knob is really useful?
Yeah, two knobs where the power, volume up/down buttons are would make this set-up nearly ideal with the rest of the screen and touch buttons.
Seriously how is not piano black banned at this point among car designers.
Damn. This makes me regret getting a Forester too soon. 😂
I have individual tpms on my 2019Mazda GS sport hatchback and it can be seen on the infotainment system hahaha subaru!!
Same platform with bz4x?
Pricing will be key for this and the Toyota BZ4X … with worst in class range and charging speed, the price should reflect these issues
I think it's beautiful
It's basically what I'd expect an EV Subaru to look. And I like Subaru aesthetics.
Thats a car segment that could get me over to an ev. Just needs 80 miles more range. The mountains here will cut it in half or more fast. Just need something i can shuttle my Mountainbikes up the mountain.
Beautiful car.
Perfect PNW EV.
The front looks like the Mustang Mach-E
I see so many sun reflections on your face. I'm wondering where it is comes from
Nice, but 220 range doesn't cut it
"Level 3" charging isn't a thing, please don't perpetuate incorrect terminology. DC Fast Charging, "Mode 4", or CCS would be proper terminology.
Ryan, You get full marks for dutifully advising people who want to fully utilize the off-road capability to avoid the low profile tires. Let's see how many listen😉
We SHOULD be avoiding low pro tires...Period...Unless You are road racing.........60 series are superior for 98% of Us.........Paul
@@paulholterhaus7084 235/45 ratio tires are pretty fine. Thats what i have on my legacy and i get good response for on the road, its plenty comfortable and i have 0 problems even going on dirt trails and snow.
I also noted the tire pressure was over 42psi on all 4 tires prior to the offroad portion. That seems REALLY high and probably didn't help at all during that part of the test drive.
Most people who buy offroad cars, don't take them offroad
Its interesting that all of these EV reviews compare the car to other EVs. As a current Subaru owner looking for the EV to transition to I would like a Solterra vs Outback/Forrester review.
Forester does the same thing for $20K less.....................Paul
Okay, seriously. Carmakers must stop that piano black frenzy. It doesn't look cool, nor does it look luxurious. It scratches just by looking at it and it contributes to a low resale value.
I know it's a cheap material that lowers costs for the carmakers themselves. But it sucks. I hate piano black with a passion.
Just stop. Stop piano black. STOP IT.
I'm a huge subaru fan and very happy to see Subaru dip their toes into the BEV market, but I gotta be honest.. I don't think this is going to sell well. I don't think it stands out in the current BEV/EV market. It's not really subaru styling, no more boxer engine/rumble, it doesn't seem to do any single thing better (cargo space, seating capacity), not even better EV range than the competition.
A solid EV for sure, but seems kind of 'middle of the road' in terms of what it is. That said, I hope Subaru brings more EV/PHEV/Hybrid options to their lineup. In fact, I'd LOVE to have a PHEV or traditional hybrid for something like the Ascent or maybe the Outback (the true family haulers of the subaru lineup).
This could be the most off-road capable modern Subaru in the range since it isn't hampered by a CVT. A comparison with the Wilderness trim of the Outback and Forester would be interesting.
Is this bigger than a crosstrek?
Yes and taller
Whats wrong with the CVT?
There’s a lot to like with this Subaru EV but it feels like it’s about 80 miles or range short of being one of the best EVs available
yeah but it does come standard with AWD system which usually eat up range. As well as high ground clearance and profile which is not the most aerodynamic Toyota BZ4 with two wheel drive will have more range
And I will buy a fully loaded Subaru Solterra anyway.
I would think it's only about 30-40 miles short: 250 is a nice round number, and about how long I can tolerate driving without taking a long break.
300 miles of range is the sweet spot in my opinion after 11 years of EV driving.
I think the charge speed is more of an issue than the range. Nearly an hour to go from 10-80% with a dc fast charger
I got rid of my 42,000 Tesla SR+ because its range was butt... it advertised 250 miles, but I could barely get 200 and I wasn't even driving it fast, AND the Tesla did have fast charging. considering this is advertised as 220 miles, I suspect it'll get around 180 at best, and nearly 1 hour to 'fast charge' is insane. no thank you, subaru. :(
Stylish automobile for sure. Will prolly wait a couple years till the inevitable bugs are worked out of it
And for Me until the price is the same as ICE...........Paul
If you plan on getting one but want to avoid first production year, you can still order one now and you will most likely get a 2024 or 2025 model year.
If the wait time is anything like for the Toyota, there is already more than 2 years wait to get one (at least here in Canada). It’s still less than the Rav4 Prime which is now over 3 years, but it’s still a long wait time, especially for a car that has not yet been released.
Toyota/Subaru quality and half the price of a Rivian.
Great video, Ryan (as usual). As my wife is seriously considering one (once order banks open back up) this is the info we need. Be nice if they made the bigger wheels an option vs standard on the two upper models. No way in hell we're going to run 20" tires.
Spec wise the Solterra & bZ4x doesn't break new ground, but that's OK since Toyota has always been a conservative company to start. That said at 72 kWh the battery is smaller than the ID.4, Ioniq 5, EV6, Mach-E and Ariya, so the price better be less than those or else this is going to be a tough sell.
I actually don't think it will be as tough as you might think considering Subaru has such a loyal customer base who, to some extent, don't even consider other manufacturers.
@@vedder10 oh no lol they lost me with all the new models with the huge tablets and annoying headlights that look like high beams when you drive in front of one. Not to mention the cvt.
@@v8_sami But they still sell a ton of those CVT, tablet equipped vehicles. The fact is most people are attracted to those huge tablet consoles now. Also the CVT may or may not be going away within the next few years. Regardless just look at how many sales of the Outback, Crosstrek, and Forrester. It has been working well for Subaru and people tend to repeat buy their cars. Not to mention you would be surprised at how many of these car review channel hosts that actually drive Subaru's for their own personal cars.
Looks great. Hopefully they come out with a long-range version - with faster charging - soon.
Agreed. Current specs are underwhelming.
@@Wasabi9111 200 miles is downright awful.
I feel Subaru really missed the mark with their first EV here. Underwhelming range, not super fast charging, no front trunk storage like a lot of EVs, and lower ground clearance than the Outback, Forrester, and Crosstrek. It's a decent first step, but not something I'd jump to buy. When Subaru can have a battery that's good for 500+ miles of range, has 8.7+ inches of clearance...wait, that's essentially an electric Outback. Yeah, when they have an electric Outback, I'll be in. :)
I will be really interested in a electric like the forester since this one is pretty small
I suspect they’ll save the electric outback for when they have more experience building EVs. That’s their flagship so they can’t screw it up.
@@Lakikano Probably
Right, and at what price point would this ideal Subaru be at? Probably, at a high cost that very few would want to pay.
Only one EV in the market has over 500 miles range & it cost over 80k. Really nobody cares about front trunk.
Looks pretty good. Just needs a 2" lift and some KO2s on 17s. We'll what the aftermarket offers!
"can this do a donut?", and "sleeping" in the trunk/hatch. LOVE IT !!!! This is why I love watching your reviews. You really do drive these cars and as a viewer, it is obvious that you love what you do, which helps make your reviews that much more relatable and realistic
The styling of this vehicle is growing on me. Especially when dirt is covering those dark front fender panels. 😉
Subaru's numbers are very conservative for range. They also gave it slower charging rates to minimize battery degradation.
Those slow number are crap. Almost no one is going to be Level 3 charging regularly, but when you do, do you want to be spending an hour or more to get to 80% while on one of those rare journeys ?
If Subaru launched a 400plus range electric truck, bring back the Baja or Brat, make it a five seater, than I think it would sell really well. Car companies like Land Rover and Volkswagen proves that retro designed EVS from vehicle designs from the past can play well in todays market. An electrified version of the Baja or Bratt would be so cool and it could feature modern but retro design which is proving to be popular
Thanks for this video. Looks good, great AWD capabilities. Sure will be performing here (Quebec region) in the snow/ice during winter, potholes in the spring and country roads to the cottage. Took note on 18” wheel, at least for the winter season and off-roading as a separate set of wheels.
The real question is how poor will the range be in below 0 conditions? Will you be getting stuck out in the bush? perhaps
I like the idea of EVs, I just wish the range was better. I drive from Florida to PA every year to visit family, and stopping to charge my EV slows that journey a lot. Would love to see more of them integrate solar panels to keep it charging while you're on the road. I am sure as these pick up, that will come. Great video as always.
Very, VERY sadly, even if the whole car was covered in solar panels from bumper to bumper it would probably take like a solid week of strong sun to recharge even just one full drain - I'm in the same boat though. I assume powertrain efficiency / storage will move faster towards (y)our goal than solar tech .... so it's looking like Plugin Hybrids (that can do those in town trips full electric AND long drives on gas) are probably better suited for people like you and me for the near future.
They haven’t yet confirmed the range and it seams like they aren’t using a lot of aluminum like tesla.
You could just rent a car for the once a year trip.
Horse and buggy would be faster.
@@alanmay7929 Is alu somehow inferior?
Dig it! Great review as always. Excited to see the aftermarket/offroad gear for this. Hopefully down the line they'll come out with a long-range, 300+ mile version which would give people like me that would love for this to be my daily/adventure vehicle more confidence.
Can't be 300+mile! The actual range is around 220 miles.
Just picked up a new Outback in Sweden, and saw this at the dealer, and it didn't make me want one. It's a Toyota bZ4X. It's not nearly as outdoorsy as an Outback. In three years when I return the lease, I hope to get a real Outback electric and not this...thing. Thanks for the video though, great as always!
nice to know that some body in Sweden chooses subaru over volvo. I thought there were no subies up there:)
@@peterp9148 Yeah Volvo is in a majority for sure. But I'm biased growing up in north Sweden, it was Subaru Leone station wagon or go home :D. A Volvo with sand bags in the back didn't do the trick.
Agree, I'd be WAY more interested in a plug-in/hybrid Outback than I am this EV which can't compete on range or charging speeds than the competition from Hyundai/Kia.
This stupid screen blocked by steering wheel is almost dealbraker, If this would look "normal" this car would be great.
On more than one occasion while he was detailing the exterior, I forgot I was looking at a Subaru and seriously thought this was a Toyota.
Should be all you need to know about this Subie
It’s basically a Toyota. It’s Toyota that actually and mostly developed this car, the body is derived from the rav4 and chassis is totally new.
The whole time watching this I thought I was looking at an Electric Crosstrek.
@@mikeoxlong3676 more like Toyota RAV4
I live in the Uk and drive a diesel Outback. The Solterra (at time of writing) has yet to hit our dealerships although Subaru are rolling out 'first looks' to people who own a Subaru. The one thing that for me lets it down is the lack of spare tyre, (tire if you live in America). Its' off road capability is great but can you imagine going out into the wilderness, well off the beaten track, get a flat tyre and the liquid glue repair kit has no effect at all on the hole/puncture. Who is going to come out and rescue you? A tow truck in the form of another Subaru? It needs a spare wheel although the charging cable etc limits the space in the cargo area. I'm not going out when they hit the dealers and rush to buy one. The lack of range, lower ground clearance, and lack of spare tyre is not enough for me to get out my cheque book. I think Subaru could have done a better job with their first attempt at an electric vehicle. I hope they improve upon it within the next 10 years or so. I'm 66 so my driving days are not unlimited. I would like one before I get too old to drive. Come on Subaru, don't make me wait too long for an improved version.
Nice car, an EV that I would actually considering.
Still waiting on Subaru to make a minivan, hybrid or whatever. Need it to take family of 7 with comfortable room and AWD confidence on snowy road.
Great video and as usual this is the first place I visit for off-road and actual driving experience of new cars especially the Subarus. Good detail and knowledge sharing. Thx.
I don’t really get this car. I currently drive an outback and when i go on my adventures up north (Canada), i don’t see too many gas stations, let alone charging stations. Couple that with the Soltera’s very limited range, and it seems like a really bad choice. My outback can get upwards of 1000km range.
For my purposes, i don’t know when electric will make sense. But for now it certainly doesn’t make sense.
Never thought I would be sold into getting an electric
A heads-up display INSIDE the cabin? (4:49) Now there's a wacky idea.
I am a big Subaru fan but this is pretty horrible looking and the range is pretty disappointing.
At 5:34, no media volume knob? You have to be joking Toyota/Subaru.
Need Subaru make this SOLTERRA WILDERNESS with 9+ Inch Ground clearance and 100 khw batterry
Great review as usual! I was on the fence about this one but could definitely see it replacing our Ascent. Wish more than 6500 per were being made.
And probably only in ZEV states.
I'm curious what your use case is for the Ascent (and the Solterra)? I'm guessing you are not carrying a lot of passengers in the Ascent or much cargo and also not towing? I'm not seeing how the Solterra could replace the Ascent unless you had the Ascent mostly for offroad with it's 8.7 inches of ground clearance.
We are looking at buying an Ascent later this year, but we are a family of 6 (soon to be 7) and would never fit in the Solterra. I figured most people with the Ascent bought it for the passenger, cargo, towing, and/or ground clearance...which the Solterra has less of across the board.
@@slandshark Correct. We only have 1 child and a dog. We keep our 3rd row folded down for extra cargo room. Love that for hauling a large stroller and the dog kennel. We really like the Ascent but with rising gas prices it’s made me think about savings from an EV. Avg about 22mpg. The Solterra’s trunk space seemed pretty decent too.
I cannot see it doing anything a $30k forester could not do better............And by the way, The drive train was designed complete by BYD of China...................Paul
Break vectoring with electric motors? That's strange as the electric motors themselves should be able to detect "slipperage" and apply more power where there is more resistance.
In a four motor set up like in the Rivian that’s exactly what happens.
Unless you go with the Rivian approach and have a separate motor at each wheel, you still need differentials front and rear, which can still let power go to a spinning wheel. It's basically like a locked center differential or traditional 4x4 without lockers.
Well dang. Leave it to an out of stater to show me where I can go off road out in the desert. I've been down Bartlett Lake road plenty of times (and Horseshoe Res) and didn't know they had that little area to ride dirt (I was aware of folks going off road - just not that special spot).
Range and charging times need to be improved (yah, I know, broken record....) and the torque, at first blush, seems a bit low.
OMG 14:44 it's not the latest Eyesight gen 4 like found on the latest Forester? That's a bummer. We have a local TV show testing véhicules and most if not all Toyota fail in preventive collision and collision avoidance.
I know Toyota is really advanced in the electric aspect but that's all I wanted from them in this vehicle, I wanted everything else to be Subaru. Oh well I'm disappointed.
I do wonder if the warranty offered by Subaru and Toyota are going to be different. For example, here in the UK, Subaru warranty now only three years but Toyota, you can get 10 years warranty. as long as the yearly maintenance is done by them.
I think both might offer 8-10 warranty on the battery but what about the rest of the vehicle?
I have zero interest in this vehicle. It's not zero emissions as advertised. Good luck going on adventures with limited range and there are no charging stations on trails. Even my dealer says that this is a joke of a vehicle. Picking up my 2023 Outback Wilderness in two weeks. Soltera costs $20K more than the Outback Wilderness here in Canada. The choice is obvious. Fill up and go anywhere. Charge up and go..........nowhere. Would never make it from Toronto to Algonquin Park and back, a very popular day trip. Would have to stay overnight to charge the damn thing. Can get a lot of gas for $20K. Also, wondering what this Soltera will be worth 5 years down the road.
Several gripes about this subie EV: that design and space between the steering wheel and guage is a dust display. It's more suitable for a smaller Prius, and you look weird driving it at that position the whole time. Next, it's the no opening of the moonroof, and the reclining of the rear seats. Lastly, it's the short range. I assume most people buying it because of its AWD capability. In winter time, that 200+ miles range is gonna become 150ish or less...
It has a heat pump so cold climates shouldn’t affect the range much.
I'm not a fan of these huge center consoles /shifter consoles with not a lot of storage. I like a more open console area with the cup holders further forward and a storage bin in front of the shifter
Starting at less than 40k. Yeah right. Try 60k. Its 2022. And compact cars cost 30k. Be real. Inflation has crippled this market. And its only getting worse. Nothing is cheap. Especially a ev brand new to the market.
For the love of god subaru why not just an EV Forester? Why must you be this uselessly extra (It's because you missed the chance and had to make bed with Toyota and now Hyundai is running around pantomiming the re-awakened corpse of the Baja -- and it rocks. That's why jfc)
Excellent review! You could be my driving instructor- soo clear. Unbiased and not unimpressed like every other reviewer ever. THANK YOU!! Also Arizona sick choice!!!
Great review. You have a new subscriber.
Got one just over a week ago. Would love to use navigation but it wants $20 a month to subscribe to the infotainment system. 😞 No thanks
Mark, you and Alex are the only reveiwers on the platform that really grok Subarus. I guess RCR as well. So many reviews boil down to "It isn't a Wrangler, so it's garbage" that it's nice to see the insights into where Subarus do fit into the market, and into lifestyles.
Also, oh god, so much piano black.
I'll take a Subaru Forester xt hybrid Plug in version please with 250 hp! (Current owner of a 2015 Subaru Forester XT Limited)
Thanks for the review, I having a Outback -18 right now that i relay like and ill keep for som years bot the next step i think will be electric, it seems like a have to and i want to stay in the Subaru family so i consider this car to be an option
Sounds like this thing charges really slow. 80% in 56 minutes? And only ~220 miles of range? Doesn't sound terribly competitive....
220 mile, not really good for touring. Maybe getting groceries or going to work that is close by. Would work OK for City dwellers but not so much for people in Spread out Surburia or Rural areas.
Looks like the made the Crosstrek electric.
It’s fantastic to see Subaru’s awd system working as intended. Without a terrible cvt to hinder its capabilities. I’m no Subaru fan, but this is a step in the right direction. Working with Toyota should increase its poor reliability history.
Don't know if UI is designed by the Japanese, they are known for designing complicated UI.😅 But it is a pretty car overall.
There will be a delay to buy your 2023 Subaru Solterra Electric Crossover. It's not Dog Tested and Dog Approved yet!!!!
With a starting price of $44K, Subaru has already priced itself out of my income.
If Biden didn’t cause such inflation, then I could afford it.
Excellent review as always. But please, keep right on roads. Be more German, it's safer and also, it's the law. If not overtaking, stay on the right, even if there is no one and if you are at speed limit. Danke.
Gotta respect a car review where there is a “Suh-weet!”. Another excellent review and comparison there guys.
Need to do something about that glossy piano black in the front console. Just watching it reflect across your face during the street driving annoyed me, much less actually being the driver and having that happen...
Are there charging stations out in the “off road” area ? Supposed your EV has a range of 360 miles. Do you have enough juice to come back home?
Sorry, but one pedal driving is the bomb in every way. I would never go back, and that's coming from an old school dude.
Weakest off road i think ive ever seen. A gio metro could have done everything in that video. Except the so called doughnuts on hard packed smooth as silk dirt in reverse. I thing its a stretch calling it off road capable.
People still getting excited about EVs yet they are years away from being practical. I shall wave to you as I pass in a proper Subaru while you wait for the tow truck because you run out of power.
It feels like it’s Toyota cousin a bit ‘compliance-y’ I mean less so than the Mx-30 but still a bit half hearted - no frunk, high floor etc
Over mentioning your opinion about the wheel position and view of controls was over stated. We heard ya the first time. Other than that it was a solid review. Thumbs up.
Placed my "reservation" at 11:59 on the day they opened at noon. Sure am curious about pricing though. I don't like how they call the base trim "Premium" when it's clearly got the features of a BASE model Subaru of every other model. I also don't like the 20" wheels. I always want the smallest wheels that fit over the brakes for where I live. But the "Premium" (base) is probably too stripped down for me. Again, waiting on pricing.
Why most car manufacturers don’t allow you to spec different sized wheels at order or either dealer exchange at purchase is beyond me. I would gladly switch wheels to smaller ones on most vehicles if that was a cheap/no-cost option.
I know Tesla is competition but they have the best battery/charging tech and an infrastructure in place. Why not just swallow your ego and use the tech in your car
Looks like Toyota bz4x! Are you sure this is Subaru? Maybe someone in Toyota factory only put Subaru logo :)
low range slow charge and really bad interior design from cluster to radio may make this a great value on the used market...but at full price....its a hard pass. 2 years used at half price....yes.
I'm a Subaru fanboy but this one is very underwhelming... Just put a EV in the crosstrek/XV.
I so a solterra on the freeway yesterday and I was curious to see how it was like , but after seeing this video , like I saw others of electric vehicles I’m not to much in to electric, or hey just don’t cut it just yet , since I go on a lot of trips far in the mountains and lakes , and this one is doesn’t give to much of miles per charge
It seems like regular subaru driving range, my little impreza hatch is a NA and gets 240 miles on a full tank. It would've been super cool if they used the levorg for the ev
Something is wrong with your vehicle. My lifted Outback gets 500.
@@johnbob4545 throttle controller and a rich tune😅
@@wildwestwaifu6201 ha lol. nice. my boy really wants one but they are impossible to find at a good price now.
Thanks for going offroad! We need to see more softroad capable EVs!