One of the trends of the past few years has been Covid-induced delays to model launches, and the timing couldn’t have been worse for Subaru, its first EV the Solterra arriving here 18 months after we first glimpsed it at a Waiheke Island preview. Worse still, it arrived just in time for some who’d preordered to miss out on the Clean Car rebate. So instead of the base model costing close to $70k, it was an $80k car.
However, it’s here now and has gone on sale, and NZ Autocar got to check it out in a drive that took in SH5 from Taupo to Napier, using up roughly half a battery charge. Despite wet weather for my drive stint, the Solterra which is roughly Forester sized (a bit longer and wider, but not as tall) performed well in iffy conditions. Being a Subaru you can only buy Solterra in AWD guise so there were no heart-in-mouth moments during the winding ascent and descent that precedes the drive through the devastated Esk Valley before entering Napier.
Better yet, it can really get up and haul in the Power setting, aided by a pair of 80kW motors that deliver 338Nm of torque. Evidently it gets to 100km/h in under 7sec. It feels closer to six by the seat of the pants.
The motors are fired by a moderately sized 71.4kWh battery that supposedly gives range of 466km WLTP (ours showed 440km at 100 per cent leaving Taupo). Subaru reckons the battery capacity drops by less than 10 per cent over the course of a decade. It can be hooked up to chargers of 150kW and in this situation a 20 to 80 per cent rezip evidently takes half an hour. A full recharge on a wallbox can be accomplished overnight. Energy use is rated at 16kWh/100km which is about what we saw on road.
As you are likely aware, the Solterra is the sister vehicle to Toyota’s bZ4X which is available in FWD or AWD formats, whereas the pair of Solterras on sale here are both AWD, as per Subaru’s guiding principle. Moreover, the example we drove, the $79,990 base Solterra (as opposed to the $85k Touring which adds synthetic leather trim and a panoramic sunroof, among other things) has a one-pedal driving button and paddles that shift between four levels of regen. That’s not a feature of the bZ4X. More on that anon.
Prior to jumping into Solterra we’d had a cracking drive in stunning summer conditions from Auckland to Lake Taupo in the new sixth-generation Impreza. We’d taken a wee diversion to roads less travelled to avoid SH25 and get a bit more of a feel for the latest Impreza. For those wanting a secure well specified compact hatch with AWD, this is amongst the most talented you will find in the handling and ride department which makes it a bit like Crosstrek in its class then. Subaru calls it the small car drivers will love and they’re on the money there. It uses a stiffer version of the Subaru Global Platform, more rigid by 10 per cent thanks to increased use of adhesives.
Now 30 years old, the original Impreza was noted for being the only AWD vehicle you could buy new for under $30K. The previous version you could buy was $36k and while this latest iteration is more expensive at $44,990, it is also much better specified, with the latest version of EyeSight safety system, dynamic cruise control and lane centring, traffic sign recognition, nine airbags, BSM and rear autobraking. Other standard items include Qi charger, surround cameras, navigation, a 10-speaker HK system, LED headlights, smart key and 18-inch alloys. There are even sports pedals and a powered sunroof.
We noted a hint of wind noise up front but tyre-generated rumble was well contained – NVH is said to be reduced – and grip in dry conditions oh-so assured. It has the same steering set-up as the incoming WRX as well, so dynamically it’s just a peach to helm. Seats are new, and so too the 11.6-inch touchscreen. Don’t expect quite the performance of the sportster – its 2.0L direct-injection boxer four is good for 115kW and 196Nm. Being naturally aspirated it likes a few revs for best performance. Even then it doesn’t feel especially quick, 0-100 we imagine takes around 10sec. But it gets by well enough, especially with the ECU in its sports setting where the torque curve kicks in lower down. Subaru has once again tweaked its Lineartronic CVT system, pulling mock shifts under the hammer, with eight steps if you choose to use the paddles.
We didn’t bother but we certainly did driving Solterra. I’m kind of split between active and passive battery regeneration, some systems offering just a high or low setting and no paddles, others like this having four levels of regen that you can select on the go. Solterra also has a one-pedal button if that’s your thing. We tried it but preferred using the paddles instead because there’s nothing much to do in an EV, given it has direct drive rather than gears to muss with. Having the paddles to increase regen before corner entry makes you feel more at one with the vehicle somehow, and on the top setting you seldom need to use the brakes, or at most just brushing them to wash off a little extra speed. The one-pedal mode is almost too much of a good thing, as is often the case.
The inner sanctum of Solterra is just that, the seat comfy, in the base model finished in fabric. The modern looking instruments are set well forward, seemingly just below the windscreen, and viewed from above the rim of the wheel. So there’s no need for a head-up display as speed can be seen in your peripheral vision. There are quite a few piano black surfaces that show fingerprints in the sun, like the touchscreen but it’s a roomy cabin, flat in the back seat area with a tonne of room. Likewise the luggage bay, which is accessed by a powered fifth door. The finish along the sides is in hard black plastics.
A few other relevant facts. Solterra has 210mm of ground clearance so should be off-road capable with its AWD, grip control and X-Mode systems. Base specification includes reverse autobraking, a 360 degree surround camera, adaptive cruise and lane tracing, safety exit (prevents door opening on to cyclists), sat nav, wireless AA and ACP, front and rear parking sensors and a lumbar pump for the driver. Aside from the panoramic sunroof and leather-like upholstery the $84,990 Touring adds a heated wheel, seat memory, self-parking, 20-inch wheels and a Qi charger. It also comes with a 10-speaker sound system. Two-tone paint adds $1000.
Solterra is just the first electric stop for Subaru. By 2026 there will be three new BEVs from the AWD brand, while next year an E-Boxer (strong hybrid) variant of Forester will be added to the line-up. Expect around 8 BEVs by 2028.
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