With the launch of the Solterra for the 2023 model year, Subaru cautiously stepped into the increasingly crowded and rapidly evolving electric-vehicle marketplace. While the result is a perfectly usable electric SUV that saw improvements for 2024, the Solterra breaks no new ground and doesn’t stand out in terms of range, performance or tech features. (Little substantively changes for the 2025 model year.)
Related: 2024 Subaru Solterra Review: A bZ4X by Another Name?
Rather than a clean-sheet design, the Solterra is the product of a joint venture with Toyota and shares much of its mechanicals and styling with the bZ4X. Subaru added its own design tweaks to give the Solterra more of a familial appearance, as well as standard all-wheel drive and a dash of that rugged, off-road-ready persona found in other Subaru models. However, almost every competing electric SUV has greater range and a lower starting price, and some also charge more quickly.
Cars.com Senior Research Editor Damon Bell recently had a chance to get thoroughly acquainted with an updated 2024 Solterra during a weeklong family vacation, and he found it to be an agreeable traveling companion in spite of a few faults. Tap the link above to read his expert review; for a quicker rundown, read on for five things we like about the latest Subaru Solterra and three things we do not.
Things We Like
1. Nicely Equipped
The Solterra offers three trim levels, all of which come nicely equipped. The base Premium includes extras like keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and heated front seats. For 2024, there’s also a new traffic jam assist that enables hands-free operation at speeds up to 25 mph. The Limited adds a larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, heated steering wheel and more, while the Touring includes a panoramic moonroof, rearview camera mirror that allows an unobstructed view aft, and additional features.
2. Peppy Powertrain
The only powertrain choice offered with the Solterra combines a 72.8-kilowatt-hour battery with two electric motors driving all four wheels. A total system output of 215 horsepower with 249 pounds-feet of torque is more than enough for drama-free merging and passing, and response is smooth and immediate.
3. Improved Charging Time
Updates for 2024 include improved DC fast-charging performance, which reduced the time it takes to go from 10%-80% charge from around 60 minutes to as little as 35 minutes, according to Subaru. That’s a big improvement, but it still trails rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, which can go from 10%-80% in less than 20 minutes under ideal circumstances.
4. Spacious Cabin
The interior is spacious enough to accommodate average-size adults front and rear, and the seats are supportive and comfortable. Cargo room is also impressive and easy to use thanks to a low, wide load floor and rear seatbacks that fold nearly flat to maximize available space for larger items.
5. Comfortable Cruiser
In keeping with its mission as a sensible commuter car, the Solterra serves up a ride that is more absorbent and composed than sporty. As with other EVs, there’s no getting around the increased weight of the Solterra’s battery, but overall handling is predictable and controlled.
More From Cars.com:
- 2025 Subaru Solterra Gets Significantly Lower Starting Price, New Trim
- 8 New Vehicles Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards
- Subaru Latest Brand to Adopt Tesla Charging Standard
- Research the Subaru Solterra
- Find Your Next Car
Things We Don’t Like
1. Regen Issues
As is typical with many EVs, the Solterra offers different regenerative braking levels to help charge the battery when scrubbing off speed. The most aggressive of these comes close to allowing one-pedal driving, but not quite — it’s still usually necessary to use the brake pedal to bring it to a complete stop. What’s also annoying is that regardless of what setting you prefer, the Solterra resets to the weakest setting every time you start it up.
2. Limited Range
According to EPA estimates, a fully charged 2025 Solterra can travel up to 227 miles in the base Premium trim or 222 miles in the Limited or Touring trims with their larger 20-inch wheels and tires. Neither figure is particularly impressive when compared to competing electric SUVs. For example, when equipped with their available long-range batteries, all-wheel-drive versions of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y boast ranges of 300 and 310 miles, respectively.
3. Quirky Cabin
An unorthodox instrument layout combines a digital gauge cluster mounted high and very far forward, making it almost more like a head-up display than a conventional design. It’s meant to be viewed over the steering wheel rather than through it, and though the steering-wheel rim was squared off somewhat for 2024 to improve sight lines, the arrangement is still awkward for some drivers. Other quirks include the lack of a glove box, no rear window wiper and an awkwardly placed wireless device charger that takes up a lot of center-console real estate.
Related Video:
We cannot generate a video preview.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
