With the Subaru Solterra, the brand offers for the first time a vehicle with 100% electric propulsion. We have tested it, and these are our impressions
Electric siblings Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra are almost identical, but all-wheel drive is only standard on the Subaru. An electric SUV with offroad virtues is not so common. Nor that it also has a heat pump from the factory, so the heating does not use the valuable charge of the battery directly.
Subaru Solterra design
Climbing into the driver’s seat, it is immediately clear: we sit here at a medium height, more crossover-style than SUV. The Peugeot-like layout of the cockpit above the steering wheel replaces a possible head-up display.
Unfortunately, the speedometer and range gauge (difficult to read) are positioned far forward, only not covered by the steering wheel when the driver is sitting high up and has set it down.
Long-legged people will therefore not find an ideal position, and the flattened top and bottom, airplane-style steering wheel, which they announced at the time, would be a good solution for that.
In the rear, there’s plenty of headroom even for tall people, but at the price of a seat that’s too low. And the feet can barely get under the front seats.
Overall, though, the Subaru, with a slightly larger base than the Toyota RAV4 but four centimeters lower, gives an airy impression: fairly slender roof pillars, and plenty of rear knee room.
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The trunk has a capacity of 441 liters in the normal position. There is no factory specification for the maximum volume. We measured it roughly and got around 1,600 litres: the sloping rear end (no wipers!) takes its toll.
The Subaru rolls on smallish, high-profile tires, which enhances its country look, but it’s not just a matter of appearance: Its 8.5 inches of ground clearance is clearly not Defender-level, but it is above average. of electric SUVs.
Behavior of Solterra
This Subaru also has the brand’s typical X-Mode button with driving modes in mud and snow, as well as the Grip Control off-road cruise control, which can be adjusted between 2 and 10 km/h using a rocker switch: the only thing you have to use is the steering wheel.
This is reminiscent of Land Rover’s All-Terrain Progress Control, only somewhat simplified and without the camera-based surface recognition, which adjusts speed itself. But the Subaru system also allows the most unsuspecting driver to shine off-road.
Steering requires arm strength, matching the character of the car. And the fine-tuned response of the suspension on cross ruts or cobblestones is impeccable.
We charge it at a frigid three degrees, where it consumes a maximum of 100 instead of the specified 150 kW of electricity. When the battery level reached 80%, the charging capacity plummeted. Electricity only came to just under 7 kW. The last 20% to full charge takes forever.
The Subaru doesn’t impress us much in the Wallbox either. There it charges with 6.6 kW, since it only has a single-phase charger. According to Toyota’s (the technology donor) German press office, its model will come with a much faster three-phase on-board charger starting in the spring, while Subaru expects the Solterra to have one in the fall.
Power consumption in the test is 31.4 kWh/100 km and quickly drains the 71.4 kWh battery; The autonomy has been 250 kilometers, it is enough to go to work, but hardly to travel. In this, many competing models do better.
The Subaru only offers route guidance to the nearest charging stations when the battery level is low. Unfortunately, some instructions on the navigation system are difficult to read.
The electric crossover has only limited use as a tow vehicle; a pulled load of 750 kg is only sufficient for light trailers.
Those are the small flaws that prevent this from being a round car: because the electric Subaru is a pleasure to drive with its precise steering, correctly programmed ESP, impeccable behavior and the mentioned suspension comfort.
Factors to decide the purchase
This Subaru is unique: electric cars with some suitability for rough roads are only available from Mercedes and the much more expensive American pickup suppliers. Behavior, steering and suspension are simply excellent. But unfortunately it is not up to the latest fast charging technology or autonomy.
