By James Stinson
If you’re a certain age, Subaru conjures up images of rally success, with the previously little-known Japanese car maker hoovering up multiple world championships in the nineties and early noughties. Blue and yellow Imprezzas propelled rally legend Colin McRae to his world title in 1995. Subaru Imprezzas were also the preferred weapon of local rally drivers when the sport gathered headlines and crowds in Ireland akin to football matches. Subaru then gave up on rallying, in part because it had little more to prove but also because it was increasingly hard to keep in touch with new kids on the block Citroen and rallying superhero Sebastien Loeb. For a variety of reasons, rallying hasn’t had the same profile since and nor has Subaru.
Pre-rally era Subaru was known for building capable, if unexciting, cars that appealed to rural types and that’s what it reverted to. Cars like the Outlander, a rugged estate, and the Forrester, a chunky SUV, are in their element, ploughing across a muddy field, pulling trailers, horseboxes, boats and caravans. Their owners love them and Subaru frequently tops customer satisfaction surveys. What you don’t associate these outdoorsy types with are EVs but even Subaru has had to bite the bullet and produce an electric car – the Solterra. This mid-sized SUV is actually a collaboration with Toyota… and is a twin of the Toyota’s horribly named bZ4X. The idea being that Toyota brings its electric car expertise while Subaru provides the all-wheel drive nous.
Aside from the badging, there are some small styling changes inside and out but both cars largely look and feel the same and are similarly priced. The big difference is that the Subaru, in a nod to its off-road leanings, comes with four-wheel drive only while the Toyota sports a cheaper, two-wheel drive version as well. Two electric motors – front and rear – power the Solterra along, producing a combined 215 bhp and 337Nm of torque. Power delivery feels smooth and rapid, with a claimed 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds. There’s regenerative breaking, which can be altered by flappy paddles on the gearbox.
The range is a claimed 289 miles for the entry-level Limited spec but drops to 257 miles for the Touring version, presumably because of the larger wheels. These figures drop further in cold conditions and aggressive driving. Fully charged range during a cold January spell was below 200 miles though this is a common affliction with all EVs. Still, there are plenty of electric SUVs that offer better range, at least on paper. Find a suitably fast ultra-rapid charging point and a 10-80% top-up will take 28 minutes, while a 7.4kW home wallbox will take nearly 12 hours to fully replenish the battery. There’s a high-quality feel about the cabin, with plenty of space and a good-sized boot. While the digital interface is large and easy to use, a lot of the controls still have manual buttons, thankfully.
On the road, the Solterra is quiet with very little body roll. The tyres and ground clearance mean it isn’t capable of serious off-roading but Subaru’s X-Mode system, which controls the motors and brakes, promises to deliver optimum traction on difficult terrain, such as deep mud, snow or even steep, slippery slopes. There are just two trim levels and a handful of exterior colours for Solterra customers to choose from, with prices for the entry-level Limited model starting from £52,495. For that you get 18-inch alloy wheels, a powered tailgate, adaptive cruise control, heated front and rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. Other standard kit includes a 360-degree parking camera, a digital rear-view mirror and a heat pump that should more efficiently warm the battery.
Upgrading to Touring spec adds fauxleather upholstery, 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, Harman Kardon sound system, wireless smartphone charging and an electric passenger seat, and bumps the price up to £55,495. Subaru’s first foray into electric motoring is not a bad start and more will come from its partnership with Toyota but competition in this segment is exceptional. Subaru is something different, a niche brand with a great reputation among its customers, but the Solterra doesn’t have the same all-round appeal of rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5.