2023 Subaru Solterra / Hear Me Out
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2024
- While some are quick to dismiss it, I think the Subaru Solterra deserves a second look. It has the principles of a great SUV but the flaws of some older EVs. Today I’ll try to figure out if it’s enough to compete against the VW ID.4, Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y and more.
Thank you, Royal on the Eastside, for letting me test drive the Subaru Solterra for today's review!
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I bought this 3w ago and it is an incredible car! Does everything well. Subaru did enough to fit with their cannon and values.
Wow, the best review of the Solterra: entertaining, clearly identifying differences, and able to change my mind.
Glad to hear it was helpful!
I own a Solterra and do not recommend buying one. Complete false advertising of range. “About 222 miles” in their brochure = 185 miles fully charged and actual miles driven is maybe 160 miles. Seriously, buy any other EV before getting this vehicle. My $54,000 vehicle has spent about 10 days at the dealership in the last month and they keep saying it’s working as expected.
@@88darnell The range and charging are its biggest shortcomings, though that is especially bad. Cold weather hurts all ev ranges though so that could definitely be the reason if it's cold where you are.
A very fair review of this vehicle. This and the bZ4 are nowhere near as bad as some make them out to be. Do they need improvement and have shortcomings? Yes. But, how a car drives is important and how reliable and well put together it is as well.I do wish it wasn't so obviously a Toyota in its implementation.
The interior looks clean and sharp to my eye! Holy crap @ the knee-killing door panel though..... dang
Oh it's sharp alright😂 I like how it looks too but a little disappointed with the capacitive stuff and shiny plastics.
I find it hilarious that a few reviewers complined about rapid charging even though most buyers will only charge at home & now they're piling up on lots. Thanks to that I'm getting a steal of a deal on mine, & I'll get to keep it for decades with Toyota build quality, thanks!
And tbf, the range unless you live in the middle of nowhere is good enough for long trips, it just gives you more excuses to stretch your legs and once it charged enough for the day you'll probably find a place to rest either way, and maybe even a 22kwh charger to charge it over night. Like if you plan your charges with other things like meals and if not walking you could just relax and watch a series or youtube videos.
The IRS finally updated their website (Subaru hasn’t yet), the $7500 credit is not applicable to the Solterra due to it’s build location! Subaru is still giving leases through their “preferred lender” a $7,500 incentive on the lease amount.
I bought 2023 Solterra limited black on black and my biggest qualm is there is no information for new to EV owners. Even Subaru doesn't have sufficient information. Get every app known to man for charging stations because god knows you'll need them all and you'll be freaked out how fast your 30 miles gas range is 100 miles battery range. Especially if you need to be warm while you drive. They should tell everyone to buy the super charger or stage 2 charger. They don't give that info here in NY. This vehicle takes 30 miles for the heat to kick in. It drives like a dream and smooth as ever. Its needs to charge all the time, its a large telephone and I don't know if I'll keep it over a gas vehicle. I'm going to give it through the winter to see how it goes but I'm betting it'll be giving it back and I'll find something else until my lease is up. Then and only then I'll look into getting a better version of something else. More user friendly, longer range, better with heat, smarter on consumption and makes more sense.
Very informative video.
good review 👍
As a car enthusiast I’m always looking at cars, and the very first thing I check out is if my right knee will hit the console. I’m only 5'8 with long legs and a lot of cars have a protruding console, sometimes for no mechanical reason. The manufacturers must have marketing and research teams, so it’s odd they don’t take into account people of all body types will be driving these cars. I’m short and still have problems with intrusion. Maybe they could at least pad it?
I am an avid Subaru fan and bought a 22 Outback and have loved it. I have been keeping an eye out for an Outback Hybrid (rumored to be coming out in 2025) but I also have been keeping an eye on the Solterra, I wasn't going to buy a first iteration of a model but will be keeping my eye on its evolution.
Got it in white and love the contrast with the bold styling and black cladding
Me too, it looks great, looks premium.
I don’t think these have enough range to replace a standard ICE vehicle like the Forester or Outback. You still can’t take a 300 mile trip without a stop somewhere to recharge for a long time…if the chargers are actually at the location, and if the chargers are unoccupied and if the chargers are working. We’re just not there yet, outside of the big cities anyway.
You pretty much have to buy a Solterra with the understanding that roadtrips are something you shouldn’t do. Just something to travel your region with.
Sorry about your knees Tyler. That sucks. Egress and ingress simplicity is paramount. Based on just that miss alone would knock this out of my buying pool of prospects. The others negatives simply verify this decision that this vehicle and/or the Bz4x is off the list!
By the way, great review!! Keep up the excellent work. You are one of the best TH-cam reviewers out there!! I would watch you review first over Redline, Raiti, TFL, Edmunds, KBB, heck ALL OF THEM!
I hope vehicle manufacturers take note soon and invite you to launch events.
😎
@@Realistick Given the price of cars, that's not a very utilitarian purchase.
Front and rear motors are not identical. They have the same output, but the system, size, and shape are different. You can’t swap one with the other.
At least where I live, it’s pretty clear the driving public likes these a lot more than most journalists. They seem to be selling well enough
Paddle shifters are great to use as breaks and tune recharge to changing steepness on a long downhill section
We placed a reservation last February immediately upon openings with the caveat that deep research and comparisons would ultimately guide our decision. I’m glad that the wheels falling off debacle dramatically slowed its release and allowed all of its mediocre characteristics compared with the competition to come to light. It’s not a horrible car but it is far from competitive for its price and newness. Canceled months ago and ordering a 2024 Impreza RS which will meet our needs much better -comfortable, safe, fun to drive, practical and huge range.
Great Review! I like Subarus in general but won’t buy one because the dealers in my city are terrible! (Ottawa, Canada)
I test drove this the other day and really enjoyed the ride quality, acceleration, and confidence. The interior styling and layout was meh. Did not like the "headsup" dash where the steering wheel partially blocks the view. I had to adjust it by pulling the steering wheel closer to me and then lowering it. I'm not as tall as our man here (I'm 5'11") so I had to adjust it to drive it. Another thing I was not thrilled with was the lack of detail in the interior and the terrible piano black. I like some of the funky Subaru styling in its cars, and this really lacked the appearance of any color, durability, or Subaru soul. However the space is roomy and comfortable overall, the bulky middle console not withstanding. I'd give it 4/5 stars overall from my first impression.
As for the battery/range, I did hear from another reviewer that the range was not that great compared to similar cars because Subaru/Toyota are trying to prioritize longevity of the battery rather than maxing out the range now and then not having decent performance from it 10+ years down the road. This is interesting and makes sense to me.
I can't find a video on the Kia K5 GT line...plz do one
hey mans I have a question, when you drive you hear a small sound, does it sound like when you are calling someone on the cell phone (ring)? Please let me know
I know the infotainment is front and center nowadays but sometimes I wish they stuck around with the old ways of Scion where the gauge cluster was smack dab in the middle above the radio.
In other news I hear the plastic cladding also WRX elsewhere.
Second generation will be the one to get
Think the resale values will stand up well over time compared to the other brands u mentioned
Ouch! I hope you get hazard pay :) Thanks for the review, it gives me hope that the next time around will be a stronger product. The range and charge time definitely would be an issue for me. Otherwise not a bad entry for those that stay local.
I had a reservation for the Solterra last year, but ended up not going through with it. I bought a Bolt EUV instead, which has been great. The Subaru just isn't a good value compared with everything else on the market. It also is no longer eligible for the federal tax credit because it is made in Japan.
Thanks for the fair review.
Not for me, the price is too high, the range is too low and I've had Subies with engine problems and suspension problems that never went off road. I think it's attractive but the interior is more plasticy than my 2023 Bolt EUV and Bolts hold up very well, Eric Way is still driving his 2017 with ~200k miles and no problems. Even Tesla's hold up pretty well too, so what's the advantage? Ground clearance? We live in snow country and I've been driving front wheel drive cars for seven years with good snows and no problems. I'll pass.
I am not anti EV. But if they ever want to actually achieve mass adoption, these prices have got to come down. You just dont get what you pay for. In almost every case you can buy a much better ICE vehicle for the same price. This is not a $50k vehicle. No way
Greetings from southern Ontario Canada I really enjoyed the video I have put down a deposit for the chevy blazer ev 2LT and it has real exterior door handles and a rear wiper. 290 hp and 450kms per charge according to gm canada website
Nice, I’m looking forward to testing one when I can!
I live in Ontario and received my Limited Solterra back in January..simply love it
Is there storage under the cargo floor?
There is, for charger cables, I also tuck my first aid kit, compact shovel and lug nut tightner for when you swap between winter and summer tires as such is required in Norway where I live.
glad its all wheel drive
Do you think Subaru should start implementing digital gauge clusters similar to the Solterra's in their other vehicles? And yes I've also hit my leg on the door panel enough times to consider wearing kneepads
I don’t know if it would be something I’d personally prefer for all but it could be a nice addition to high trim models, and okay that’s good to hear that I’m not the only one!
They couldn’t suburize the dash board ? Dashboard is very Prius
I really like how the Solterra and BZ4x Twin look and the actual ground clearance, the biggest issue is in my book there are just better alternatives especially for the price
Show me an EV with AWD for less than 46k
@@Growupplz1I looked and there is none.
I own a 2017 Impreza ... I wanted AWD for harsh winters ... I like it ... I do not want to give up AWD ... ps ... I like my 2017 Impreza....
Honda did an excellent job redesigning a Chevy with the Prologue.
Subaru could have done the same but missed a chance badly.
I’d rather my Subaru be a Toyota than my Honda be a Chevy tbh
@@Realistick Yea, me too. But, I wasn't talking about the quality. It's the exterior design....
We looked at a Soltera before buying our Forester Touring.
The Soltera is too expensive, it only has 1990 Gloomy Grey or Boring Black interior colors.
No spare tire.
No glove box.
It was hard to get in and out of it.
We didn’t find the seats very comfortable. The interior felt tight.
We weren’t impressed for the price point.
Subaru's go up into the mountains, trails, long distances. EV with just a 200 mile range? No thank you, a few of them in a local Subaru lot when we went looking and they were largely ignored. I get it Subaru, you have to show the Gov you were trying, but nah..
Not a contender until they get a newer lithium phosphate solid state battery for better range put in a NACS charger port and cut the price. The poor battery performance is clearly a gen 1 problem and is the biggest problem.
I know what will put them on top spot.
Best.....in...class....warranty
The real world range will be too low and the horsepower will be disappointing on the highway. I can’t imagine they’ll make many of these.
I like my Subaru FR-S (Scion). I even bought a Subaru DL new back around 1978ish. Love the brand.
This one has a fatal flaw.
It's an EV.
I love subaru, but this is doing absolutely nothing for me.
Subaru shot themselves in the foot in both price and range for this vehicle.
I though the same about price but then I realized that it’s currently the least expensive AWD EV.
Nice review, 50 grand no way and only a 150 mile range in the real world, who would buy this?
50k XD
I wonder if the Japanese intended to name this car after a single lady in Spanish? Te puedo decir que la única mujer que debería manejarlo es una soltera 😂
Yep, but the double “r” actually turns the name into “Sol” (Sun) + “Terra” (Earth).
Subaru with no Eye-sign, I'll say it's a Subaru branded Toyota.
How you get tax credit?
It’s gone now, I think you get a lease credit now but I don’t remember the specifics on how that works.
I HATE that the front fenders look like they forgot to paint them. It makes it look cheap and unsophisticated.
Totally agree
Yep. I really don't like the way Subaru keeps adding more and more of that cheap looking plastic cladding all over their lineup.
@@janoycresnova9156 I AGREE with you on that.
I think Subaru is going back to the 80s with all that cheap looking black plastic crap
@@janoycresnova9156 I actually like the unpainted plastic on forester and outback wilderness. Those cars are expected to go offroad and you won't mind scratching the plastic
I agree that they look awful. This car is based on the Toyota Bz4x so I’m guessing it was Toyota’s bad idea. I guess this car brings Subaru into the electric world without all the development costs. However, I think Subaru is in big trouble if we keep converting to electric as fast as we are. This is very far from competitive.
1st! 😅
🏆
Don't this and Toyota BZ4X have the worst range/price ratio? Lol
Wouldn’t surprise me. It would be a great option for a household that already as a vehicle they use for long distances, otherwise, it would be annoying.
@@Realistick their lack of effort surprises me.
They look like Rav4s
They are not going to sell too many of those. Subaru better stay true to their brand and improve their dependability. This is a loser . Why couldn't they see that ?
Because the wheels do fall off, you can honestly say that you drove your Subaru / Toyota until the wheels fell off 😂
I presented the research here but I suppose I can repeat myself once. They don’t fall off (or at least there’s not a single report of that happening that I could find). Subaru recalled it twice over the possibility. I’d much rather they do that then have them be like kia and wait for a bunch of cars to actually catch fire.
@@Realistick Thank you. I frankly get tired of people stating that the "wheels fall off" of the bZ4 and this vehicle. There was a recall that they potentially can and Toyota issued a fix on this months ago. Subaru's recall has to do with that fix not properly done. The crazy thing is the wheels broke off of Teslas a few years ago, real customers cars, sometimes resulting in injury and deaths, and I don't hear people going on about that. They called them "whompy wheels." Wheels falling off is a non-issue. Charging speed and poor range and a bunch of interior shortcomings you pointed out are more of a real issue.
MEH
EVs are garbage.
That's not true at all. BEVs have some big advantages. Have you driven any? They have a lot of power and almost no vibration and sound when they accelerate. You can get a lot more space out of them because they don't have to allot areas for transmissions and drivetrains. They appear to be more crashworthy due to the battery weight and positioning. That same battery makes for more weight resulting in cars feeling more planted. They have less moving parts so maintenance is theoretically lower than ICE vehicles. Now, they do have their downsides as well. But they certainly aren't "garbage" whatever that is supposed to mean. They're vehicles with a different propulsion system and more software integrated than ICE vehicles. But they're basically just vehicles.
Hi Tyler . Love your videos . Do u have any other social media where I can follow u (like ig)?