Let's just say both videos had me dripping with sweat, gripping the arms of my 5 year old pleather, Staples-brand office chair and squirming like I was holding in a suspicious fart.
You know what’s funny, I actually watched this video from start to finish. My rage about the way Porsche makes all these limited edition cars, that get marked up like shoes, handbags, GPUs, generally doesn’t allow me to finish videos on Porsches.
That sounds like Subaru with the Forester XT... Subaru: lets take out the manual transmission and hood scoop ... sales drop... "No one cares about the Forester XT so we are dropping it"
They did sell 12k of them here last year. Since it got several thousand dollars cheaper for 2025, maybe they'll crack a whopping 20k. But yes, they need to get on a proper next-gen product.
I've been posting the same comment since the BZ4X came out, but I like the way you worded it. I think the tip off is the battery size. Maybe they don't know how to make an efficient EV but when on top of that you choose to put in a smaller battery than all of the competition, and most people look at range first, it's obvious you don't really want the car to succeed. Toyota hamstrung this car because they don't want to make EVs. I have a Rav4 Prime and that's an example of what Toyota can do when they care. I'm not sure they'll be able to catch up if EVs take over the market. The other tip off is that they haven't really improved the car in terms of its core specs. Finally they really had to make it very bad for it to fail because there are so many loyal Toyota customers who would have loved a reasonable RAV4 EV.
@@MolishiousToyota uses nickle instead of lithium batteries as a cost consideration, they aren't as energy dense so the battery is probably the same size as the competition just with less capacity but the packaging constraints within a given en vehicle size class limit the dimensions of the battery hence the inferior range. When it comes time to replace the battery however the cost will be almost an order of magnitude less. I bet in 20 years there will be more of these rolling around than the competition simply because they won't mechanically total themselves at 12-15 years old the way every other EV will.
@@flacjacket Only the basic hybrid uses nickel-metal hydride batteries, the plug-in Prime uses lithium like anything else with a decent sized battery. You'd struggle to find an EV built in the last 20 years that used nickel-metal hydride.
I was watching a video by Barrie Crampton (retired car dealer in England), in the video he was reporting that brand new Jaguar iPace's are getting 45% off (and still not moving). That will probably happen with this thing, competing with the Mazda MX30 (which sold all of 600 units in the US).
It's all in the video, it's a electric car with no range and bad charging speed and a relatively high price tag (unless you can get a good deal). Hyundai ioniq5 or Kia EV6 are much better car with similar price tag.
@ I would like to believe that the poor charging speed MIGHT help to have the same battery for 15 years!!!, if so, I can leave with it, the clearance is vital to me... I understand, if you can get a great price COULD make a bit of sense!. Thanks your time and answer. Merci.
@kpmmsupervision1297 it's about as premature as it gets. 5 years from now, the ev will be relevant. Today it's like comparing a 4cyl from the 70s to a 4cyl from today.. It needs more time to be so much better..
This is a car. I commend the review of car, I also like that it has doors. Thank God for you both, I have breathed in and out watching this video. You are keeping me alive Savage crew.
Where I live (Long Island, dense suburbs) you have an aging population who just uses their cars to shuttle back and forth from shopping - everything you need within 10-20 minutes. "Long trips" are maybe 20-30 miles away. So for the retiree who just wants an around town car to keep plugged in while parked at home, it's fine... maybe hang on to the 2003 Avalon for long trips.
Or just buy an ioniq 5 that can do both short commutes and roadtrip lol. That’s the problem, they could have made a good car because the tech exists now.
We love our Touring! Quickest Subaru I've driven and it's my 5th. Lots of EV reviewers give this car bad press, but it's practical, we commute and plenty of CCS chargers around and with kids and dog, almost no stop is
They clearly added the minimum so Subaru could claim to have the most in its class. It's actually decent at 8.3" vs the 5 & 6 range of others however the bzwhatever already has 8.1 so it's a quirk...or maybe feature.
@@kamX-rz4uy I understand how manufacturers play with numbers so they can get the claim with facts. I'm just laughing at how ridiculous it actually is.
Cold weather charging is especially bad for this car. A few weeks ago, I saw a Soltera charging at an EA station with 90 minutes on the clock while only added around 20% (~50 to 70%). It was around 15 degrees outside at night. While mine charged at 150kw at the same dispenser after it left, added 50% in 20 minutes
When I pulled out of my 41F garage yesterday the range was 169 miles. (Normally 220 in the summer). As the thermometer adjusted to the 2F weather the range dropped to 129 miles while still at 100% charge. Imagine 129 miles of city range, less on the highway, and then having to spend 1:30 hours to get it back to 80% where you then only have another 104 miles before empty again.
@@MtnXfreeride What SoC is that? Can the Solterra not schedule or start cabin conditioning before leaving, or are your numbers including that? The engine of my old diesel Golf wouldn’t get warm enough to heat the cabin until about a 30-40 minute drive, so I got used to bundling up and using the seat heaters, and I don’t really mind that. I’d probably try to precondition Solterra cabin to 80° or something while it’s plugged in and then bundle up and keep the cabin to at a minimum and/or use the seat heater. How does that compare to what you do? I’ve had a garage for less than two years, so driving a car that starts warm then gets colder is still be better than what I’m used to. I was going to ask a dealer for an extended test drive of one they have priced fairly, knowing that it’s not a roadtripper, but less than 150 miles of range in any season is a dealbreaker.
@@churchofmarcusthe solterra doesn't have the option for you to precondition, you have to drive it super hard then immediately get to a fast charger before the battery cools down again
The specs are objectively bad but I'd say the looks are objectively bad too. Inside and out. It's kind of an achievement. Almost like they wanted it to fail.
It's not a bad BEV. For 2020... The only reason any sane person would lease this is if the dealer is so desperate that they are paying you to drive it off the lot
I considered it. I currently own a Model Y and lease an Outback. They offered me a great deal in Colorado to swap my Outback for this. I thought about it and drove it but as a current Tesla owner, this thing is just a pig. I can hit 4 miles per kWh in my Tesla, 3.8 lifetime average. My Tesla has way more power and is much more capable in terms of putting down power though I wish it had more ground clearance. I was also shocked how loud the Solterra is on the highway as it doesn’t have acoustic glass like our Tesla and our Outback. Ultimately we decided to keep our Outback XT with the 2.4 turbo, it’s such a great car, and I can’t seem to find a good substitute that is reasonably priced. I tried Subaru but this isn’t good enough.
I used to work for a Subaru/Mazda dealer. When rumors of this car coming out started to leak, we were excited! I left the company before the official “workshop modules” were available for dealership network training. This car was such a joke that my old co worker called me over too his house and showed me the training videos and we laughed together at how much of a flop this car will be.. And now that the EV mandate is done ish… I wouldn’t be shocked if this got axed this year or next year.
There was never an EV mandate, so ending what didn’t exist won’t affect production of these in any way. This was not made for U.S. regulations, but to satisy shareholders who were getting frustrated that every other company had one or multiple EVs in the pipeline except Toyota, and they were losing ground in Europe and to Chinese automakers.
I worked for a Subie/Mazda dealership too....Lou Fusz Subaru St. Louis. Left in 2019 but kept in touch and up to date. I laughed at the idea of this car as well. I get it, lol
The RAV4 hybrid doesn't feel rattliy or crappy. It has a bit too much road noise at speed but it feels like a very pleasant, solid car to me. I did ride in one of the bZ4s as an Uber and I loved it. Maybe it is a bad EV but it is a very pleasant riding car to be in, just like other Toyotas.
The Toyota 4-cylinder specifically on the RAV4 is one of the most readily noisy 4 cylinders currently on the market it lacks isolation and refinement that's why we bring it up
This is right up there with the MX-50 or whatever the hell the Mazda EV is. It’s literally the only bad vehicle Mazda has in their entire portfolio. It exists as a compliance vehicle because the powers that be forced the market to artificially adapt with products nobody wants. Not knocking EV’s but it’s a pipe dream thinking they would work for even half the North American population. Even if brands like Mazda and Toyota didn’t embarrassingly phone it in, like they made the most amazing EV imaginable at a class-leading price, the inherent drawbacks of an EV - the facts you can’t fill it in 5 minutes at 1 of 63,000 gas stations in the continental United States alone - kills it.
I bought a used 2023 Solterra Touring for $20k with 30k miles. Honestly, I hate all the negativity with reviews of this EV! It is a great vehicle and very solidly built. It has good features with good technology. Is the Solterra a good road trip vehicle??? No. But it is a great around town, everyday commuting vehicle. The Solterra is also a beast in snow and icy weather. I think as long as you have another vehicle for road trips or you don't really road trip often, this is an amazing EV!
Delivers on old Subaru problems: turning on the hvac nerfs the drivetrain. Overweight, underpowered, poor mileage, cant get on the interstate with the hvac on.
Those do exist. Subaru people are not married to an engine, considering Subaru has the arguably most flawed and worst-performing engines in the industry all in the name of making their AWD work. We're first in line if an electric proper Outback ever happens.
Yeah, I hate Boxer Engines but Love Subaru. I don't understand why everyone loves to hate it, when most won't even own it. I love mine, I don't care what anyone else thinks it s a lot of car for little money. A Goddesssend in this era of Greedflation.
We leased a 2024 Limited for $200 a month. Been great. My only gripe is the lack of a glove box. Does Denver to New Orleans just fine. Nice breaks when recharging.
You know what this is? It's a 2013, pre-Tesla designed EV. You remember how bad EVs were before the Model S don't you? Well Toyota has been sitting on this car for a decade, and rather than make a world beating car, they just updated the infotainment and threw it at the dealers to meet emissions.
Quintessential snoozaru. Love seeing your standard subaru personas, magnified here. High beams on, 10 under in the left lane. I see them all the time at chargepoints parked all sorts of fuckways just to get it in there.
I've had 3 EV's, and picked up a 2024 last summer, love it. Not going to say it doesn't have more than a few faults, but it does some things very well. Pros: Heat pump. Most EV's outside Tesla don't have them, and it makes a big difference. Accurate range projection Very efficient in town during warm weather (I've seen 4+mi/kWh). Despite the low peak charging speed, the curve is actually pretty respectable. Excellent AWD system even by Subaru standards Car very well put together and feels like a quality product Comfortable (even more so than my Model S) Handling and ride is surprisingly good Zero phantom / vampire drain while parked (makes a huge difference without home charging) Safety features can be useful Cons: Other than wireless Carplay, the software is like something written by Germans in the 1990's No trip planner (see above) Safety systems are naggy, annoying, and downright embarrassing (let the neighborhood know I need to check the backseat) If the SoC is below 20% with a very cold pack, the power output is limited to dangerous levels (hills, traffic). Car needs to be off to initiate fast charging (can be turned back on after charging starts) Mountain passes burns through a lot of SoC. Seems like a great car for some people (like myself) as long as you know what you're getting into, others beware. A road tripping EV... no A technical showcase for electrification... no A comfortable, cheap to run car for commuting around town, and rural driving... yeah it's great
I agree. There are no surprises here. If you can live within the obvious limitations and you save considerable money, it’s a good deal. I really like my 2023, and I can’t point to any one reason why, but the package resonates with me. I got a great lease deal and in a couple years it will go back, to be replaced with whatever’s the best option at the time. No regrets. P.S. I think the software is fine, especially if you use CarPlay or Android Auto most of the time, but to each their own.
I will offer a counterpoint to all the people dunking on this (most of whom have never driven one). We have one that we leased with about $12k off sticker. It's a second-car family runabout for us, and we have charged it anywhere but home precisely once in a year and a half (and, admittedly, it sucked to do so). Where we live, we see about 500" of snowfall a year (Utah Mountains). We drive it 50-80 miles each day, every day for the school run and office commute (and errands) and can charge at home every night. We are in the demographic of about 430 people in this country for whom this car is the right choice and it's actually good. The AWD system is genuinely better in the snow than other EVs. X-mode genuinely helps in deep snow (more than 10"). The learning curve for operating this EV is basically non-existent compared to other vehicles like Teslas and Rivians. I would pick this over a MachE, over an ID4, over an Equinox, over a Bz4X, and even over a Tesla *for our specific use case*. I have a Tesla AWD LR that we use road tripping, but if I driving to the grocery store (15 miles and 3000 vertical feet each way down and back up a mountain road) in the winter, I genuinely prefer taking the Subaru. EDIT: Our big complaint about this is how off-brand a short range Subaru wagon is. Outbacks, Foresters, Crosstreks are phenomenal "road trip to a National Park and go camping" cars, and this one just can't. It's a dumb car with a very specific niche. But I'm in that niche.
Just leased the Limited trim with little to no money down and very low monthly fee ... I agree with everything you said and as a former Model 3 owner, I much prefer the conventional interior, gauges and stocks in this and of course the built quality. We are a niche for sure, but i'm glad this vehicle exists.
Came from a Tesla, and picked the Solterra over both an ID.4, and Ioniq 5/6. It does fit better for some people. I honestly just loved the how ti felt to drive, and it mostly out spec'd the older Model S it replaced. The AWD system in it does not disappoint, heat pump, and wiper heater makes this a really good Central OR vehicle in poor weather. I also live off public chargers as I live in an apartment. The 2024 really isn't that bad, starts off slow and but ramps up nicely with a decent curve,
there are a lot of people who don't care at all about charge speed and don't care much about range. Ground clearance was more important to me than those.
Mark and Jack, can you blame them? After the Japanese companies come out saying they will pursue hybrid and alternatives, not EV, you get why this car sucks. They're ethos doesn't support this, so you're right, they cobbled it together just to say they have it.
Thank you! Had one as a rental once, blew all the range in half the estimate and was a nightmare trying to recharge. Vowed never to rent an ev ever again as a result
I’ll say this, take a family of 4 put them in a Prius with luggage and then do the same with this (I did this with airport Ubers) - this wins hands down, in leg room, trunk space and overall comfort
This car is already 5 years old now. It was meant to come out in 2020 and got delayed until 2021. Everyone else has moved on. Cant believe they are still selling them and havent updated to a new model.
I do wonder how much longer before it gets a substantial facelift and battery/motor upgrade. Hopefully for 2026. They did crank down the price for 2025 but more is needed.
I lease bz4x xle awd just I have level 2 charging at home 18 miles to work and to do errands. 23k in rebates and discounts. My other car is 2025 sonic grey type R.
Yep. Most of Subarus buyers will embrace EVs once they do them quality. We like our 2023 Outback despite its anemic engine, but we'd like it more if it was this shape with Lucid-caliber batteries and motors. One day.
It seems like some of the past few videos the noise in darker shots is really bad compared to older videos. It's enough that it almost looks like a purposeful filter.
I just got a Mach E Premium and they put so much money on the hood of a lease. The buy price was crazy, but the lease of a 54k car was in the mid 500s. I'm very happy with it at that price. It drives fantastic. This car is just so conservative with regard to charge times and range. It's a bit like being lectured by toyota that you should buy a hybrid.
That 0.2" lift is a real game changer. 😂 Because of how poorly this vehicle has been reviewed I have an unhealthy obsession with watching reviews on it. Subaru will give you a $50 gift card just to take one for a test drive. I think I might just go do it so I can experience it in all of its glory.
I enjoy driving the solterra as a loaner car from the dealership. I loathe the piano black plastic of the Toyota interior. I'm disappointed by the range but it would do fine as the city car knowing that you get the 10 days of loaner car from dealership if you want to travel. Charging isn't really an issue to me because I rarely exceed the 150 mile radius of where I live and there are enough level 2 chargers to make up the difference. I won't own one but I do ask my self why I like it so much and I don't have that answer. Rooting for a good Subaru EV by 2030 though not holding my breath.
It brings up a good point that many reviewers can't comprehend to acknowledge: that not all new car buyers are serious roadtrippers or care about posted range virtually at all. Most 50+ adults I know have not road tripped further than 100 miles from home in 5+ years. They simply don't do it. Tens of millions of new car buyers fit this description and have a single-family home with a garage to put a level 2 charger in. That's why those people don't care about "range weenie" concerns, and they go ahead and buy. And many of those same people want an EV, but they demand it be from a trusted brand they've been buying for decades. Which is how the Honda Prologue somehow became a sales success.
This car if you use cars as an appliance analogy is definitely in the Microwave aisle when you go shopping for one you go get it bring it home plug it in set the clock and use and that's it no more no less
My friend just got one of these. The three year lease cost is ten thousand dollars less than a model y. The car is fine. If you're not a car enthusiast then I don't see why it's a bad buy.
How come the video is really grainy on the interior shots? Very fine grains, hard to see for most I’d imagine (I’m on 4K with a 25/25 vision). Haven’t seen this on your other vids, just compared, doesn’t seem like TH-cam compression either. I’m trying by to learn editing lately and always love your edits on this channel! Simple, clean, informative, not flashy
only good thing about this car is lease deals and ground clearence. Also performance is quite good with the 2 motors in any legal speed edit: also battery size is only 65.4kwh or so. Same as a Chevy Bolt from almost 10 years ago!
I feel for subaru having to go down this route borrowing a bad product from a competitor. Your comments and review of this car are very fair. Am keeping my rav 4
I cross shopped the bolt, mustang, and ioniq 5. The bolt was too small and cheap, the ioniq 5 drove like a boring brick and felt really cheap inside, the mustang was too small and also felt cheap.. then the Solterra felt nice inside and drove well. I was fully aware of the limited range.. I am 7K miles/9months in and never used a fast charger since we have another car for trips... its kind of a perfect commuter car if you have a secondary car for long trips at home. My home charger calculates usage and in January it came out to the equivilent of getting 39mpg when gas is $3/gallon.. not bad for a medium SUV and not bad for our high elecitricity prices during one of the least efficeint months for an EV. Anyway, it is my first lease and they gave me $21k for my WRX that I have invested.. that invested WRX money is going to pay for my next car outright.. so all things considered.. Im making out well.
@ @ Appreciate that not all buyers did so without careful consideration. Any car you buy, no matter what others may say, is the best one if you put in the work to make the best decision for you. Like they said, not a bad car. I was just as careful when I bought a CRV last year. Not a glorious Porsche but against the others, the best for me.
My gf is leasing one because it’s a good deal, but she says she has to bring it in often… I can’t imagine the range give the 6 months of hell in AZ that’s 100-115
The only thing the Solterra/Bz4x have over the ID4 are better door/steering wheel controls and better infotainment. Everything else is superior on the ID4 - especially if you're looking for a compliant ride. If you're willing to deal with bumps for sportiness the Model Y and Ioniq 5 are the best bang for the buck - maybe Mach E if a Ford fan. Only somebody who has to have the Toyota nameplate or is in love with piano black plastic would be compelled to buy this.
many years ago i set two future benchmarks for EVs to aim at, that i thought were core household transport: a good subaru-like thing that could take five people on any road & still fit in city parking spaces, and a good minivan both of them needed big gains in energy density & efficiency but the main thing was they did the job, all seasons, w/o you having to think about it maybe the tech would be moving forward faster w/ more info sharing; and in the face of nature getting more & more chaotic, it seems really stupid for these big production webs to be playing their cards close to the chest
It's wild that this car can't really outshine the currently discontinued Chevrolet Bolt, which predates it by many years. Most OEMs benchmark their competition, but I seriously wonder if Toyota drove anything besides a Nissan Leaf when they were designing it.
Here in snow country, let this saute on the dealer's lot for about a year, take it home for half price and throw on some real snow tires. The perfect second car for pounding around on unplowed city streets. At least it doesn't have a Subaru engine.
I feel like the BZ4X / Solterra was just a compliance vehicle disguised as a design exercise. "Let's make an EV to shut everyone up, and while we're at it we'll try out some new design language"
Need you guys to explicitly criticize the manufacturers and customers for putting worse wheels on higher trims across the board. Wheels only need to be big enough to fit over the brakes. Also, sunroofs that open are leaky trash that will cost you $2000 the moment the warranty expires. They eat headroom.
I just fell to my knees in the organic seasoning isle of a Whole Foods
It's written "of A-Whole Foods". 😜
Whole Foods and possibly Wegmans will put special Solterra parking spots up front for VIPs
Shit, I'm in the Alternative Milks aisle right now
@@theglowcloud2215 THAT’S A LOTTA MILKS
It was hard to top the 992.2 GT3 video, but this is it
🤣
😂 😆😁
Let's just say both videos had me dripping with sweat, gripping the arms of my 5 year old pleather, Staples-brand office chair and squirming like I was holding in a suspicious fart.
This powerhouse makes more torque than the GT3!*
*from 0-1700RPM
You know what’s funny, I actually watched this video from start to finish. My rage about the way Porsche makes all these limited edition cars, that get marked up like shoes, handbags, GPUs, generally doesn’t allow me to finish videos on Porsches.
Comment for engagement. Wife’s boyfriend just got one of these for my daughter.
You mean his daughter.
How about the wife's boyfriend's husband
Hey, now you've both got matching cars!
*their daughter. Be honest with yourself. 😂
I bet he got a hell of a lease deal
Wow! 0.2 inch more lift. How could I ever get by with less than that!
Ask your wife
0.2" makes all the difference
The real question is, when is the Subaru Solterra Wilderness edition on tame all-terrains and another 0.4" ground clearance coming out?
@@thatoneotherotherguy with the blackout package and gold rims
Finally, I’ll be able to reach the drive thru atm
It's like they built these to say, "see! we told you people didn't want EVs." Never seen car companies try so hard at sucking.
That sounds like Subaru with the Forester XT... Subaru: lets take out the manual transmission and hood scoop ... sales drop... "No one cares about the Forester XT so we are dropping it"
They did sell 12k of them here last year. Since it got several thousand dollars cheaper for 2025, maybe they'll crack a whopping 20k. But yes, they need to get on a proper next-gen product.
I've been posting the same comment since the BZ4X came out, but I like the way you worded it. I think the tip off is the battery size. Maybe they don't know how to make an efficient EV but when on top of that you choose to put in a smaller battery than all of the competition, and most people look at range first, it's obvious you don't really want the car to succeed. Toyota hamstrung this car because they don't want to make EVs. I have a Rav4 Prime and that's an example of what Toyota can do when they care. I'm not sure they'll be able to catch up if EVs take over the market. The other tip off is that they haven't really improved the car in terms of its core specs. Finally they really had to make it very bad for it to fail because there are so many loyal Toyota customers who would have loved a reasonable RAV4 EV.
@@MolishiousToyota uses nickle instead of lithium batteries as a cost consideration, they aren't as energy dense so the battery is probably the same size as the competition just with less capacity but the packaging constraints within a given en vehicle size class limit the dimensions of the battery hence the inferior range. When it comes time to replace the battery however the cost will be almost an order of magnitude less. I bet in 20 years there will be more of these rolling around than the competition simply because they won't mechanically total themselves at 12-15 years old the way every other EV will.
@@flacjacket Only the basic hybrid uses nickel-metal hydride batteries, the plug-in Prime uses lithium like anything else with a decent sized battery. You'd struggle to find an EV built in the last 20 years that used nickel-metal hydride.
The equivalent of reading a chapter of a book and immediately forgetting what was in it.
The Pontiac Aztek lives on!!
bro so real
Man we really need a USDM Pontiac Aztec GXP🏁 front body kit for this
Looks more Lexus like to me.
The aztek was so much bet
6:25 "if you ignore everything bad about this vehicle, it's actually pretty good!" LOL!
I can't believe I woke up early for a rebadged Toyota Bz4x
A rebadged bZ4X that doesn't offer front wheel drive!
Nah you woke up for the savage geese video
Toyota goes full re*ard when making EVs
It's bland to such a degree that suddenly dry wall seems like an artistic masterpiece. Well done, Subaru.
This is the most Lada Toyota ever
I work for a dealer. We all hate this car.
I was watching a video by Barrie Crampton (retired car dealer in England), in the video he was reporting that brand new Jaguar iPace's are getting 45% off (and still not moving). That will probably happen with this thing, competing with the Mazda MX30 (which sold all of 600 units in the US).
May I please ask you why? Thanks.
It's all in the video, it's a electric car with no range and bad charging speed and a relatively high price tag (unless you can get a good deal). Hyundai ioniq5 or Kia EV6 are much better car with similar price tag.
@ I would like to believe that the poor charging speed MIGHT help to have the same battery for 15 years!!!, if so, I can leave with it, the clearance is vital to me... I understand, if you can get a great price COULD make a bit of sense!. Thanks your time and answer. Merci.
@kpmmsupervision1297 it's about as premature as it gets. 5 years from now, the ev will be relevant.
Today it's like comparing a 4cyl from the 70s to a 4cyl from today..
It needs more time to be so much better..
Finally, something I can show my mach-e to and feel like the bigger man
This is a car. I commend the review of car, I also like that it has doors. Thank God for you both, I have breathed in and out watching this video. You are keeping me alive Savage crew.
Where I live (Long Island, dense suburbs) you have an aging population who just uses their cars to shuttle back and forth from shopping - everything you need within 10-20 minutes. "Long trips" are maybe 20-30 miles away.
So for the retiree who just wants an around town car to keep plugged in while parked at home, it's fine... maybe hang on to the 2003 Avalon for long trips.
Or just buy an ioniq 5 that can do both short commutes and roadtrip lol. That’s the problem, they could have made a good car because the tech exists now.
Yes, people on a fixed income, just who needs to spend money on an obsolete car in an inflationary environment.
@ Fair point, also the use case I outlined applies to such a small segment of the population that its limitations just don't make sense
2003 Avalon miss those!
The 2003 Avalon is the ultimate vehicle. There's no need to ever replace it.
We love our Touring! Quickest Subaru I've driven and it's my 5th.
Lots of EV reviewers give this car bad press, but it's practical, we commute and plenty of CCS chargers around and with kids and dog, almost no stop is
I would love to hear a tyrannosaurus roar with closeup of goose opening mouth in the intro too.
Sounds like the Solterra is a prime candidate for the prestigious SavageGeese Meh Award.
is it even viable for it, like its sister model literally already did
And call it the Indifferent Goose.
@@WalterDiamond Maybe even the Snoozing Goose Award?
I wouldn't know this exists but for SavageGeese.
Well Done.
Did I hear it right that additional 0.2 inches of ground clearance makes it class-leading? 🤣
They clearly added the minimum so Subaru could claim to have the most in its class. It's actually decent at 8.3" vs the 5 & 6 range of others however the bzwhatever already has 8.1 so it's a quirk...or maybe feature.
@@kamX-rz4uy I understand how manufacturers play with numbers so they can get the claim with facts.
I'm just laughing at how ridiculous it actually is.
Cold weather charging is especially bad for this car. A few weeks ago, I saw a Soltera charging at an EA station with 90 minutes on the clock while only added around 20% (~50 to 70%). It was around 15 degrees outside at night. While mine charged at 150kw at the same dispenser after it left, added 50% in 20 minutes
When I pulled out of my 41F garage yesterday the range was 169 miles. (Normally 220 in the summer). As the thermometer adjusted to the 2F weather the range dropped to 129 miles while still at 100% charge. Imagine 129 miles of city range, less on the highway, and then having to spend 1:30 hours to get it back to 80% where you then only have another 104 miles before empty again.
@@MtnXfreeride What SoC is that? Can the Solterra not schedule or start cabin conditioning before leaving, or are your numbers including that? The engine of my old diesel Golf wouldn’t get warm enough to heat the cabin until about a 30-40 minute drive, so I got used to bundling up and using the seat heaters, and I don’t really mind that.
I’d probably try to precondition Solterra cabin to 80° or something while it’s plugged in and then bundle up and keep the cabin to at a minimum and/or use the seat heater. How does that compare to what you do?
I’ve had a garage for less than two years, so driving a car that starts warm then gets colder is still be better than what I’m used to.
I was going to ask a dealer for an extended test drive of one they have priced fairly, knowing that it’s not a roadtripper, but less than 150 miles of range in any season is a dealbreaker.
Someone forgot to turn on battery preconditioning. Preconditioning triples the charge rate on my EV6.
@@churchofmarcus the Hyundai/Kias didn’t have the ability to precondition when released. Does the Solterra?
@@churchofmarcusthe solterra doesn't have the option for you to precondition, you have to drive it super hard then immediately get to a fast charger before the battery cools down again
Looks only a mother could love.
Like every other NPC SUV.
blind mother
The specs are objectively bad but I'd say the looks are objectively bad too. Inside and out. It's kind of an achievement. Almost like they wanted it to fail.
Like every other Subaru
What were they smoking with the wheel arch cladding? Stop sign shaped and have none of it at the bottom where the most rock chips will be?
and rust. Anyone living in a rusty place knows that the lower wheel arches are where the visible rust begins.
Oh baby, the ultimate $100 a month lease machine
It's not a bad BEV. For 2020...
The only reason any sane person would lease this is if the dealer is so desperate that they are paying you to drive it off the lot
You mean 2015.
You mean for 2010. A 2018 Model 3 puts this to shame.
Honestly if I had a gun to my head and it had to be my money that I had to spend on this or a Nissan Leaf I would take the Leaf.
You can get an iPace with delivery miles for nearly half off in England, I suspect that will happen to this and the Toyota as well.
@@aussie2uGAlol yeah, this basically a 1st gen Leaf
Two thumbs up for SG's videos not starting off with an ad 👍👍
I considered it. I currently own a Model Y and lease an Outback. They offered me a great deal in Colorado to swap my Outback for this. I thought about it and drove it but as a current Tesla owner, this thing is just a pig. I can hit 4 miles per kWh in my Tesla, 3.8 lifetime average. My Tesla has way more power and is much more capable in terms of putting down power though I wish it had more ground clearance. I was also shocked how loud the Solterra is on the highway as it doesn’t have acoustic glass like our Tesla and our Outback. Ultimately we decided to keep our Outback XT with the 2.4 turbo, it’s such a great car, and I can’t seem to find a good substitute that is reasonably priced. I tried Subaru but this isn’t good enough.
I used to work for a Subaru/Mazda dealer. When rumors of this car coming out started to leak, we were excited! I left the company before the official “workshop modules” were available for dealership network training. This car was such a joke that my old co worker called me over too his house and showed me the training videos and we laughed together at how much of a flop this car will be.. And now that the EV mandate is done ish… I wouldn’t be shocked if this got axed this year or next year.
The wheels were literally falling off after the car launched. Subaru & Toyota couldn't sell their EV's for several months.
There was never an EV mandate, so ending what didn’t exist won’t affect production of these in any way. This was not made for U.S. regulations, but to satisy shareholders who were getting frustrated that every other company had one or multiple EVs in the pipeline except Toyota, and they were losing ground in Europe and to Chinese automakers.
I worked for a Subie/Mazda dealership too....Lou Fusz Subaru St. Louis. Left in 2019 but kept in touch and up to date. I laughed at the idea of this car as well. I get it, lol
This car is basically the Suzuki Corolla but in the name of Subaru.
Hits different when dad's aren't mad just disappointed in toyota/subaru ev's
The RAV4 hybrid doesn't feel rattliy or crappy. It has a bit too much road noise at speed but it feels like a very pleasant, solid car to me. I did ride in one of the bZ4s as an Uber and I loved it. Maybe it is a bad EV but it is a very pleasant riding car to be in, just like other Toyotas.
The Toyota 4-cylinder specifically on the RAV4 is one of the most readily noisy 4 cylinders currently on the market it lacks isolation and refinement that's why we bring it up
Sorry would you repeat that as I to am deaf and didn’t hear what you said.
This is right up there with the MX-50 or whatever the hell the Mazda EV is. It’s literally the only bad vehicle Mazda has in their entire portfolio. It exists as a compliance vehicle because the powers that be forced the market to artificially adapt with products nobody wants. Not knocking EV’s but it’s a pipe dream thinking they would work for even half the North American population.
Even if brands like Mazda and Toyota didn’t embarrassingly phone it in, like they made the most amazing EV imaginable at a class-leading price, the inherent drawbacks of an EV - the facts you can’t fill it in 5 minutes at 1 of 63,000 gas stations in the continental United States alone - kills it.
It's basically a modern tiny electric aztec with 500lbs of bricks added
I bought a used 2023 Solterra Touring for $20k with 30k miles. Honestly, I hate all the negativity with reviews of this EV! It is a great vehicle and very solidly built. It has good features with good technology. Is the Solterra a good road trip vehicle??? No. But it is a great around town, everyday commuting vehicle. The Solterra is also a beast in snow and icy weather. I think as long as you have another vehicle for road trips or you don't really road trip often, this is an amazing EV!
It's not for enthusiasts; it's for diehard subie fans who want an EV... Those exist, right?
Delivers on old Subaru problems: turning on the hvac nerfs the drivetrain. Overweight, underpowered, poor mileage, cant get on the interstate with the hvac on.
Those do exist. Subaru people are not married to an engine, considering Subaru has the arguably most flawed and worst-performing engines in the industry all in the name of making their AWD work. We're first in line if an electric proper Outback ever happens.
Yeah, I hate Boxer Engines but Love Subaru. I don't understand why everyone loves to hate it, when most won't even own it. I love mine, I don't care what anyone else thinks it s a lot of car for little money. A Goddesssend in this era of Greedflation.
SavageAI summary: The only problem with the Solterra is that everything else exists
We leased a 2024 Limited for $200 a month. Been great. My only gripe is the lack of a glove box. Does Denver to New Orleans just fine. Nice breaks when recharging.
You know Mark is wearing that Nismo hat while driving the Murano Cab top down, which is diabolical 😂
You know what this is? It's a 2013, pre-Tesla designed EV. You remember how bad EVs were before the Model S don't you? Well Toyota has been sitting on this car for a decade, and rather than make a world beating car, they just updated the infotainment and threw it at the dealers to meet emissions.
Quintessential snoozaru. Love seeing your standard subaru personas, magnified here. High beams on, 10 under in the left lane. I see them all the time at chargepoints parked all sorts of fuckways just to get it in there.
I've had 3 EV's, and picked up a 2024 last summer, love it. Not going to say it doesn't have more than a few faults, but it does some things very well.
Pros:
Heat pump. Most EV's outside Tesla don't have them, and it makes a big difference.
Accurate range projection
Very efficient in town during warm weather (I've seen 4+mi/kWh).
Despite the low peak charging speed, the curve is actually pretty respectable.
Excellent AWD system even by Subaru standards
Car very well put together and feels like a quality product
Comfortable (even more so than my Model S)
Handling and ride is surprisingly good
Zero phantom / vampire drain while parked (makes a huge difference without home charging)
Safety features can be useful
Cons:
Other than wireless Carplay, the software is like something written by Germans in the 1990's
No trip planner (see above)
Safety systems are naggy, annoying, and downright embarrassing (let the neighborhood know I need to check the backseat)
If the SoC is below 20% with a very cold pack, the power output is limited to dangerous levels (hills, traffic).
Car needs to be off to initiate fast charging (can be turned back on after charging starts)
Mountain passes burns through a lot of SoC.
Seems like a great car for some people (like myself) as long as you know what you're getting into, others beware.
A road tripping EV... no
A technical showcase for electrification... no
A comfortable, cheap to run car for commuting around town, and rural driving... yeah it's great
I agree. There are no surprises here. If you can live within the obvious limitations and you save considerable money, it’s a good deal. I really like my 2023, and I can’t point to any one reason why, but the package resonates with me. I got a great lease deal and in a couple years it will go back, to be replaced with whatever’s the best option at the time. No regrets. P.S. I think the software is fine, especially if you use CarPlay or Android Auto most of the time, but to each their own.
Solterra sounds like a premium, class leading restaurant that my wife’s boyfriend takes her to on Valentine’s Day.
I will offer a counterpoint to all the people dunking on this (most of whom have never driven one). We have one that we leased with about $12k off sticker. It's a second-car family runabout for us, and we have charged it anywhere but home precisely once in a year and a half (and, admittedly, it sucked to do so). Where we live, we see about 500" of snowfall a year (Utah Mountains). We drive it 50-80 miles each day, every day for the school run and office commute (and errands) and can charge at home every night. We are in the demographic of about 430 people in this country for whom this car is the right choice and it's actually good. The AWD system is genuinely better in the snow than other EVs. X-mode genuinely helps in deep snow (more than 10"). The learning curve for operating this EV is basically non-existent compared to other vehicles like Teslas and Rivians. I would pick this over a MachE, over an ID4, over an Equinox, over a Bz4X, and even over a Tesla *for our specific use case*. I have a Tesla AWD LR that we use road tripping, but if I driving to the grocery store (15 miles and 3000 vertical feet each way down and back up a mountain road) in the winter, I genuinely prefer taking the Subaru.
EDIT: Our big complaint about this is how off-brand a short range Subaru wagon is. Outbacks, Foresters, Crosstreks are phenomenal "road trip to a National Park and go camping" cars, and this one just can't. It's a dumb car with a very specific niche. But I'm in that niche.
Just leased the Limited trim with little to no money down and very low monthly fee ... I agree with everything you said and as a former Model 3 owner, I much prefer the conventional interior, gauges and stocks in this and of course the built quality. We are a niche for sure, but i'm glad this vehicle exists.
This is the exact scenario I would get this car for/ home charging and go around city car and CHEAP lease deal is perfect
Came from a Tesla, and picked the Solterra over both an ID.4, and Ioniq 5/6.
It does fit better for some people. I honestly just loved the how ti felt to drive, and it mostly out spec'd the older Model S it replaced.
The AWD system in it does not disappoint, heat pump, and wiper heater makes this a really good Central OR vehicle in poor weather.
I also live off public chargers as I live in an apartment. The 2024 really isn't that bad, starts off slow and but ramps up nicely with a decent curve,
there are a lot of people who don't care at all about charge speed and don't care much about range. Ground clearance was more important to me than those.
Mark and Jack, can you blame them? After the Japanese companies come out saying they will pursue hybrid and alternatives, not EV, you get why this car sucks. They're ethos doesn't support this, so you're right, they cobbled it together just to say they have it.
"the Solterra unlike the BZ4x only comes as 4WD, as is tradition in Subarus" WHERE IS MY 4WD BRZ, JACK???
Thank you! Had one as a rental once, blew all the range in half the estimate and was a nightmare trying to recharge. Vowed never to rent an ev ever again as a result
Honestly the design has grown on me. I don't think it looks as bad as the bz4x used to
Yeah I always liked the looks of it
Same. We really like em when we see em. But we are a Subaru-positive household, and we love our 2023 Outback.
The BZ4 X looks good on the road. It looks like a RAV4 but slimmed down and modernized.
I’ll say this, take a family of 4 put them in a Prius with luggage and then do the same with this (I did this with airport Ubers) - this wins hands down, in leg room, trunk space and overall comfort
This will go down as 1 of the cars of this year
Looks like an updated Pontiac Aztec.
This car is already 5 years old now. It was meant to come out in 2020 and got delayed until 2021. Everyone else has moved on. Cant believe they are still selling them and havent updated to a new model.
I do wonder how much longer before it gets a substantial facelift and battery/motor upgrade. Hopefully for 2026. They did crank down the price for 2025 but more is needed.
It goes, it stops, it turns. Just not very far. Well done.
I lease bz4x xle awd just I have level 2 charging at home 18 miles to work and to do errands. 23k in rebates and discounts. My other car is 2025 sonic grey type R.
Comparing this to the other EV lease deals… this should be leased for $100 /mo
Subaru finally getting rid of the poop juice flat four. Praise!!! haha
Yep. Most of Subarus buyers will embrace EVs once they do them quality. We like our 2023 Outback despite its anemic engine, but we'd like it more if it was this shape with Lucid-caliber batteries and motors. One day.
It seems like some of the past few videos the noise in darker shots is really bad compared to older videos. It's enough that it almost looks like a purposeful filter.
I just got a Mach E Premium and they put so much money on the hood of a lease. The buy price was crazy, but the lease of a 54k car was in the mid 500s. I'm very happy with it at that price. It drives fantastic. This car is just so conservative with regard to charge times and range. It's a bit like being lectured by toyota that you should buy a hybrid.
That 0.2" lift is a real game changer. 😂 Because of how poorly this vehicle has been reviewed I have an unhealthy obsession with watching reviews on it. Subaru will give you a $50 gift card just to take one for a test drive. I think I might just go do it so I can experience it in all of its glory.
I enjoy driving the solterra as a loaner car from the dealership. I loathe the piano black plastic of the Toyota interior. I'm disappointed by the range but it would do fine as the city car knowing that you get the 10 days of loaner car from dealership if you want to travel. Charging isn't really an issue to me because I rarely exceed the 150 mile radius of where I live and there are enough level 2 chargers to make up the difference. I won't own one but I do ask my self why I like it so much and I don't have that answer. Rooting for a good Subaru EV by 2030 though not holding my breath.
It brings up a good point that many reviewers can't comprehend to acknowledge: that not all new car buyers are serious roadtrippers or care about posted range virtually at all. Most 50+ adults I know have not road tripped further than 100 miles from home in 5+ years. They simply don't do it. Tens of millions of new car buyers fit this description and have a single-family home with a garage to put a level 2 charger in. That's why those people don't care about "range weenie" concerns, and they go ahead and buy. And many of those same people want an EV, but they demand it be from a trusted brand they've been buying for decades. Which is how the Honda Prologue somehow became a sales success.
It's a very nice car. It's not the worse car. It's not a great EV. But it's a nice car.
I smiled so big when I saw you moving straight!!
When is the Murano e-tron cabriolet early look video coming?
This car if you use cars as an appliance analogy is definitely in the Microwave aisle when you go shopping for one you go get it bring it home plug it in set the clock and use and that's it no more no less
What’s with the square steering wheel? 🤔
Gotta see the gauges.
Someone was nostalgic for 1962 Chrysler products
My friend just got one of these. The three year lease cost is ten thousand dollars less than a model y. The car is fine. If you're not a car enthusiast then I don't see why it's a bad buy.
How come the video is really grainy on the interior shots? Very fine grains, hard to see for most I’d imagine (I’m on 4K with a 25/25 vision). Haven’t seen this on your other vids, just compared, doesn’t seem like TH-cam compression either.
I’m trying by to learn editing lately and always love your edits on this channel! Simple, clean, informative, not flashy
only good thing about this car is lease deals and ground clearence. Also performance is quite good with the 2 motors in any legal speed
edit: also battery size is only 65.4kwh or so. Same as a Chevy Bolt from almost 10 years ago!
Great video as always!
Sounds like the name of a Kia product
4300lbs and range of under 200 miles. Basically a grocery getter.
And yet I see them almost every day here
My coworker just bought one of these. I don’t have the heart to say he got ripped off.
I feel for subaru having to go down this route borrowing a bad product from a competitor. Your comments and review of this car are very fair. Am keeping my rav 4
The best part about this car is that there are other cars you can choose that are not this car.
The perfect car for the chalk eaters who will not cross shop, read reviews, or function with even a modicum of automotive awareness.
I cross shopped the bolt, mustang, and ioniq 5. The bolt was too small and cheap, the ioniq 5 drove like a boring brick and felt really cheap inside, the mustang was too small and also felt cheap.. then the Solterra felt nice inside and drove well. I was fully aware of the limited range.. I am 7K miles/9months in and never used a fast charger since we have another car for trips... its kind of a perfect commuter car if you have a secondary car for long trips at home. My home charger calculates usage and in January it came out to the equivilent of getting 39mpg when gas is $3/gallon.. not bad for a medium SUV and not bad for our high elecitricity prices during one of the least efficeint months for an EV.
Anyway, it is my first lease and they gave me $21k for my WRX that I have invested.. that invested WRX money is going to pay for my next car outright.. so all things considered.. Im making out well.
That's the average EV buyer.
@ @ Appreciate that not all buyers did so without careful consideration. Any car you buy, no matter what others may say, is the best one if you put in the work to make the best decision for you. Like they said, not a bad car. I was just as careful when I bought a CRV last year. Not a glorious Porsche but against the others, the best for me.
I'm ashamed to admit I watched Madam Web....to the ending. I kept thinking "It's got to get better." It never did.
Less than 200 miles for a $45k vehicle? Do they even want to sell this car?
My gf is leasing one because it’s a good deal, but she says she has to bring it in often… I can’t imagine the range give the 6 months of hell in AZ that’s 100-115
The only thing the Solterra/Bz4x have over the ID4 are better door/steering wheel controls and better infotainment. Everything else is superior on the ID4 - especially if you're looking for a compliant ride. If you're willing to deal with bumps for sportiness the Model Y and Ioniq 5 are the best bang for the buck - maybe Mach E if a Ford fan. Only somebody who has to have the Toyota nameplate or is in love with piano black plastic would be compelled to buy this.
many years ago i set two future benchmarks for EVs to aim at, that i thought were core household transport: a good subaru-like thing that could take five people on any road & still fit in city parking spaces, and a good minivan
both of them needed big gains in energy density & efficiency but the main thing was they did the job, all seasons, w/o you having to think about it
maybe the tech would be moving forward faster w/ more info sharing; and in the face of nature getting more & more chaotic, it seems really stupid for these big production webs to be playing their cards close to the chest
love this car. my cousins aunt just got this for her sisters dog
"Only comes in 4x4, as is tradition for Subarus"
*Cries in BRZ*
Who jumped straight to Final Thoughts?
The only way to do it for cars you aren't genuinely considering buying
I'm kind of surprised they are reviewing this car at this point. It's been around for a while now and has a twin.
Great video boys, keep it up!
It's wild that this car can't really outshine the currently discontinued Chevrolet Bolt, which predates it by many years.
Most OEMs benchmark their competition, but I seriously wonder if Toyota drove anything besides a Nissan Leaf when they were designing it.
I mean, at least max charge rate is 100kW and not the Bolt's 55kW. Along with a much nicer interior.
I tried so hard to talk one of my in-laws out of buying one of these but they only did because they got one hell of a trade-in/lease deal.
Is the Lexus exactly the same ?
Battery/mechanically yes... but it gets a far better looking interior.
A local Subaru dealer still has the 2023 models in stock at 16k discount.
Right now the smart money is the ZDX that is having issues being sold. Those onepay leases in NJ I've seen effective $199/ month.
Good to know the Pontiac Aztek is back
Here in snow country, let this saute on the dealer's lot for about a year, take it home for half price and throw on some real snow tires. The perfect second car for pounding around on unplowed city streets. At least it doesn't have a Subaru engine.
I see a lot more of these on the road compared to it’s Toyota counterpart
The STi version of this is going to make me shop at costco twice as hard.
it looks like an Aztek.
I wanted to get one of those to see if I could get the custom plate asstek or azztek 😊
Ah yes, for the people who thought the BZ4XIH621 was too bland and the ioniq5 was too exciting.
That car is a miracle, how complacent we've become.
I feel like the BZ4X / Solterra was just a compliance vehicle disguised as a design exercise. "Let's make an EV to shut everyone up, and while we're at it we'll try out some new design language"
CAFE car - Toyota and Subaru trading credits in the big, corner office no doubt.
Sat in both this and the ioniq 5 and was surprised how cramped this was compared to the Hyundai with me being at 6’9”. Made the choice a no brainier
Need you guys to explicitly criticize the manufacturers and customers for putting worse wheels on higher trims across the board. Wheels only need to be big enough to fit over the brakes.
Also, sunroofs that open are leaky trash that will cost you $2000 the moment the warranty expires. They eat headroom.
Crazy because I just got one of these and my average is 3.9 miles per KWH 🤔
The agency gives these to people in witness protection