Offered by a brand synonymous with reliability, safety, and a rugged, outdoor image, the Subaru Solterra AWD lays the EV foundations for the Japanese brand. Yet, it was developed jointly with Toyota and shares its underlying electric vehicle platform with the Toyota bZ4X.

Available in two trim levels, AWD (as tested) and AWD Touring, the former has a drive away price of $67,501 or around $3,000 less than its sibling. That said, it still comes brimming with features and technology.

The Solterra AWD falls into the mid-sized SUV category, with an overall length of 4,690mm and a width of 1,860mm, yet in the metal, it looks like quite a substantial vehicle. Available in six colours, our example came in Smoked Carbon with a black interior.

Externally, the design is very modern, and dare we say, funky. It’s likely to appeal to buyers of all ages. It certainly drew attention to itself, attracting favourable comments from family and friends. In fact, an elderly couple approached this reviewer when it was being charged.

They spent almost half an hour admiring the car and asking questions about it. Like a number of cars, the wheel arches are in a black plastic. That extends to cover the front corners of the car. At the rear, it extends high into the vehicle’s waistline, almost half way to the rear windows.

2026 Subaru Solterra AWD

The rear tail lights have a pair of vertical blades that extend from the outer edges of the lamps down into the rear quarters. Extending from the top of the rear window is a roof spoiler that incorporates the high-mounted rear brake light.

There is no rear window wiper, which is a bit of an odd omission. The wheels have plastic covers, which are really out of place at this price point. Their aerodynamic design adds to the modernity on display here, but their material adds a bit of a cheap feel.

Overall though, it’s a distinctive and very contemporary design that stands out, without appearing too futuristic. Inside, the modern design continues with a large 14-inch horizontal centre screen. Clarity and responsiveness of all features are excellent.

My phone connected immediately every time, with no dropouts. There is also a smaller rectangular screen that serves as the gauge cluster in front of the driver. It is set somewhat behind the steering wheel and almost acts like a head up display.

The layout is quite busy and takes some getting used to initially. The centre console is large and chunky and contains two large charging pads. It also houses the gear selector and a number of controls. There’s a fold down armrest as well as dual USB–C ports.

2026 Subaru Solterra AWD

The overall interior design is clean and pleasant. What is not so pleasant is the all-black colour of the seats and the roof that simply blurs into one banal scene. It made the cabin feel quite dark, giving it a somewhat sombre feel despite the modern design and layout.

That aside, it’s great to see that Subaru haven’t succumbed to the current design trend of having every function embedded into the touchscreen. There is a good smattering of physical controls including climate and audio.

Likewise, the steering wheel has a comprehensive array of well-laid out buttons and scrollers to control a number of functions. The heated leather steering wheel was a surprise, as it’s strangely almost rectangular in shape with rounded corners.

It could appear to be a case of form over function, yet it felt soft, comfortable and ergonomic. The front seats are heated and powered, with the driver’s seat having electric lumbar support. There’s no memory though.

These are trimmed in black synthetic leather and feel luxuriously soft. This driver did find the seat base to be too short though, resulting in limited under-thigh support. Cabin storage is generally sufficient, but there’s no conventional glovebox in another strange omission.

2026 Subaru Solterra AWD

There’s a lot of hard plastics, with some feeling cheap and scratchy, and there’s a bit of flex in the centre console as well. In the rear, seat space is ample, with plenty of leg room and a flat floor. The seats recline, and there is heating for the outer spots.

Rear passengers get two USB-C ports, ventilation and the same luxuriously soft synthetic leather. One can’t stress enough how nice this felt to the touch. One drawback is the relatively narrow rear door opening.

It didn’t impede entry or exit but it was noticeable and something that some buyers might take into account. The rear hatch was accessed by a powered tailgate with a hands-free sensor. Cargo space isn’t class leading at 452-litres.

The shape of the load area makes up for it though, with a flat floor and wide opening, particularly with the rear seats folded down. On the road is where the 2026 Subaru Solterra AWD really shines. For starters, unlike many EVs it has a conventional key fob, as well as push button start.

Once on the move, it feels ridiculously quick for what it is, and delivers exceptional real world performance, reaching 100km/h in under five seconds. Accounting for this performance are dual electric motors.

2026 Subaru Solterra AWD

The front produces 167kW and 268Nm, and the rear develops 88kW and 169Nm. The quoted driving range is 566km and the car can be charged to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes on a DC fast charger. Subaru’s symmetrical dual-motor setup delivers power to all four wheels.

It's a standout, and features three drive modes – Eco, Normal and Power – as well as the brand’s X-Mode. This is a feature found in Subaru’s conventional SUVs, and it optimises the drivetrain, traction control and braking systems for low-grip conditions.

It feels safe and planted on the road as a result, providing confidence to the driver. In fact, the performance and suspension set up are that good that if you closed your eyes (which is obviously not recommended) you could almost imagine that you were driving a performance sedan.

Visibility is excellent, although I personally wasn’t a fan of the digital rear-view mirror as everything seemed closer than it actually was. This feature can be switched off and be replaced by a normal reflective display.

The steering wheel paddles allow the driver to adjust the level of regenerative braking. Unlike many EVs, it doesn’t provide full one-pedal driving nor bring the car to a complete stop. Rather, this makes it feel more like the driver is driving a conventional vehicle.

2026 Subaru Solterra AWD

The Subaru Solterra AWD is an impressive package, let down by the quality of some of its trim, the sombre interior colour in our test car, and some minor omissions. Its physical controls, conventional key fob, and paddles, make the EV transition less daunting.

At first glance, it can appear to be comparatively expensive when compared to its rivals, yet the more you drive it, the more impressive it becomes, exposing its virtues as a complete package. It’s backed by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, with 8-years or 160,000km for the battery.

This review first published on Exhaust Notes Australia.


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