Behind the wheel of Subaru’s first fully electric car

The Solterra is Subaru’s first foray into the electric car market.

It may sound like a fruit flavoured ice lolly but it’s actually a comfortable, capable and rugged electric SUV.

Developed in partnership with Toyota it is the sister car to its almost identical bZ4X.

Not many car companies are as associated with go-anywhere dependability as Subaru, so it’s no surprise that all versions of the Solterra are four-wheel drive.

Prices for the Solterra start at £49,995. That buys you the Limited model which has 18in alloy wheels, a power tailgate, adaptive cruise control, heated front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel, electric driver’s seat with memory function, a 360 degree camera and a digital rear view mirror.

In short, the entry level model has all the standard kit most people will need. Those who want even more can upgrade to the Touring model I drove, which has bigger alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging and an electric passenger seat, all for an extra £3,000.

Solterra’s range

All Solterras also come with a heat pump which makes the battery more efficient.

Unlike many other EV makers, Subaru doesn’t offer different battery sizes in the Solterra and every version comes with a 71.4kWh battery.

According to official figures this will cover 289 miles on Limited trim cars, with Touring cars having a 257 mile range – those 20in alloy wheels reduce efficiency.

That’s well short of the 300 mile plus range offered by rivals such as the Kia EV6, Nissan Ariya and Tesla Model Y.

I had the Solterra for nearly three weeks over Christmas and New Year. On cold, dark nights and gloomy, wet days the heating, lights, heated seats and heated steering wheel were all being powered pretty much full time.

On a full charge I was getting a 170 mile range – well short of the 257 miles Subaru says I should have had. All EVs lose range in winter but cars like the EV6 should still be good for 250 miles even on the gloomiest days.

If you regularly drive very long distances the Solterra may not be for you. I had a day when I’d let the battery run down below 5% and the PodPoint charger in Kirkcaldy’s Lidl wouldn’t work.

I managed to limp it along to Morrisons and use the charger there. Apart from that nervous episode – which was partly down to me letting the battery get so low – I found the range was fine for my needs.

Impressive drive

The Subaru is very impressive to drive. It feels more agile than its two tonne weight would suggest. The body doesn’t lean over in corners and sharp, accurate steering makes easy work of twisting country roads.

Ride quality is very smooth and the Solterra is a comfortable car to cruise an A road or motorway in. The seats are comfortable and there is plenty of leg and head room in the front and the back. An elevated driving position gives a good view of the road and the cowled digital dashboard makes you feel like a fighter pilot (in my imagination at least).

With 215bhp the Subaru Solterra moves off the line smartly, although it doesn’t have the warp speed feeling that the most powerful versions of the Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y give you. Zero to 62mph takes just under seven seconds, but its instantaneous power delivery does make it feel quicker.

Four-wheel drive

Full-time four-wheel drive means there’s no wheelspin even on wet wintry roads. The Solterra also comes with various off-road modes that will be handy if you need to tackle a farm track or get caught in a snowstorm.

The 450 litre hatchback boot is – on paper – slightly smaller than the Nissan Ariya and Kia EV6. In real world use they all feel much the same but the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y both have significantly bigger boots. There’s no front boot in the Solterra so you need to stow the charging cables in the boot.

It’s hard to recommend the Solterra over the superb Kia EV6 or Nissan Ariya. It’s just not competitive enough on range. The driving experience is very good, however, and its four-wheel drive setup makes sense in Scotland, where the weather can and does do anything.

Subaru has always had a small army of die-hard fans and for those of them that are considering the move to electric power the Solterra makes a strong case for itself.

Facts

Price: £55,495

0-62mph: 6.9 seconds

Top speed: 100mph

Range: 257 miles

CO2 emissions: 0g/km