Subaru of America has opened up reservations for the 2023 Subaru Solterra, the company’s first all-electric vehicle.
The electric SUV made its debut in Japan last fall, followed by a prominent showing at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show. It was developed alongside and shares significant portions with the Toyota BZ4X and Lexus RZ.
For a $250 refundable deposit, prospective buyers can spec their Solterra for an expected delivery in Summer 2022, slightly behind the BZ4X but ahead of the RZ. Full pricing details have yet to be announced.
Buyers can reserve their model now at Subaru.com and confirm the details with their Subaru retailer later in the process.
Customers have the option to choose between the Premium, Limited and Touring trims.
The base Solterra Premium trim features Subaru’s all-wheel drive system as well as hill ascent and descent assist technology, a 360-degree surround view camera, safe exit assist, the EyeSight advanced driver assistance system and blind spot monitoring.
The Limited trim builds on that by adding features like heated front and rear seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a heated steering wheel and wireless device charging.
On the top Touring trim, which affords a customer ventilated seats, a glass roof with retractable sunshade, rear-view auto-dimming mirror and an interior illuminated trim.
Four exterior paint options are available: Galactic Black, Smoked Carbon, Elemental Red Pearl and Cosmic White Pearl.
Subaru of America Inc.
Currently, the interior is only available in a black color scheme with cloth upholstery.
The aesthetic features of the Solterra remain nearly identical no matter the trim level. Across the board, Solterra sports a hexagonal front grille that’s integrated with the front fascia and displays the Subaru logo at the center. A low hood line emphasizes aerodynamic performance and enhanced forward visibility.
The SUV’s headlamps hearken to the Outback’s, with adaptive LED headlights that are also standard on the Outback, Forester, Ascent and Legacy.
Short front and rear overhangs are featured on the sides as well as wheel arch moldings.
At the rear, the sloped rear glass has a dual spoiler at the top and a ducktail spoiler at the bottom. Rear combination trapezoid-themed lamps are mounted at a high position.
Subaru’s X-MODE, which comes standard on the company’s SUV lineup, offers a performance upgrade in low-friction and off-road conditions and gives the Solterra 8.3 inches of ground clearance. The car comes with grip control that utilizes hill ascent and descent assist.
A 71.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack can be had with either a rear-wheel drive single motor or all-wheel drive dual motor. A heat pump comes standard to mitigate any range reduction effects that cold climates have on EVs.
The motor has an estimated range of more than 220 miles on a single charge. Front and rear electric motors produce 215 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque.
The Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, which gets its linear output from Subaru’s StarDrive system, delivering on-demand torque and allowing the driver to select from different regenerative modes. The StarDrive system is integral to the company’s hybrid models.
Battery charging speeds can reach up to 150 kilowatts, allowing for an 80 percent charge in less than an hour when using a DC fast charger.
At the center of the dashboard is a new, 12.3-inch infotainment system touch screen.
The EV has 126 cubic feet of passenger and cargo space, and enough seatbelts for five cabin occupants. Thirty cubic feet of that space is available behind the rear seats. Raised roof rails for extra cargo carrying capacity are available.
Through the driver’s smartphone, the Solterra can be started remotely with climate control functions, smart navigation and remote locking and unlocking.
Reservations are open until February 28th.
