2023 Subaru Solterra: Is Its EPA Range And Prices Any Better Than Toyota bZ4X?

The all-electric 2023 Subaru Solterra is a direct cousin of the Toyota bZ4X, based on the Toyota e-TNGA platform (called e-Subaru Global Platform by Subaru). In today’s post, we will take a look at the Solterra specs and prices in the United States, to see whether there are any significant differences between the two.

Unlike the Toyota bZ4X, the Subaru Solterra is offered only in an all-wheel drive (AWD) configuration with a 72.8-kWh battery (CATL’s lithium-ion cells). The Toyota bZ4X has also a front-wheel drive version (see details here). Two 80-kilowatt (kW) electric motors (one per axle) provide about 160 kW of peak system output.

EPA Range

Just as initially announced, the EPA Combined range of the Subaru Solterra is about 222-228 miles on a single charge, depending on the wheel size:

• Subaru Solterra Premium AWD 18-inch: 228 miles (367 km)
• Subaru Solterra Limited/Touring AWD 20-inch: 222 miles (357 km)
  [6 miles or 2.6% less than with 18-inch wheels]

The range values are exactly the same as in the case of the Toyota bZ4X (AWD). And this is a bit problematic because, in the case of the Subaru brand, customers might expect something more premium and a higher range, in general, for their adventures from time to time.

Energy consumption, including charging losses, is estimated at 104 MPGe: 324 watt-hours per mile (201 Wh/km) or a bit less with the bigger wheels.

There are no EPA Highway range ratings in EPA’s data but we can estimate from the energy consumption (it’s not the exactly correct way, due to the factored charging losses) that the car should be able to cover over 200 miles on the highway.

Charging

The biggest flaw of the Subaru Solterra/Toyota bZ4X’s 72.8-kWh battery system is that it can accept only 100 kW of DC fast charging power. The charging performance is so-so and, in effect, charging to up to 80 percent of state-of-charge takes nearly an hour (56 minutes), according to the specs.

In terms of AC charging, there is a 6.6 kW onboard charger, which should complete the 0-100 percent recharge in about 11 hours.

Prices

Finally, pricing. The 2023 Subaru Solterra starts at an MSRP of $44,995 (plus a $1,225 destination charge) for a total of $46,220. The better-equipped Limited and Touring trims cost a few grand more.

The car is not eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit when purchasing, because it’s imported (but as in other cases, the incentive might be used to lower the lease payment).

Overall, the prices of the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X (AWD versions) are very similar, and the premium for Subaru is just several hundred dollars.

It seems to us that the choice will be solely related to the brand’s loyalty and maybe the convenience of Subaru/Toyota dealers in the area.

The general consensus is that the Solterra is just the starting point for Subaru (like the bZ4X for Toyota). Both Japanese brands teamed up to bring their first global BEV on the market and limit development costs at the same time.

No one expects any significant splash right now. It’s the first step. Hopefully, in the next iterations, the car will get a more energy-dense battery for more range, as well as faster DC charging. Local production to secure access to the $7,500 federal tax credit would be welcomed too.