2026 Subaru Solterra

I want to start by saying I really like the Subaru Solterra. It's a comfy vehicle with good tech and a smooth ride. But it is not a road-trip vehicle. Second, while the EPA specs say that the 2026 Solterra should get up to 278 miles of range, we topped out at 230 miles when we charged up to 100 percent, which is good mileage for around-town, daily driving, but it's not ideal if you want to take a road trip. In fact, I needed to drive to Indianapolis during my test period, and I opted to take my own car so I wouldn't have to deal with the pain of charging en route - especially because the hotel we were staying at didn't have an EV charger.  

But if you are looking at the Solterra as a second car or a commuter car, I think this is an excellent choice. Let's break down what we like, don't like and how it drives. 

What we like 

Like pretty much every other Subaru, I find the seats on the Solterra to be very comfortable. And even as a petite driver, I found an excellent driving position. I know a lot of people don't like the idea of a squared off steering wheel, and I'll admit it does take some getting used to, but after a few turns, I found I like it better than a round steering wheel because of the hand positions. You always know where to grip and where you are in the turn.  

Because the Solterra shares a platform with the Toyota bZ, the tech has been Toyotafied. So, you'll get large 14-inch horizontal screen and the same functionality that you see on Toyota vehicles. It has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, natural voice commands for HVAC controls, and large dual dials for temperature control.  

Also, even though the range is low, I've found that the range estimator is fairly conservative in temperate conditions - even when you are driving at actual highway speeds (not just 55 mph). During this current test and previous tests, the Solterra has used less range than the miles I traveled. So, I felt like I always had an accurate gauge of how many miles I truly had left. I didn't experience any weird or random drops in range. Plus, I used a 110-volt jack at home to keep the Solterra charged, which would be easy to do if you're just using this as an around-town car. But, bonus, if you are out and about and need to charge, the 2026 Solterra comes standard with a North American Charging Standard port, which means you can use most Tesla charging stations to add some range.  

The test vehicle was a Touring XT trim, which means it had all the high-end goodies. While all Solterras have standard all-wheel drive, this model added things like a rear camera mirror, ventilated front seats, a Harman Kardon premium sound system, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera views, radiant leg warmers (so no glove box), and a kick-activated power lift gate.  

What we don't like 

While I certainly like more than I don't like on the Solterra, there are a few annoyances. First up, while I like the idea of dual front wireless chargers, they don't work very well to charge your phone, and your phone will slip around on the flat surface. Plus, if your phone does manage to stay in place to charge, it will overheat.  

Second, while the EPA specs say that the 2026 Solterra should get up to 278 miles of range, we topped out at 230 miles. I'm sure there are a lot of factors at play here, including that the vehicle hasn't had a chance to get used to single driver's habits since this is a media vehicle.  

Another thing that I didn't like about the Solterra is how beepy it is. The safety systems are loud and sensitive, and there's no way to lower the sound or decrease sensitivity without completely turning the feature off. It seems like there should be some in-between place so you get the safety without the incessant noise. And that includes when you put the vehicle in reverse. There's a persistent beep-beep-beep inside the cabin to remind you that you're going backwards. IMHO, if you need that in-car reminder, maybe you shouldn't be driving.  

Finally, and this is me picking nits, I don't like the front location for the charge port. I don't understand why we can't standardize a rear port, like where your fuel port is on a gas vehicle. For me personally, this had me parking awkwardly in my garage space so I could plug in to charge. But, generally, I think this creates confusion at public chargers where some people are pulling in and use the charger that doesn't face their car so that the cord, which is often too short, can reach the port.  

How it drove 

Because Solterra is all-wheel drive, it has dual electric motors with a combined output of 338 horsepower and XXX pound-feet of torque. Because of the instantaneous torque, you always have the right power exactly when you need it, whether you're taking off from a stop or passing on the highway. Plus, the lower center of gravity lets you have a little fun on sweeping curves. Though this doesn't have a sports-car feel, it is certainly more nimble that a lot of small SUVs. It has a nice turning radius, and fits well in tight spaces.  

While the Solterra doesn't have one-pedal driving, it does have adjustable levels of regenerative braking, which you adjust by tapping the + or - paddles on the steering wheel. For my preference, I would tap the + paddle three times to get as much regenerative braking as possible, and while this slows you down significantly, it will not bring you to a stop, and in fact, when you get below a certain speed, like 5 mph, it starts to coast without any braking.  

Overall, the Solterra is easy to drive, and I like how much you can customize your EV experience. But I do wish full one-pedal driving was also available.