What Is The Subaru Solterra Like To Drive Every Day?

My first experience driving an electric car was early last year when I ran a Solterra around the neighbourhood for a week. It was wet and miserable but even with restricted opportunities it erased a few of my basic prejudices. Like a lot of motoring enthusiasts I felt that, when it came to EVs, there had been more emphasis on “electric” than “vehicle”.

The Solterra is the first electric SEV in Subaru's electric car range, which is late to the party, but it’s also important to get it right. We’re talking about a Sports EV – an EV with a heritage to live up to. And it did. It handled and worked like a real car because, well, it had the Subaru badge and that means something.

One thing I didn’t have a chance to do was thoroughly test the thing that puts the “terror” in Solterra: charging anxiety. I mean, is this something I could really live with, day to day?

So, when offered the 2026 version with good weather and more time on my hands I decided to flog it. In a nice way! Solterra now has a 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery. Right. OK. What’s that in miles per gallon? 566 km range? That, I understand.

My plan was to start the relationship with a run to Canberra, where I also happen to do some MCing for the Brumbies Super Rugby team. Then, for the rest of the week, I would make consistent day-to-day runs in a variety of circumstances: from 5 km to the shops to 40km across the city to a sporting event or function.

Just getting acquainted, this is a good looking SUV. On the road it turns heads, especially from existing Subie drivers who notice the badge. More than a few drew alongside for a sticky beak. Coated in Midnight Tide Mica, it’s especially cool, but that’s just me.

The sleek design might have come at the expense of a little cargo space but for us that wasn’t an issue.

Typically for Subaru, they’ve reacted quickly to feedback from their first gen EV. There is still seating comfort, chic interior design and that massive high tech info screen but the driving dynamics (which I found surprisingly good in the first model) are even better.

How Does The Subaru Solterra Perform?

Most of us by now have driven or ridden in some kind of EV and we’re familiar with the bleeding obvious – the torque. Apparently, only one Subaru – a US-based WRX – has ever been more powerful than this Solterra. Only by 2kw! It’s not about speeding. It’s about acceleration, which can be just as useful as autonomous braking in a tight situation.

But there is so much more to Solterra. Here’s the key deal maker: two electric motors driving all four wheels with a cleverly-tuned suspension. The Subaru DNA.

For example, there’s a steep, narrow, winding road near our house with a hairpin bend that climbs sharply, and Solterra clung to the inside of that curve like a mountain goat. You could feel all four wheels gripping and pushing with minimal steering input. It is such a safe feeling, even at 15kph, and that’s not even using X-Mode.

When you translate that dynamic to fast corners on back roads with uneven surfaces and sudden potholes that need to be avoided without over-correction, it’s awesome. If I owned the Solterra I might play around with the tyre pressures on those 20-inch wheels to get it juuuust right, but again, that’s me.

How Did The Solterra Handle The Sydney To Canberra Drive?

After a day of mucking around it was time to hit the trail. It was a good test. From my place on the northern beaches of Sydney to Canberra is 333 kms. It’s about a 4-hour drive, 90 minutes of which is just getting out of the city. To make it interesting, I chose to cut through the centre of the city, rather than use the M2 and M7 motorways. That meant a lot of traffic lights, and I chose not to use the regenerative braking to further test the battery. More on that later.

I set off early on 96% charge and planned to make stops at Berrima and Collector to simulate a typical weekend road trip. On the downside, it was Saturday on Mothers Day weekend and traffic was heavy. Everywhere.

There’s something about the behaviour of internal combustion engines that gives you a sense of how fast you’re going or how hard the engine’s working. It took me a little while to get a feel for Solterra’s silent power. It is deceptive, even for an EV, and I appreciated the speed limit flash warnings on the driver instrumentation.

It was the same for the 100 and 110 limits. I didn’t use the cruise control at first because I wanted to get acquainted manually. Also, if you don’t know Sydney’s M5, a lot of people think it’s Le Mans for some reason, so I like to be ready for anything.

The Silence Changes Everything

On the run south, clearing the usual congestion up to the Picton Road exit, I retracted the roof shade and delicate sunlight filled the cabin. I understand what they mean by “acoustic glass”. My favourite jazz filled this quiet space and it was typical all-round sound. I’ve never met Harman or Kardon but those two guys sure knew their stuff.

It’s not easy for car makers to cater for all body shapes but I felt well supported in the driver’s seat. I mean, I don’t want to be “sleepy comfortable”. Drivers need to be stimulated and engaged to do their job properly.

Does The Subaru Solterra Create Range Anxiety?

Now for the geeky stuff. Before the trip I downloaded an app showing the many charging options along the way. All the roadside servo stops have them, as well as the southern highlands towns and Goulburn, some of which are a little off piste. On that Saturday morning they were probably busy, but I didn’t need them. Canberra had plenty of comfortable EV charging options and that was all I needed to know.

Berrima loomed after about 150km in 2 hours and 20 minutes. The meter read 63% charge. No panic yet! I headed back onto the motorway and drove another 100km in an hour to Collector on the Federal Highway, where I stopped for lunch at the Olive View Café. The meter showed 38%.

I arrived at the Hotel Realm in Barton, ACT, on 20% charge. Coincidentally, there are two fast chargers in the lane behind the hotel and one was unused. I connected it and started the charge, while helping a bloke in a Mercedes who was confused about how to start his first charge. We made quite a pair of dinosaurs. I checked in and was fully charged after 90 minutes, costing me $41:50.

That afternoon I drove to GIO Stadium and back. The following morning I left for Sydney on 96% charge. With one stop for breakfast in Marulan, I reached the M5 back in Sydney on 34%. I was 64 km from home and diving back into dense suburbia. I switched to regen braking for the run through the city and arrived (again) with a neat 20% charge left.

Over hundreds of kms in the 110kph speed zone I would have averaged 105kph – about as hard as you could legally go – so it was pretty close to maximum battery use.

Does Electric Feel Easy With A Subaru?

I left Solterra plugged in overnight to a basic AC outlet in our garage and by next morning it was back to 68%. After another day of running around the burbs I put it to bed and trickle-charged it again overnight to full charge. I know a lot of people use the 80% rule for charging EVs but I just wanted to see how long it took.

Over the next week Solterra and I became very well acquainted, so here are a few more observations.

The Tech Doesn’t Get In The Way

The square steering wheel has had its share of sceptics but the true test is a long drive and I didn’t find my hands searching for the “right” position. They stayed comfortably in the usual place. The only time it felt a bit strange was for slow hard turns where your hands shuffle around but you get used to it very quickly.

Funny, but the push and turn console knob for forward, neutral and reverse was almost too easy to manage, compared to a stick shift. It’s effortless and unobtrusive.

While I didn’t see much return for investment in the regen braking on my long trip, I could see how it improved battery life on the day to day runs. I can’t put a figure on it but a 30 km trip across the city, for example, was less demanding with regen on. I’d say, I saved a few per cent of charge.

Final Thought - This Feels Like A New Beginning

With Solterra, Subaru have come so far in such a short time, while staying true to their roots. Subaru drivers expect nothing less.

There is more to come with Trailseeker and Uncharted so those of us with an eye to the future can find the Subaru that fits their lifestyle. But don’t take my word for it. They’re going out of their way to get you in for a test drive at your local Subaru car dealership.

Bill Woods’ Subaru Solterra Review After A Week Behind The Wheel

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