The 2024 Subaru Solterra aims to combine the rugged off-road capabilities of a classic Subaru with the innovation of an EV. However, while Subaru touts the Solterra as the “most advanced Subaru ever,” some have called that claim into question due to its low driving range and long charge time.
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According to Subaru, the official range for the 2024 Solterra is between 222 and 227 miles, depending on the trim. That said, some reviewers from major outlets have struggled to even reach 200 miles per charge when accounting for highway driving, air conditioning, and other factors. Though the Solterra falls short when it comes to range, it’s comfortable, safe, and has a good amount of space. But is that enough to make up for it?
A 2023 report from Bloomberg claimed that electric cars in the U.S. averaged around 300 miles per charge at the time. This makes the Solterra well below the average. For comparison, the Chevrolet Silverado EV clocks in at around 400 miles per charge, and the Tesla Model S claims 320 miles. The Hyundai Ioniq 6, which is a sedan but sells in a similar price range to the Solterra, advertises well over 300 miles. The Solterra’s all-wheel drive and X-Drive modes encourage enthusiasts to take this gritty car off-grid. However, a lot of drivers might worry about trekking into the wilderness with it due to the range limitations. It still made our list of the best Subaru models for off-roading, but the charge time is another cause for concern.
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The Solterra’s charge times are better than its range
While the Solterra’s range is well below the modern average, it’s charge times aren’t as worrisome. The 2024 Subaru Solterra boasts improved speed on a DC fast-charger, with Subaru even claiming the times are half as long as the previous model, down to just 35 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. That’s not terrible, but it’s also certainly not the fastest for a modern EV, and the lower range means more frequent stops to power up. Overnight level 2 charging times have been reported at around nine hours.
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For now, the collaboration between Subaru and Toyota to create this EV SUV has not met expectations. Subaru has a long way to go to being counted among the best major electric vehicle brands, though the Solterra has certainly improved since its debut year.