It doesn't feel very agricultural: The 2026 Subaru Solterra review

Source: Ars Technica

Not very agricultural

Ironically, that extra refinement makes the Solterra feel less like a true Subaru, at least to me. Its distinctive boxer engines aren’t the most refined in the world, but they do add character, as does the mechanical all‑wheel drive. Here, the drive experience is rather anodyne, albeit entirely acceptable for a daily driver.

There’s nothing that feels Subaru about this interior.
— Subaru

In any case, it usually only takes a false alarm from the overeager EyeSight driver assist to remind you that, as with the Chevy Blazer/Honda Prologue pair, some automaker quirks still cross badge‑engineered boundaries.

While the extra power of the XT lets it sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in less than five seconds, I’m not sure I ever really needed the extra power over the regular car. Then again, I was entirely content with the front‑wheel‑drive, single‑motor bZ—late spring in the Washington area doesn’t require much all‑wheel drive. But if you want a FWD Subaru EV, you’re limited to the smaller Uncharted; all Solterras are AWD.

The Solterra now boasts a native NACS port, which replaces the previous model year’s CCS1 socket, and DC fast charging tops out at 150 kW rather than the old car’s 100 kW. Subaru says a 10–80 percent charge should take as little as 30 minutes, and you can now manually pre‑condition the battery for optimal fast‑charging performance. However, if you pull up to a charger with more than 50 percent state of charge, as I did, you should expect things to take a little longer.

This IONNA rechargery was rather bare‑bones—the Sheetz next to it was still under construction. But it has native NACS chargers.
— Jonathan Gitlin

In terms of value, the Solterra XT might be a wash with the top‑spec bZ Limited. The Subaru has a bit more power and a little less range for a few hundred dollars less. And like the bZ, it’s a solid driving appliance. But now that the brand has an electric don’t‑call‑it‑an‑Outback Trailseeker, will any Subaru buyers really want the Solterra anymore? I’m not so sure.