When the Subaru Solterra was introduced in 2022, you got the impression that Subaru was pushing out its first EV under duress. Produced in collaboration with Toyota, it only had 227 miles of range, and it was available in limited quantities. Four years later, Solterra gets a massive refresh, and that – along with the brand’s recent launch of two additional EVs – makes you think Subaru might be serious about this EV thing.
2026 Subaru Solterra: First Spin
The 2026 Subaru Solterra gets more range, more power, and several changes under the skin that finally make this an EV worth considering.
What’s new on the 2026 Subaru Solterra
In some ways, the better question is what’s not new. The exterior design isn’t drastically different, but you do see a new front fascia, new headlights and a new light-up Subaru badge on the nose. The back ditches the logo in favor of the spelled-out Subaru. On the inside, you’ll see a new 14-inch infotainment screen and dual wireless chargers.
Those are the obvious changes. The not-so-obvious changes include an updated 74.7 kWh battery that brings more range, enables preconditioning (which helps with cold-weather charging), and will charge from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes. You’ll now see up to 288 miles of electric range in Premium trim and up to 278 miles of range in the Limited, Limited XT and Touring XT trim levels. Solterra also gets a power boost with 233 horsepower in non-XT trims and 338 horsepower in the XTs.
The other big change: The 2026 Subaru Solterra comes standard with a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port and a CCS adapter – so it opens up a lot more charging options if you’re taking a road trip.
Yes, it goes off road
The 2026 Solterra comes standard with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, and the X-Mode Dual Mod System that has grip control, downhill assist, and driving modes for dirt and deep snow, mud and snow.
During the media preview, we had the opportunity to take it on a mild off-road course with moguls, steep declines, and uneven terrain. With 8.3 inches of ground clearance the Solterra Touring XT we were driving did well, managing the obstacles with ease. While Solterra isn’t going to take you to the Rubicon Trail, it will get you to a campsite or trailhead without problems.
When in X-Mode, an camera view pops up at low speeds, and it gives you a good view of the terrain around you and in front of you. This is especially helpful in narrow passes or when the nose of the car is pointed at the sky and you can’t see the road out of the windshield.
How it did on road
I liked the original Subaru Solterra, and this new iteration helps it level up. With a sound-insulating windshield and front door glass, recontoured side mirrors, reduced-noise axles, and more insulation, the cabin is quiet on most road surfaces. We only drove the Touring XT trim level on the preview, but with 338 horsepower the Solterra was fun to drive on winding roads and when passing on the highway.
I found it to be a comfortable cruiser as well. I spent a good chunk of the day in the driver’s or front-passenger seat, and I found the seats to be firm but cushy and didn’t walk away stiff.
A complaint in the previous version of the Solterra from taller drivers was that the top of the steering wheel would bisect the digital gauge cluster. As a petite driver I never had that problem, so I asked someone who was 6’3’’. He said his driving position was much better in this 2026 Solterra, and the problem was resolved.
With its compact size, the Solterra is one of those vehicles that will do well in an urban environment, being easy to park and fitting in tight spaces. But it’s not so small that you sacrifice overall ride and handling.
A couple of pain points
The new Solterra is an excellent vehicle, but there are a couple things I would change if I could. First up, while the standard dual wireless chargers are cool and they hold your phone in place well, they do tend to heat up your phone. I tested it with and without my case to the same effect, charging was put on hold because my phone was overheating. Lest you say this is because of inductive charging and all wireless chargers overheat your phone, I will say I’ve generally had good luck with General Motors wireless chargers. The moral of the story: If you are going to be in the car for more than an hour and actually need to charge your phone, bring a cord.
The other thing I would change is the off-road camera that pops up when in X-Mode. It’s a great camera with high-definition quality, but it only stays on up to about 8 mph. While I understand this is meant for low-speed maneuvers, there are times you’re going a little faster than that and still might want a gauge of what’s going on around you.
A few word about the Toyota collaboration
Yes, the Subaru Solterra is built in collaboration with Toyota. It is the sibling to the Toyota bZ small electric crossover. Subaru and Toyota went 50/50 on design, development, and engineering. Toyota does the manufacturing. It’s also worth noting that according to one of the Subaru executives on hand at the preview, the bZ utilizes Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD, even if Toyota doesn’t call it that. Both the Solterra and bZ are built at a Toyota plant in Japan.
So, what’s it gonna cost?
Unfortunately, pricing hasn’t been announced at the time of this writing. The 2026 Solterra won’t hit the streets until November, and pricing won’t be released until closer to launch. However, Subaru said that pricing at the base level would be a minimal increase. The base 2025 Premium trim starts at $40,390, so we anticipate the 2026 Premium will start around $41,000.
Speaking of the Solterra lineup, it gets a bit of a shakeup for this model year. Previously, you had the Premium, Limited, Touring, and Touring Onyx Edition. Now you will have the Premium, Limited, Limited XT, and Touring XT.
Trim Levels
This is what we know so far about the trim walk:
Premium: Comes standard with 233 horsepower, power rear liftgate, 14-inch infotainment screen, synthetic leather seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, ambient lighting, headlight washers, and dual wireless phone chargers.
Limited: Adds kick activated liftgate, Harman Kardon audio system, 20-inch alloy wheels, 120V outlet, power passenger seat, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a multi-terrain monitor.
Limited XT: Gets all the equipment from the Limited plus the 338-horsepower powertrain with a claimed 0-to-60-mph time of 4.9 seconds.
Touring XT: Adds a panoramic glass roof, ventilated front seats, digital rearview mirror, radiant leg warmers, available two-tone paint, available leather interior, and painted black exterior accents.
CG Says:
While we liked the old Solterra, our primary beef was with the range. Having 227 miles just isn’t enough to avoid road-trip anxiety. With the power boost, more standard amenities, and the increased range, the 2026 Subaru Solterra finally hits the mark. If you are in the market for a compact electric SUV, this is now a must-test vehicle.
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2026 Subaru Solterra Pictures
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