2025 Subaru Solterra

Price Range: $38,495 - $45,495

Average

7.5

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Roomy, comfortable and infused with typical Subaru capabilities, the 2025 Subaru Solterra is a respectable first EV effort for the automaker. A dull driving character and lackluster range make it a mid-pack choice at best, though; unless you're a die-hard fan, there are better options in other showrooms.

#12 out of 16

Electric SUVs

28 Owner Reviews

Pros

Pro:Standard all-wheel drive
Pro:Comfortable ride
Pro:Light-duty off-road ability
Pro:Several advanced driver aids come standard

Cons

Con:Not much range compared to rivals
Con:Bland personality and driving experience
Con:Difficult to find a natural-feeling driving position

What’s new

Substantially lower price than last year's model
Top Touring trim adds Onyx Edition styling package
Part of the first Solterra generation introduced for 2023

4 Colors
4 Trims

Build & Price Subaru.com

2025 Subaru Solterra Review

by Dan Frio

rating written by Reese Counts

Overview

Among major automakers, Subaru was slow to the EV party. A partnership with Toyota helped spur its arrival, and now two years later, the 2025 Subaru Solterra remains a respectable entry into electric motoring. The Solterra is still hampered by limited range relative to its peers, making it fine for local driving and commutes, though it's less ideal as a long-distance getaway car. But traditional Subaru hallmarks — standard all-wheel drive, off-road capability and advanced safety tech — combined with a new lower price make the 2025 Solterra worth a closer look.

Edmunds spotlight: Less money, more style

Last year, the Solterra improved on its debut with shorter charging times. This year, the Solterra promises lower monthly payments. Subaru has slashed the starting price by about $6,500, a nearly 15% discount compared to last year's model, without slashing features. The top Touring trim also gets a price cut, listing for nearly $7,000 less than before. But if you want to spend more money, you can opt for the new Touring Onyx Edition. It's $500 more than the Touring but adds gloss black wheels, a black rear spoiler and black accents. So while this year's Solterra doesn't offer any extra range beyond its 227-mile estimate, it does offer to extend your wallet and add a bit of extra style.

Competitors to consider

The Solterra's modest range places it squarely middle of the pack among electric hatchback-SUV mashups like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Tesla Model Y and even its Toyota bZ4X mechanical counterpart. Most offer more range than the Solterra, but the Subaru's new lower price makes it one of the more affordable options. The Solterra also offers something most don't: 8.3 inches of ground clearance and very capable traction modes for dirt, mud and snow. You probably won't be inclined (or advised) to bounce the Solterra off deep ruts and boulders, but its ability to get deeper into the weeds than its more pavement-bound rivals counts for something.

Which Solterra does Edmunds recommend?

Of the three main trims, we think the Limited offers the best value. It costs a few thousand dollars more than the amply equipped base trim but adds upgrades like a larger touchscreen, power-adjustable front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and a surround-view camera — features that pay for themselves in added comfort and convenience. The only downside: You lose some range due to the Limited's larger 20-inch wheels, but it's not a significant amount.

Compare 2025 Subaru Solterra trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

Subaru Solterra models

The 2025 Subaru Solterra is an all-electric SUV offered in four trim levels: Premium, Limited, Touring and Touring Onyx Edition. A 72.8-kWh battery pack powers two electric motors that provide all-wheel drive and produce a combined 215 horsepower and 249 lb-ft of torque. The standard Premium model can travel 227 miles, according to the EPA. Other versions have larger wheels that reduce estimated range to 222 miles.

Premium
The base trim comes equipped with features including:

18-inch alloy wheels
LED headlights
Roof rails
Keyless entry and start
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Cloth upholstery
Heated front seats
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
8-inch center touchscreen
Cloud-based navigation (subscription required)
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (with wireless connectivity)
Six-speaker audio system

Standard advanced safety features include:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
Lane keeping assistance (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
Low-speed hands-free driving mode (combines adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance for hands-free driving up to 25 mph)
Automatic reverse braking (applies the brakes automatically to avoid an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)
Front cross-traffic warning (alerts you of potential collisions in intersections)
Emergency steering assistance (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance)

Limited
Builds on Premium features with:

20-inch wheels
Power liftgate
Power-folding mirrors
Synthetic leather upholstery
Power-adjustable front seats with driver's seat memory
Heated rear seats
Heated steering wheel
12.3-inch touchscreen
Wireless charging pad
11-speaker Harman Kardon audio system

Additional driver assist features include:

Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the vehicle and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Semi-automated parking system

Touring
Tops off the Solterra lineup with:

Panoramic sunroof
Ventilated front seats
Interior ambient lighting
Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out of the back even with a fully loaded cargo area)

Touring Onyx Edition
This trim is more of a styling package than a distinct trim level and adds:

20-inch gloss black wheels
Black roof spoiler
Black badges
Black interior trim

2025 Subaru Solterra.

At a Glance:

4 Colors
4 Trims
$38,495starting MSRP

Build & Price Subaru.com

MSRP is subject to change and varies based on availability, trim level, option packages, and retailer-installed accessories. MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, registration, and other fees. Retailer sets actual price. See your retailer for details.

Subaru Solterra Owner Reviews

3.9

5(46%)

4(25%)

3(10%)

2(7%)

1(12%)

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

A fine entry into the EV arena

Buck, 09/28/2023

2023 Subaru Solterra Touring 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)

Have had a touring model for 9 months. It has performed flawlessly. Have set charging to 80%. Without Ac we experience 220 miles per charge. Live in Florida, so air conditioning is a must. With AC we get 170 miles per charge. As we use this car for inner city to close regional purposes, we do not use fast chargers. At home we use a level 1 charger, which is really a trickle charger. We …

Quick, Quiet, & Comfortable!

Jonny, 05/09/2023

2023 Subaru Solterra Limited 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)

Dual electric motor drivetrain (AWD) gives the Solterra instant traction and torque, allowing for a quick hole-shot, while also being very smooth (acceleration/braking) and comfortable (suspension damping). Leased the poverty (base) "premium" trim, because in addition to the $7500 instant credit, the dealer also discounted the price by $1500 off MSRP. The manual cloth seats are … comfortable for the Florida climate. Air conditioning (HVAC) works well, and the visibility is good. Biggest disappointment is the infotainment system. Coming from the iDrive system in our BMW, the Toyota/Subaru software/hardware is a huge letdown. Toggling between touchscreen menus is cumbersome (versus BMW's round dial and controls), and there is no one-pedal driving feature. The S-Pedal button on the console will slow the Solterra fairly well, but not to a complete stop. Also, the S-Pedal feature can't be used when the battery is nearly full. The steering wheel paddle controls for braking (deceleration) give mild regeneration... wish the paddles could give true one-pedal drive. Our dealership (salesman) wasn't knowledgeable about the Solterra's battery and infotainment systems. Make sure to do your own extensive research on the vehicle's features and functions before buying. Hopefully our dealership experience isn't common across the USA. Don't let the salesperson connect your phone to the Solterra (using the "Connect" app). We regret this. It is extremely difficult to reverse this decision. If you have an iPhone, just connect it yourself and use the CarPlay app. No need to use the Solterra Connect app, unless you want those specific functions. Please research first! Concerning the exterior design, I'm not a fan of the big, black plastic panels that Subaru is using on many of their models. However, we like the Solterra for its functionality. It is extremely comfortable to drive, has plenty of cargo room in the hatch (even though our "premium" trim has a manual liftgate!), gives smooth and quick acceleration, and most of the safety features can be customized/adjusted to your preference. For example, you can turn down the volume level or mute most of the safety "nannies", and some of the functions can be turned off if you don't like them. One downside to the controls... every time the vehicle is powered on, you have to select brake regeneration/S-Pedal functions, the Solterra doesn't remember your previous choice. Also, the pre-collision feature defaults to "on" at every startup. In order to eliminate the "reverse warning buzzer", the Solterra has to be taken to the dealer service for "mute" setting (we will be doing this). Subaru/Toyota should allow the driver to select/deselect this function. I don't want to hear a backup beeper inside the cabin every time I drive in reverse! Our "Premium" trim Solterra came with wheel covers, which I removed because I prefer to see the dark gray/black alloy wheels underneath instead. However, the decorative center caps are missing, which I'll need to order (this should be a standard inclusion by Subaru!). One feature I really miss from our BMW X3 is the Harman Kardon audio system. In order to get the HK audio, you will have to buy/lease either the "Limited" or "Touring" trim of the Solterra. The base 6-speaker system in our "Premium" trim is adequate, but not up to this audiophile's standards. I wish car manufacturers would include a wide spectrum equalizer in every (audio system) head unit. Overall, I really enjoy driving the Solterra. My main gripe is with the lackluster infotainment/audio system. However, I'm excited for the future of EVs. This Solterra is our first EV, and I hope that the Subaru/Toyota joint venture will listen to customer feedback during development of future models. FYI: this is my initial first week review. Updates to come on range and efficiency... Update 7/12/2023: Returned "Premium" trim because of dealer error on lease contract. Leased "Limited" trim from a different dealer. So far, electricity cost is $0.03 per mile to power Solterra (strictly charging at home with supplied 120V cable). Enjoying the Limited trim upgrades: Light Gray & Blue interior, Power Liftgate, 12" screen, Surround View Camera system and Harman Kardon (HK) audio. However, the HK system isn't as high quality as the BMW X3 HK system because of different DSP/amp and the failure to include a full-spectrum equalizer to fine-tune the audio output. In addition, I've noticed a firmer ride and elevated noise levels attributed to the 20" wheels on the Limited trim. My previous "Premium" trim lease Solterra had the 18" wheels, which gave a notably softer and quieter ride. This is the typical trade-off between trims when upgrading to the larger wheel/tire package. Although I prefer the look of the 20" wheels, my ride preference is the 18" size. As for the EV battery range shown on the driver display: at full charge, the display will show 277 miles of range with the HVAC off. However, when I turn on the HVAC air conditioning, the range immediately drops to 205 miles on the display. Since my vehicle is driven in Southern Florida, the 205 miles has been a fairly accurate range with the AC running constantly every day. Although, I have not tested the limits of the range displayed by running the battery down to 0% charge. Typically, I keep the battery range available between 50 and 200 miles. If you regularly drive long distances of 200 miles or more, then the Solterra is probably not the best fit for convenient transportation. However, if the majority of your driving is short commutes and trips of less than 100 miles, the Solterra is a relatively efficient EV choice. One pet peeve: at startup, the display always asks for "Profile" settings, which I "Dismiss" and let the system default to "Guest" settings. This may be due to the fact that I don't use the Solterra Connect app. However, the infotainment system does hold the settings I have previously programmed. Toyota/Subaru needs to improve the user experience with their new infotainment software. Specifically, the display takes too long to refresh at startup, and the vehicle owner/user should not have to subscribe to their app in order to program/save individual settings and use the OEM navigation software. Full capability to customize the display interface and user settings should be available to the owner/customer without an app subscription and constant prompts to change user settings. Overall, I'm happy with my Solterra experience. Toyota/Subaru needs to improve the following: 1. Infotainment software usability and startup speed 2. HK audio system quality (need better DSP and full-spectrum equalizer) 3. Noise level in Limited trim (need acoustic glass and more sound-deadening materials) 4. Ventilated seats should be included in Limited trim 5. Discontinue requirement of app subscription to use full capability and customize settings 6. Replace "piano-black" trim with wood-grain veneer and/or matte finishes 7. Increase battery range for long-distance trips 8. Add battery charge percentage indicator on driver display 9. Allow S-pedal to be true one-pedal driving (more aggressive braking control) w/full stop 10. Update software to allow full-range brake regeneration with paddles on steering column

Fantastic EV that works great within limitations

krissbell, 04/12/2024

2023 Subaru Solterra Touring 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)

I change cars quite frequently and this is my third EV after Bolt EUV and Mini Cooper SE. Have elderly parents(>70) living with me now and needed something that works for them and their knees. My other car is a GR Corolla despite being a hatchback is hard for older folks. With 2023s having great deal(in April 2024), I decided to lease a Touring. I was aware of range and slow charging. I …

A honest review by someone who never wanted an EV

Mary H., 07/10/2024

2024 Subaru Solterra Premium 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD)

Let me start by saying I never wanted an EV. I had no interest in an EV... at all. My lease on my 2021 Kia Sportage S AWD was ending so I started to look around online. I couldn't believe how high car payments have gotten. At this time many people are losing interest in EVs so car dealers were offering great deals on them. I did a little research and with my driving habits I … thought maybe I'd look at them. I chatted online with a Subaru dealership who was offering a $199/mo lease with no money down 10K/36mo. I stopped on my way home that day and test drove it.... I loved it. Now it was only the base/premium model and I have always picked a higher trim but now that I'm older and have a short commute to work leather seats and a moon roof didn't seem that important if I could save money every month. I did look up reviews and they all said the same thing... It was a good car but underwhelming as an EV... now I've never had an EV so I wasn't familiar with all the technology available in other EVs, so I thought what do I have to lose... it has remote start, wireless Carplay, decent sound system and space, I didn't have to worry about oil changes, so I signed my lease the next day. I was unsure what to expect with an EV so I did keep my other car for another month just in case as that lease didn't end for another 30 days. And to be honest people had me worried with horror stories... I now realize these people probably didnt actually own an EV or had other needs than I did. I have owned my Solterra for over 3 mos. now. I can't express how happy I am with it. I haven't installed the level 2 charger at home yet but I will before the fall. I do use the Level 1 charger at home mixed with an occasional fast charge. Charging at home costs me nothing because I have solar panels. An occasional fast charge may cost me $15 and is about 2 miles away from my house and takes between 15-30 mins depending on my start range. The dealer lists the range at full charge at 222 miles. If I fully charge the battery its closer to 250 miles. I'm not sure why. Either way I have never had to worry about my battery not being charged enough. I do have access to a gas car if I was going on a long road trip (which I have no intention of doing). As far as the exterior goes, like with any car, it's a personal preference if you like it or not. I have the dark grey and I think it looks great. I also get a lot of compliments in person despite the reviews I read giving the styling negative comments. Now for the interior... again it's going to be a personal preference. I see reviews how the interior is cheap and the screen is too small, blah blah blah.... I don't know what people do with their screens but mine is more than adequate even though it's on the smaller size. I haven't had fabric seats in over a decade and I'm not sure why... I love them. I don't burn my legs on hot days or have the weird ventilated seats that never feel good for some reason. The fabric on the dashboard is also going to be a personal preference. I like it, others may not. People complain about the touch screen getting fingerprints but to be honest most things once you get driving can be changed from the steering wheel, which i prefer. This car doesn't drive itself, but it doesn't not drive itself either. I find when I hit a curve, it turns itself. When I want to change lanes without turning on my blinker, it assumes I'm drifting and doesn't let me.... which is annoying at first until you realize what good safety features they are. I'm sure I can turn them off but I like them now. I usually keep the car in ECO mode; however Sport mode feels good when I use it. And its Subaru AWD so no complaints there. I also hear people complain about battery range if you have to use your air conditioning, but it's honestly not that big of a difference for the few months out of the year I need AC and gas cars also get lower mpg when the AC is on so I don't understand why people make it seem like that's an EV problem only. Overall, I love this car. The price makes it even better. It drives very smooth and quiet. It accelerates quickly and despite complaints about range I have had no issues. I love not going to the gas station and just plugging in my car overnight. I have no complaints at this point. I recommend it to anyone interested in transitioning from a gas car who doesn't need a long range battery. I love my Solterra and glad I made the jump to an EV.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2025 Subaru Solterra, so we've included reviews for other years of the Solterra since its last redesign.

2025 Subaru Solterra