I got mine 3 months ago and haven't seen the inside of a gas station since. No oil change, no leaky fluids, no noise (heaven driving it) charging takes a little time but it's perfect for me. Basically I am in love with my new Solterra
@@UA-camUser_2020 Seriously? EVs break down at a much lower rate the Ice vehicles, have less complicated systems that need to be maintained, no oil changes, etc. Keep driving your pollution spewing ICE vehicle that kills you and us all with its pollution! Cough, Cough. LOL
I've had my US market Solterra for two months. The dealership turned off the reverse bong and reduced the volume and removed many of the other various beeps. It is much more pleasant with those adjustments.
I am pleased with my Solterra. I charge it every two days on my home charger, not a problem. This is my 9th Subaru. We have several charging locations in LA CA soon not a problem
Seems to me both Subaru and Toyota (and Mazda, and Honda and so forth) fell asleep at the wheel and just woke up to the realization that they now have several years of catching up to do compared to the competition. That said, I hope they are good students and copy the homework of their better peers. :)
Nope, they still have not come to that realisation, the Toyota President (previous CEO) only said last week that hydrogen is the future.And also they dont like their current platform and will replace it, so theyve Osborned the BZ (and this by definition) with new platform cars not available til 2026 earliest.
@@Joe-lb8qn they don't want to admit that they've been wrong and it's going to cost people their jobs. That said I do actually believe that hydrogen could be part of the future, but I'm talking about the distant future, when we already have a nearly full ev world but there are still people clinging on to ice cars for long distance or off grid uses, and we have an abundance of renewable energy. We will be creating hydrogen for other uses with it, maybe also for those uses as generator fuel and Rex.
Loving my 2023 Solterra Limited. Was hoping to pick up the premium trim which is about 4K cheaper but wasn’t available. I knew about the sub par reviews, but after driving it myself I choose the Solterra over the other competitors in this EV class. At the end of the day it is quality, reliability, and safety that sold me.
@@samusaran7317 they all don't make an actual usable EV yet, Honda has one, Mitsubishi is selling out with Nissan and Renault tech and Toyota has already said this platform is a failure. I don't know why, but Japan has failed on the EV-rage.
Nice & balanced review. Reminder to North American viewers, in the US & Canada, the Solterra & AWD bZ4X get a different battery. Top DC fast charge speed is 100 kW versus 150 kW in Europe or Japan. There are reports of serious charging and range issues in cold weather (worse than typical EVs). Buyers in Canada or Northern US, unless used exclusively for short commutes, be wary of the Solterra or AWD bZ4X!
Would add to this; the cars are not priced to be for local trips only. Not a great buy unless you absolutely love Toyota/Subaru, but even then be prepared to lose a significant amount of money when you come to sell them.
That's a shame. I've been waiting 18 months for an Ioniq 5 and getting antsy. Supposedly, I might get something in the next 6 months. The local Subaru has Solterra's in stock and I'm tempted to stop waiting. My 4 year old Ioniq EV gets 10km/KW, so I can get 280km on its 28kW battery in the summer (down to 200km in the Winter). Sounds like I will barely do better with the Solterra and the battery is almost 3 times bigger.
Short ime with Solterra Liimited and all quite good, so far. Excellent one-hour session, with dealer specialist, covering every detail, and all questiions. Home charging system and very low monthly miles, ALL local. Why not Toyota ??? ..... easy peasy ..... incredible local Subaru dealership .... in every respect. Very confident going forward, but let's see in next several months.
We've been delighted with our two 3.6 litre Subaru Outbacks since 2010 (a 2010 model, then a 2019) and as we get ready to move into EV mode I was looking at Subaru again. The range in this Solterra though is too small at present to interest me. Living in Sydney but with 2 destinations of 400-450 kms we often travel we'll want an EV with a useable 600+kms range with A/C engaged (ie still 500+kms when the battery has lost some of its oomph). I really want a Subaru again since we have developed such confidence in the brand and the Outbacks' cruising attributes have been undeniable - reliability, all day comfort, very nice ground clearance and total sure-footedness. Looks like we'll be waiting till something like a more energy intensive lithium/Sulphur battery replaces current battery technology. The Solterra at present seems like an decent adventure vehicle stuck with city and highway duty due to range limitation
Oh… we've owned two Subarus, and really loved them. It thus hurts me to say that… we wouldn't opt for a Solterra. Over a decade ago, I had hoped and even expected Subaru to start selling its R1e and Stella EVs, but it never happened -which really disappointed me. The Solterra's range is too limited, the energy efficiency too low, the regen needs work, and I don't get the impression that it has one-pedal driving. I dunno… it seems to me that this Toyota/Subaru EV is simply to have some "skin in the game," but they're not serious about producing a true contender.
Toyota will not survive the transition to EVs. By the end of this decade they will be hanging on by a thread and are becoming the Nokia of the auto industry.
@@JAM_2024 the Japanese to me may now be incapable of leading the pack for fear of failure and losing face. During and following the WFC it seems to me some countries (Germany in particular) went for it hell for leather while the Japanese tightened their belts and lost years of development. Different national mindset?
@@JAM_2024 Electric vehicles don't work for the 80-90% of the World driving population, Toyota is a global brand, they collaborate and participate in some of the best battery brands. They develop their own electric motors, gearboxes and so on. They are centered in global solutions, not cars that just work for rich countries of EU and EEUU, that's why they do lots of research with hydrogen, synthetic fuels and so on. Toyota has helped brands like Tesla to start developing their electric motors and batteries, they have thousands of research papers about battery charging, degradation, electric motor optimization and so on. Electric cars don't make sense for now, it's a trend created by politicians. Toyota's CEO has said it openly, other manufacturers CEOs have been in silence until now, but most of them say the same thing now, electric for everything is a nonsense
@@JAM_2024 I thought I heard that Toyota was not really interested in ev's anyway, so I suspect the bz might be in their lineup just to have "something ev to sell." I believe Toyota's philosophy is to focus on hybrids because on the whole hybrid building is just cleaner for the environment overall than building ev's given current technology. Since Toyota has a modest percentage stake in Subaru, I doubt the Solterra will really ever become more than just ok.
That's battery costs for you. Especially as they don't have the volumes of sale that, say Tesla or Greely/Volvo/Polestar: can't negotiate so well. If they had a more efficient vehicle they could maybe have fitted a smaller battery-but this model seems weak all round
I'd like someone to explain to me how its become possible to charge this much for an electric car when you only have to look at other manufacturers to find you are desperately overpriced. I understand Subaru themselves are a small-volume manufacturer but Toyota certainly are not so that's not an excuse either. Look at the new MG's, both are just as terribly cheap inside, but ones the cost of an entire new car cheaper. They both seem to have the same basic driving charactics and function, granted the Subaru has a few extra toys hidden in that menu, but thats about it. I cannot fathem the cost of this.
It had a number of chimes/beeps on our test drive which can be distracting when you are driving. It took me weeks to figure out what my CRv was beeping for after it reset some random setting.
As someone who usually drives manual I really appreciated the annoying reversing beep in my partner’s Prius cos it meant I wasn’t gonna accidentally put the car in reverse! I think you could turn it off though.
@@brendanmalloy-painting The Solterra is all electric. So is the Volvo XC 40 I was talking about. They do still make XC40 hybrids though, but I was referring to the BEV.
I can see they used the same interior-designer like most other manufactures - I think he`s called Mr. All-Dark? Thats very progressive, forewardthinking and uplifting ;-)
Great review. I didn't see anything here that made me feel my Enyaq was the wrong choice. I agree that the efficiency is a problem. It wouldn't be an everyday concern but people always worry about those longer journeys with a charging infrastructure that is currently a bit subpar. For the money, there are better EVs on the market. The bongs would either drive me crazy or I would learn to ignore them so even the important ones would be ignored which is a problem. The styling is fine, not amazing, but it wouldn't put me off or make me want to buy it.
I wouldn't swap my Enyaq either, I have done a few long journeys in mine. Back in October I did a trip of 500+ miles and a week ago I drove 400 miles across Ireland and back pulling a box trailer on a very cold & wet day to make a delivery.
@@toyotaprius79 Well, I've a hatchback (ioniq 5) awd and my range is in summer , with 100 km /h (62mph) is close to the wltp range, in winter (zero degrees celsius) ca 15% less than wltp.....and that is a real choice in this price level. Also the teslo model 3 is not a crossover....
Yet another car without rear wiper!👎 Such an omission demonstrates the lack of basic intelligence of the company if not their collective stupidity.🤡 What's wrong with them?!! Like the looks but the efficiency and detail...IT'S YET ANOTHER NO.
Seems like nobody has realized yet, it's the cars with electronic shifters, especially the Japanese ones, beep in reverse. Imagine how many people didn't adopt the original Prius' slap to the left and up/down and couldn't tell which gear they were in. Same with Leaf's puck.
Been driving my US spec 2024 Solterra for about a month and a half now. Came from a 2013 Model S. I get 3.8mi per kWh which is notably more efficient than it's rated 3.2. It gets the range it's supposed to (and better). The DCFC is consistent (definitely faster than my old Tesla). Has a very comfortable and usable interior. Drives and handles amazing for a SUV. Has what seems to be a very efficient heat pump system, which not too many EV's come equipped with. My only critique is the software. It's great that it has wireless Apple Carplay, however the built in software (including the mobile app) are not even in the same league as Tesla's software. While the specs on paper for this class of EV are mediocre, where it excels is real world usage. Long story short I absolutely love this car.
I can’t understand why they make them look so similar, they’re not even targeting much difference in the market, aside from branding? Hyundai / Kia and the Volkswagen group etc. do such a good job of selling the same car many different ways!
The fast DC charge time is a complete lie. It takes over two hours to get a DC 80% charge. I brought mine into the dealership after 3 days and was told that the Subaru engineers are saying that that is how it was designed. They are advertising an hour to charge but their own engineers told me it takes between 2 and 3 hours to get an 80% charge. This is not a factor for in town using a home level 2 charger, but for a road trip, it means you will spend at least 2 hours charging for every 3 you drive. This is criminal fraud.
You would think Subaru would have learned from the Tribeca... the attraction of Subaru is a quality AWD vehicle that is very similar across all models that can be depended everyday during weather but also good for adventures. Sure Subarus get tweaked but it is a very predictable process on the 5 year update cycle. They came out with the Tribeca which looked wildly different than all other Subarus and it tanked. The Solterra doesn't look like a Subaru inside or out, compounded with weak range in a vehicle platform used by many to go on adventures (which usually means long drives somewhere) in out of the way areas (where usually there aren't chargers). My perspective is different though, Im in the US and in Rocky Mountains. We own three Subaru's right now, Crosstek, Ascent and Forrester. We looked at the Solterra but just doesn't have range needed. I understand why Subaru partnered with Toyota - leveraging a larger companies reach - and why Toyota has partnered with Subaru - leveraging a smaller companies record of dependability and popularity. I just think in this case it shot Subaru in the foot because Toyota is so against EVs in general.
We had two software updates for the Solterra, with great results. 450km real world range, far better charging, 100kw all the time..., very efficiënt ev motors, considering the small battery pack, very good real world range of 450km, as tested by car journalists in the Netherlands. The Solterra won a comparison test with an Audi q4 etron...the Solterra was the far better EV, and car.....rock solid. The Bz4x won a test, another car magazine, from the VW id4.
Hi - so does that mean that software updates have now improved the battery range, so it's now closer to the claimed 250-280 than the 128 this review found?
I think the front end looks better than the bZ4x which is frankly hideous in person, *BUT* that being said, I would not touch either this or the 'yota with a bargepole as they are in most ways some of the worst EVs available. They would've been great 6 years ago before we had the I-pace or anything else more competent since.
I am not yet a full EV driver, hybrid for me currently, this certainly wouldn't tempt me to full EV. 2m/kWh doesn't come close to what I would hope for even in winter! It is baffling why a manufacturer would introduce an EV which is barely OK in terms of potential range and don't get me started on the chimes!
Other than the price (!) the occluded driver's console would put me off, followed by the beeps. There might be a way to disable them, but these things have a way of re-enabling themselves. And unless you live in a city, that battery performance is a concern.
I was at a shopping centre last week where the Tesla Model Y and Toyota BZ4X were both on display so I took a look at them. The difference was unbelievable - the Tesla felt like a new approach to a car, the Toyota felt like a 15 year old petrol car converted to EV. The guy on the Toyota stand didn’t seem to know much about EV’s and told me rapid charging takes 4 hours… clearly some work to be done on staff training 😅
Never been a fan of the Model Y. Just looks like an over bloated Model 3. Plus I could never live with that atrocious interior that Tesla have persuaded everyone is the 'future'. Pushing all of a car's core functionality onto a touchscreen is utterly crazy. The only benefit is to the manufacturer because it's cheaper to make. Same goes for those amazing giga-castings. Cheaper to make but one small bump and you've written off your car. Nice.
"Who is this for?" has basically been the question I've asked since I first saw the specs on this car. There are several more compelling options that get better range, are more fun to drive, offer more space, have better fit and finish and just basically do most things better than this late arrival. Unless you're a diehard Subaru fan, I can't imagine having this on my list of considerations. I live in the Washington state, which is both a Subaru stronghold and one of the top EV markets in the United States and I just saw my first Solterra yesterday in downtown Seattle. I would have imagined a new Subaru would be all over the place here by now. This thing just seems like too little, too late.
Things that put me off buying a car: 1. All controls for climate control etc in a digital screen. 2. Bongs every time you go 1mph over the speed limit. 3. Driver aids only able to be adjusted or switched off via deep menu on screen (every time you start the car!) 4. Haptic buttons on steering wheel.
BZ4X was tested here in Sweden during real winter conditions and was actually really bad in the cold. There was a comment that Toyota had built a really good car, but unfortunately it was a really bad electric car. Guess that the Solterra is the same... Otherwise I agree that I would also prefer the Subaru.
I am a 8x Subaru owner, having two at the moment (Outback Limited and Forester Touring). My mistake was in buying the models with the Driver Monitoring System. While the seat and mirror memory parts of the system are fine, I absolutely hate the software's beeping at you to keep your eyes on the road when they are in fact on the road. I think the brand is excellent from a driving and mechanical point of view. Mine have always been reliable. I agree with you though that the cars beep at everything. On the Outback, I can adjust some things in the settings menu; not so in the Forester. Over time, I have not acclimated to the beeping. Instead, I am wearying from it and I periodically think about going to another brand. Of course, that is difficult at this time of shortages and "market adjustments." I still have to say that I am intrigued by the Solterra. The limited range is not as much a problem for me since I am retired and see myself using it only for short trips. The Outback would otherwise be the car I use for long trips.
Thank you for featuring the dozens of features that will inevitably malfunction six or seven years from now and will cost a fortune to fix. It's just all so depressing how with each model year we creep closer and closer to maniacal complexity.
I saw a Solterra for the first time in the metal on a convention trip to NJ. I live in Burlington, Vermont - for a Subaru not to be selling here something must be very wrong, it's a big Subaru market and a big EV one with lots of Tesla 3/Y, Bolt and Leaf (I think the Chevy and Nissan dealers here sell more EVs than anyone else outside SoCal).
I owned 3 Subaru Foresters in succession, I'm willing to bet that my favorite feature on them is not on this car. That is the radio which had the ability to pause the play when a phone call came in & resume where it stopped when the call was finished. I have never come across this feature on any other car.
I have had many Subarus in the past and my present car is a Solterra. Just like your Forester the radio starts playing when your phone call is finished.
@@johnnyboy7459 What I said was that when a phone call comes in that the radio pauses and resumes at the exact same place where it had paused, so you miss nothing of an interview for instance.
I've been put off buying a vehicle in the past as they had put tiny door mirrors on it ("because they look better") creating blindspots (this from a company famous for their safety inventions), then tried to charge many thousands of pounds for their Blindspot elimination system!
i want to nominate you for a nobel peace prize ! ive been saying that for years! people say im stupid! but i call it common sence! wish people would learn how to drive!
Prius does that sound in reverse too. You get used to it. It also helps because you don' t have a physical visual when you switch from D to R. You only see it on the dash. Without the sound, D and R sound the same.
I’m in the market to buy a new car. I always thought I’d forever be a Subaru owner and am coming to terms with the realities that this is no longer to be. I loved my Subaru Forester but there isn’t a hybrid version in N. America and no auto maker is making hybrids with manual transmissions. Driving is no longer fun. Oh and that Reverse alarm…such a deal breaker! Thanks for the great review!
I wish I had seen this review before I bought my Solterra! You are spot on with everything - the bings and bongs, the poor range. I am really bothered by not having a glove box and did not even notice this when I bought it -and why not make the manual small enough to fit in the center console? I really wanted the Chevy Blazer EV but Chevy could not even provide a rough timing for availability and I didn't want to wait a year.
In Austrailia, the Soltera gets a Square steering wheel, which makes it easier to see the display over the Toyota, which was the only reason I would have chosen it over the Toyota,. But in the UK the Subaru seems to be lumbered with the Toyota wheel
We have a leased SOLTERRA for local errands, occasional commuting to the city (30 miles), and trips here and there. We have another ICE SUV for longer trips and when we need more space. The reverse chime is annoying.
I prefer the Subaru headlight design and the standard fit 4S tyres is a bonus but I couldn't forgo the Toyota Warranty if i really wanted one of these two. However although range isn't important to me, dragging around, and paying for, the extra weight without benefiting from additional range would be. Mazda has deliberately chosen reduced weight over range in the MX30 and in the UK is nearly 40% cheaper!
For me, I like how the interior is designed but not how it looks. For me, the problem is the colour scheme: to grey, a bit early 80's looking and maybe because of all the grey, the plastics look far less quality than they probably are. I need to see it in real life.
To answer your Q the thing that would put me off is a split rear screen, as in a Prius for example. I had a Civic and after 18 months couldnt take it any more. Hence me ruling out the Genesis GV60.
This is for Loyal Subaru fans who don’t bother to look at the completion. If this is your first EV is might seem great, but this car shows that Toyota is not really in the game yet.
Wow, changing the colour of the car on the thumb nail to get more views. Reminds me when I worked for Subaru many years ago and all the press guys wanted was red demonstrators. Seems bright colours are still more photogenic.
I just went to the Lexus RZ launch in Montreal Canada. Beautifully put together with some very nice features but 305km autonomy at best is not going to sell well in any country. 95% of people don’t need more autonomy but perception is king.
“In this cold weather 128 miles of range”, as a Canadian I shudder because I know UK temps aren’t really that cold, actually perfect for EVs, cool but not freezing…. I’m a Subaru fan, so i guess we’ll see where this one goes, so I’ll reserve judgement for now.
Great review and thank you! these electric have too much tech that no one is really bothered. give me a car that is all electric motor and none of all the bells n bollocks! simple radio simple knob for the heating and cooling and a spare full size tyre!
Don’t forget this car’s wheel will literally fall off. During testing in China, wheels from test vehicles fall off causing significant delays to this car’s introduction into Chinese market, the largest ev market in the world. Test vehicles were directly imported from Japan meaning the base car design is seriously flawed. Chinese market bz4 is modified so this problem wouldn’t happen, but what about cars already sold in us? On top of that, this car sells for 160k rmb in China, about 20k usd, in us, more than 40k, ouch
Munro has just done an engineering review of the BZ4X and it clearly has a lot of old technology especially in its body construction and 12v system with big heavy lead acid battery. However it did have a excellent but heavy underbody protection for the battery and motors which would make them a lot tougher for off road use than say a Tesla model Y. Prices are crazy and they won't sell many in fact probably won't want to as no doubt very expensive to make. Toyota have a lot of catching up to do.
Subtitles call it the 'Soul Terror' 🤣If it blocks rapid charging after the second charge like the Toyota then it will be a disaster and then they want 60 grand for a 64kwh battery which will probably see 200 miles at best, they're having a giraffe.
When it comes to chimes in a car, I would like to be able to replace the chimes with words. When something unusual happens I have to look at the dash and try to figure out what that light is for, since I haven't looked at the manual in years. So I when I first got the car, if I could have replaced the chime with "Tire Low", "Brake Engaged"...., then I'd understand the problem quicker. My 2017 car does not have the big LCD screen so maybe LCDs give better info than dash lights.
To decide whether it's to be a Toyota or a Subaru is the local dealer. I have had first-class Toyota standard service from my Toyota dealer for 20 years. Google struggles to find a Suburu one. But I would like the Subaru.
I am on my second Subaru xv, this one is the hybrid. It is a superb underrated vehicle. As far as the Solterra goes I think they have dropped the ball, why would I pay another 17k for a car that has such a poor range? If they can get it to 350 miles and reduce the price in line with ice cars then I may be interested, as it stands, Thanks but no thanks.
Yes, definitely a case of ‘weight of opinions’, it’s a pretty good car, what I dint like is the floor is so high you have to sit with your knees up, which gets uncomfortable quickly. The Mustang Mach E, Fisker Ocean and the MEBs don’t have this issue.
The short and narrow back seat was uncomfortable to me right away and would be painful for anything but a short drive. The front seats seemed comfortable during a test drive.
Most people who buy or own an EV certainly know how to use a mobile phone and most likely they will use their phone to find charging station etc. Absolutely no need to have that huge manual, they could make a simple one and then have everything on the app like the BMW.
Subaru used to be a good car company, then Toyota bought into them, bean counters took over the vision from the engineers that made Subaru the quirky, fun vehicles they were and it all started turning into sticky brown stuff.
Someone's dipping their toes in the RV market to gauge market feasibility. Problem is if they're this late to the party what does this show for competitive edge, innovation & company profitability. The Chinese market appears to be getting ready to eat their lunch...
I am, in no way, anti EV and know that one day I will own one. I also understand the idea of vehicle partnerships between car makers (which was hard enough to accept in ICE vehicles). It might be subconscious bias, on my part, but I can't get past an EV simply being a device. I can forgive Subaru for wanting to partner on the tech but it is very hard to forgive them for making no effort at all to create their own unique design, in and out, especially when said design is so boring. It is hard to respect a car maker being this lazy and relying solely on its name to sell. Subaru has a loyal following, indeed and if I were forced to, I would pick the Subaru simply because of the connotation associated with the brand but, otherwise, it's mind numbingly boring. The new Supra might be a Z4 underneath but, at least, Toyota bothered to design a completely different and sexy shell.
I can't wait for this piece to fail. The tech class on it was hilarious. Even the teachers were bad mouthing it. The few that bought it from my dealer are not the customers i want returning.
I got mine 3 months ago and haven't seen the inside of a gas station since. No oil change, no leaky fluids, no noise (heaven driving it) charging takes a little time but it's perfect for me. Basically I am in love with my new Solterra
Wait when it breaks to compare repair cost with compatible ICE car. Hope you don't get even iminor collision.
@UA-camUser_2020 It's less likely to break BECAUSE it's not an ICE vehicle. Add on top of that, a Toyota platform...
@@bonilla1240 EV can break as well. Toyota ICE and hybrid cars are known for better reliability but its EVs reliability has to be seen.
@@UA-camUser_2020 Seriously? EVs break down at a much lower rate the Ice vehicles, have less complicated systems that need to be maintained, no oil changes, etc. Keep driving your pollution spewing ICE vehicle that kills you and us all with its pollution! Cough, Cough. LOL
You, and you alone.
I've had my US market Solterra for two months. The dealership turned off the reverse bong and reduced the volume and removed many of the other various beeps. It is much more pleasant with those adjustments.
I am pleased with my Solterra. I charge it every two days on my home charger, not a problem. This is my 9th Subaru. We have several charging locations in LA CA soon not a problem
Seems to me both Subaru and Toyota (and Mazda, and Honda and so forth) fell asleep at the wheel and just woke up to the realization that they now have several years of catching up to do compared to the competition. That said, I hope they are good students and copy the homework of their better peers. :)
Nope, they still have not come to that realisation, the Toyota President (previous CEO) only said last week that hydrogen is the future.And also they dont like their current platform and will replace it, so theyve Osborned the BZ (and this by definition) with new platform cars not available til 2026 earliest.
@@Joe-lb8qn I don't know what they are smoking in Japan, but it must be some potent stuff.
@@Joe-lb8qn they don't want to admit that they've been wrong and it's going to cost people their jobs. That said I do actually believe that hydrogen could be part of the future, but I'm talking about the distant future, when we already have a nearly full ev world but there are still people clinging on to ice cars for long distance or off grid uses, and we have an abundance of renewable energy. We will be creating hydrogen for other uses with it, maybe also for those uses as generator fuel and Rex.
@@Joe-lb8qn lmao nobody has a hydrogen fuel station in their garage. Everybody that has a garage has an outlet..
@@sakidickerson lol someone finally gets it!
"Just not good enough". Took the words right out of my mouth.
Loving my 2023 Solterra Limited. Was hoping to pick up the premium trim which is about 4K cheaper but wasn’t available. I knew about the sub par reviews, but after driving it myself I choose the Solterra over the other competitors in this EV class. At the end of the day it is quality, reliability, and safety that sold me.
You don't question the reliability of the first electric car every built by Toyota and Subaru? While others have been manufacturing them for a decade?
@@iaintdonknow Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Mitsubishi have been dabbling in for evs for a long time...
@@samusaran7317 they all don't make an actual usable EV yet, Honda has one, Mitsubishi is selling out with Nissan and Renault tech and Toyota has already said this platform is a failure.
I don't know why, but Japan has failed on the EV-rage.
@@iaintdonknow I see what you're saying but you missed my point. Oh well
Toyota has their own hydrogen engine.
Nice & balanced review. Reminder to North American viewers, in the US & Canada, the Solterra & AWD bZ4X get a different battery. Top DC fast charge speed is 100 kW versus 150 kW in Europe or Japan. There are reports of serious charging and range issues in cold weather (worse than typical EVs). Buyers in Canada or Northern US, unless used exclusively for short commutes, be wary of the Solterra or AWD bZ4X!
Would add to this; the cars are not priced to be for local trips only. Not a great buy unless you absolutely love Toyota/Subaru, but even then be prepared to lose a significant amount of money when you come to sell them.
That's a shame. I've been waiting 18 months for an Ioniq 5 and getting antsy. Supposedly, I might get something in the next 6 months. The local Subaru has Solterra's in stock and I'm tempted to stop waiting. My 4 year old Ioniq EV gets 10km/KW, so I can get 280km on its 28kW battery in the summer (down to 200km in the Winter). Sounds like I will barely do better with the Solterra and the battery is almost 3 times bigger.
thanks for the heads up, I'll wait for the new Chevrolet batteries in that case
Short ime with Solterra Liimited and all quite good, so far. Excellent one-hour session, with dealer specialist, covering every detail, and all questiions. Home charging system and very low monthly miles, ALL local. Why not Toyota ??? ..... easy peasy ..... incredible local Subaru dealership .... in every respect. Very confident going forward, but let's see in next several months.
We've been delighted with our two 3.6 litre Subaru Outbacks since 2010 (a 2010 model, then a 2019) and as we get ready to move into EV mode I was looking at Subaru again. The range in this Solterra though is too small at present to interest me. Living in Sydney but with 2 destinations of 400-450 kms we often travel we'll want an EV with a useable 600+kms range with A/C engaged (ie still 500+kms when the battery has lost some of its oomph). I really want a Subaru again since we have developed such confidence in the brand and the Outbacks' cruising attributes have been undeniable - reliability, all day comfort, very nice ground clearance and total sure-footedness.
Looks like we'll be waiting till something like a more energy intensive lithium/Sulphur battery replaces current battery technology.
The Solterra at present seems like an decent adventure vehicle stuck with city and highway duty due to range limitation
Oh… we've owned two Subarus, and really loved them. It thus hurts me to say that… we wouldn't opt for a Solterra. Over a decade ago, I had hoped and even expected Subaru to start selling its R1e and Stella EVs, but it never happened -which really disappointed me. The Solterra's range is too limited, the energy efficiency too low, the regen needs work, and I don't get the impression that it has one-pedal driving. I dunno… it seems to me that this Toyota/Subaru EV is simply to have some "skin in the game," but they're not serious about producing a true contender.
Aye like the Mazda mx30. Some great features but falls way short of it's competitors.
Toyota will not survive the transition to EVs. By the end of this decade they will be hanging on by a thread and are becoming the Nokia of the auto industry.
@@JAM_2024 the Japanese to me may now be incapable of leading the pack for fear of failure and losing face. During and following the WFC it seems to me some countries (Germany in particular) went for it hell for leather while the Japanese tightened their belts and lost years of development. Different national mindset?
@@JAM_2024 Electric vehicles don't work for the 80-90% of the World driving population, Toyota is a global brand, they collaborate and participate in some of the best battery brands. They develop their own electric motors, gearboxes and so on. They are centered in global solutions, not cars that just work for rich countries of EU and EEUU, that's why they do lots of research with hydrogen, synthetic fuels and so on.
Toyota has helped brands like Tesla to start developing their electric motors and batteries, they have thousands of research papers about battery charging, degradation, electric motor optimization and so on.
Electric cars don't make sense for now, it's a trend created by politicians. Toyota's CEO has said it openly, other manufacturers CEOs have been in silence until now, but most of them say the same thing now, electric for everything is a nonsense
@@JAM_2024 I thought I heard that Toyota was not really interested in ev's anyway, so I suspect the bz might be in their lineup just to have "something ev to sell." I believe Toyota's philosophy is to focus on hybrids because on the whole hybrid building is just cleaner for the environment overall than building ev's given current technology. Since Toyota has a modest percentage stake in Subaru, I doubt the Solterra will really ever become more than just ok.
Love my Subaru Solterra!! Beautifully car and ready for any road conditions! The battery could be better but it works great for me!
how so? In what way?
@@reginag.a.4187 Do you understand English? He clearly said why he likes this Solterra! Duh!
Crikey starting at £49,995 in the UK. No thanks!
Another +40k one… I predict nobody’s going buy it.
Bruh this should be 20k starting price. And those ugly plastic bits are just insulting
Holy Moly that's Fi ng expensive.. Its a joke.
That's battery costs for you. Especially as they don't have the volumes of sale that, say Tesla or Greely/Volvo/Polestar: can't negotiate so well. If they had a more efficient vehicle they could maybe have fitted a smaller battery-but this model seems weak all round
Welcome to the Uk, the most fucked up cost of living crisis on the planet
You, sir, are a spectacular host. Funny, and informative. I enjoyed watching this the whole way through. Many thanks!
I'd like someone to explain to me how its become possible to charge this much for an electric car when you only have to look at other manufacturers to find you are desperately overpriced. I understand Subaru themselves are a small-volume manufacturer but Toyota certainly are not so that's not an excuse either. Look at the new MG's, both are just as terribly cheap inside, but ones the cost of an entire new car cheaper. They both seem to have the same basic driving charactics and function, granted the Subaru has a few extra toys hidden in that menu, but thats about it. I cannot fathem the cost of this.
That reversing beep is an immediate no. I'm conditioned to that being parking sensors now
Nah, seat belt chime!
@@Lecruque :but it doesn't chime unless someone's in it and the belt is undone
It had a number of chimes/beeps on our test drive which can be distracting when you are driving. It took me weeks to figure out what my CRv was beeping for after it reset some random setting.
I have the red solterra... Love it🤷♂️😆
Great car!
So the reversing beeps would stop you buying the car and yet the eNiro which does the same is an Electrifying favourite.....hmmm
Consistency??? 😂
The reversing beep is driving me nuts.
Why didn't they just call both cars the 'Meh'?
As someone who usually drives manual I really appreciated the annoying reversing beep in my partner’s Prius cos it meant I wasn’t gonna accidentally put the car in reverse! I think you could turn it off though.
I was brought up with Subaru - my Dad had a new one every 3 years. I’d definitely try the Solterra.
A new one every three years is completely bonkers, Subarus can last a lifetime.
For that price you can get a Volvo XC 40 twin motor. There would be no comparison in almost every aspect apart from a slightly bigger boot.
hybrids are the worst of both world. Pick gas or electric. No comparison.
@@brendanmalloy-painting The Solterra is all electric. So is the Volvo XC 40 I was talking about. They do still make XC40 hybrids though, but I was referring to the BEV.
Contemplating buying the Subaru or Toyota models. Had no idea they’re related. This is one of the best vehicle reviews I’ve ever seen.
I can see they used the same interior-designer like most other manufactures - I think he`s called Mr. All-Dark? Thats very progressive, forewardthinking and uplifting ;-)
Great review. I didn't see anything here that made me feel my Enyaq was the wrong choice. I agree that the efficiency is a problem. It wouldn't be an everyday concern but people always worry about those longer journeys with a charging infrastructure that is currently a bit subpar. For the money, there are better EVs on the market. The bongs would either drive me crazy or I would learn to ignore them so even the important ones would be ignored which is a problem. The styling is fine, not amazing, but it wouldn't put me off or make me want to buy it.
Other than it's a crossover.
But it's not like there's any real choice beyond SUVs and crossovers...
I wouldn't swap my Enyaq either, I have done a few long journeys in mine. Back in October I did a trip of 500+ miles and a week ago I drove 400 miles across Ireland and back pulling a box trailer on a very cold & wet day to make a delivery.
@@toyotaprius79 Well, I've a hatchback (ioniq 5) awd and my range is in summer , with 100 km /h (62mph) is close to the wltp range, in winter (zero degrees celsius) ca 15% less than wltp.....and that is a real choice in this price level. Also the teslo model 3 is not a crossover....
Volkswagens EVs are overpriced garbage, but thanks for throwing money at our german company.
@@miskatonic6210 You're entitled to an opinion, even though you're wrong.
Yet another car without rear wiper!👎
Such an omission demonstrates the lack of basic intelligence of the company if not their collective stupidity.🤡
What's wrong with them?!!
Like the looks but the efficiency and detail...IT'S YET ANOTHER NO.
Seems like nobody has realized yet, it's the cars with electronic shifters, especially the Japanese ones, beep in reverse. Imagine how many people didn't adopt the original Prius' slap to the left and up/down and couldn't tell which gear they were in. Same with Leaf's puck.
Toyota manuals have beeped in reverse as well
Actual Range way under 200m according to other reviews
Been driving my US spec 2024 Solterra for about a month and a half now. Came from a 2013 Model S.
I get 3.8mi per kWh which is notably more efficient than it's rated 3.2.
It gets the range it's supposed to (and better).
The DCFC is consistent (definitely faster than my old Tesla).
Has a very comfortable and usable interior.
Drives and handles amazing for a SUV.
Has what seems to be a very efficient heat pump system, which not too many EV's come equipped with.
My only critique is the software. It's great that it has wireless Apple Carplay, however the built in software (including the mobile app) are not even in the same league as Tesla's software.
While the specs on paper for this class of EV are mediocre, where it excels is real world usage.
Long story short I absolutely love this car.
I can’t understand why they make them look so similar, they’re not even targeting much difference in the market, aside from branding?
Hyundai / Kia and the Volkswagen group etc. do such a good job of selling the same car many different ways!
The fast DC charge time is a complete lie. It takes over two hours to get a DC 80% charge. I brought mine into the dealership after 3 days and was told that the Subaru engineers are saying that that is how it was designed. They are advertising an hour to charge but their own engineers told me it takes between 2 and 3 hours to get an 80% charge. This is not a factor for in town using a home level 2 charger, but for a road trip, it means you will spend at least 2 hours charging for every 3 you drive. This is criminal fraud.
You would think Subaru would have learned from the Tribeca... the attraction of Subaru is a quality AWD vehicle that is very similar across all models that can be depended everyday during weather but also good for adventures. Sure Subarus get tweaked but it is a very predictable process on the 5 year update cycle. They came out with the Tribeca which looked wildly different than all other Subarus and it tanked. The Solterra doesn't look like a Subaru inside or out, compounded with weak range in a vehicle platform used by many to go on adventures (which usually means long drives somewhere) in out of the way areas (where usually there aren't chargers). My perspective is different though, Im in the US and in Rocky Mountains. We own three Subaru's right now, Crosstek, Ascent and Forrester. We looked at the Solterra but just doesn't have range needed. I understand why Subaru partnered with Toyota - leveraging a larger companies reach - and why Toyota has partnered with Subaru - leveraging a smaller companies record of dependability and popularity. I just think in this case it shot Subaru in the foot because Toyota is so against EVs in general.
The manuals go under the center console storage tray.
We had two software updates for the Solterra, with great results. 450km real world range, far better charging, 100kw all the time..., very efficiënt ev motors, considering the small battery pack, very good real world range of 450km, as tested by car journalists in the Netherlands.
The Solterra won a comparison test with an Audi q4 etron...the Solterra was the far better EV, and car.....rock solid.
The Bz4x won a test, another car magazine, from the VW id4.
Hi - so does that mean that software updates have now improved the battery range, so it's now closer to the claimed 250-280 than the 128 this review found?
I think the front end looks better than the bZ4x which is frankly hideous in person, *BUT* that being said, I would not touch either this or the 'yota with a bargepole as they are in most ways some of the worst EVs available. They would've been great 6 years ago before we had the I-pace or anything else more competent since.
I am not yet a full EV driver, hybrid for me currently, this certainly wouldn't tempt me to full EV. 2m/kWh doesn't come close to what I would hope for even in winter! It is baffling why a manufacturer would introduce an EV which is barely OK in terms of potential range and don't get me started on the chimes!
2 miler per Kwh. That is absolute rubbish/ embarrassing!
Other than the price (!) the occluded driver's console would put me off, followed by the beeps. There might be a way to disable them, but these things have a way of re-enabling themselves. And unless you live in a city, that battery performance is a concern.
All cars need different tones (bongs) for different things. Like left and right alerts are the same. Makes me have to scan everything instead of one.
I was at a shopping centre last week where the Tesla Model Y and Toyota BZ4X were both on display so I took a look at them. The difference was unbelievable - the Tesla felt like a new approach to a car, the Toyota felt like a 15 year old petrol car converted to EV.
The guy on the Toyota stand didn’t seem to know much about EV’s and told me rapid charging takes 4 hours… clearly some work to be done on staff training 😅
Never been a fan of the Model Y. Just looks like an over bloated Model 3. Plus I could never live with that atrocious interior that Tesla have persuaded everyone is the 'future'. Pushing all of a car's core functionality onto a touchscreen is utterly crazy. The only benefit is to the manufacturer because it's cheaper to make. Same goes for those amazing giga-castings. Cheaper to make but one small bump and you've written off your car. Nice.
True, but lots of people prefer their EV in a more familiar package.
"Who is this for?" has basically been the question I've asked since I first saw the specs on this car. There are several more compelling options that get better range, are more fun to drive, offer more space, have better fit and finish and just basically do most things better than this late arrival. Unless you're a diehard Subaru fan, I can't imagine having this on my list of considerations. I live in the Washington state, which is both a Subaru stronghold and one of the top EV markets in the United States and I just saw my first Solterra yesterday in downtown Seattle. I would have imagined a new Subaru would be all over the place here by now. This thing just seems like too little, too late.
Things that put me off buying a car: 1. All controls for climate control etc in a digital screen. 2. Bongs every time you go 1mph over the speed limit. 3. Driver aids only able to be adjusted or switched off via deep menu on screen (every time you start the car!) 4. Haptic buttons on steering wheel.
BZ4X was tested here in Sweden during real winter conditions and was actually really bad in the cold. There was a comment that Toyota had built a really good car, but unfortunately it was a really bad electric car. Guess that the Solterra is the same... Otherwise I agree that I would also prefer the Subaru.
I am a 8x Subaru owner, having two at the moment (Outback Limited and Forester Touring). My mistake was in buying the models with the Driver Monitoring System. While the seat and mirror memory parts of the system are fine, I absolutely hate the software's beeping at you to keep your eyes on the road when they are in fact on the road. I think the brand is excellent from a driving and mechanical point of view. Mine have always been reliable. I agree with you though that the cars beep at everything. On the Outback, I can adjust some things in the settings menu; not so in the Forester. Over time, I have not acclimated to the beeping. Instead, I am wearying from it and I periodically think about going to another brand. Of course, that is difficult at this time of shortages and "market adjustments." I still have to say that I am intrigued by the Solterra. The limited range is not as much a problem for me since I am retired and see myself using it only for short trips. The Outback would otherwise be the car I use for long trips.
Thank you for featuring the dozens of features that will inevitably malfunction six or seven years from now and will cost a fortune to fix. It's just all so depressing how with each model year we creep closer and closer to maniacal complexity.
I saw a Solterra for the first time in the metal on a convention trip to NJ. I live in Burlington, Vermont - for a Subaru not to be selling here something must be very wrong, it's a big Subaru market and a big EV one with lots of Tesla 3/Y, Bolt and Leaf (I think the Chevy and Nissan dealers here sell more EVs than anyone else outside SoCal).
I owned 3 Subaru Foresters in succession, I'm willing to bet that my favorite feature on them is not on this car. That is the radio which had the ability to pause the play when a phone call came in & resume where it stopped when the call was finished. I have never come across this feature on any other car.
I have had many Subarus in the past and my present car is a Solterra. Just like your Forester the radio starts playing when your phone call is finished.
@@johnnyboy7459 What I said was that when a phone call comes in that the radio pauses and resumes at the exact same place where it had paused, so you miss nothing of an interview for instance.
@Wilko one. My mistake but the next time I get a call I’ll check it out with interest.
These two particular EVs are to be avoided.
Toyota didn't want to make them in the first place. It would be competitive for 2013, not today.
I've been put off buying a vehicle in the past as they had put tiny door mirrors on it ("because they look better") creating blindspots (this from a company famous for their safety inventions), then tried to charge many thousands of pounds for their Blindspot elimination system!
i want to nominate you for a nobel peace prize ! ive been saying that for years! people say im stupid! but i call it common sence! wish people would learn how to drive!
Rear visibility is very bad. Reminds me of the Toyota CJ7 huge blind spot.
Elon won't be losing sleep, that's for sure.
Prius does that sound in reverse too. You get used to it. It also helps because you don' t have a physical visual when you switch from D to R. You only see it on the dash. Without the sound, D and R sound the same.
I’m in the market to buy a new car. I always thought I’d forever be a Subaru owner and am coming to terms with the realities that this is no longer to be. I loved my Subaru Forester but there isn’t a hybrid version in N. America and no auto maker is making hybrids with manual transmissions. Driving is no longer fun. Oh and that Reverse alarm…such a deal breaker! Thanks for the great review!
I wish I had seen this review before I bought my Solterra! You are spot on with everything - the bings and bongs, the poor range. I am really bothered by not having a glove box and did not even notice this when I bought it -and why not make the manual small enough to fit in the center console? I really wanted the Chevy Blazer EV but Chevy could not even provide a rough timing for availability and I didn't want to wait a year.
In Austrailia, the Soltera gets a Square steering wheel, which makes it easier to see the display over the Toyota, which was the only reason I would have chosen it over the Toyota,. But in the UK the Subaru seems to be lumbered with the Toyota wheel
The reverse chime is a true bummer. I agree with you there are too many bells and whistles in cars today - and in just about every electronic gismo!
We have a leased SOLTERRA for local errands, occasional commuting to the city (30 miles), and trips here and there. We have another ICE SUV for longer trips and when we need more space. The reverse chime is annoying.
Just got one and hope it works out your me. Thanks for the comments above.
So honest, I'm impressed. Thank you and congrats.
I prefer the Subaru headlight design and the standard fit 4S tyres is a bonus but I couldn't forgo the Toyota Warranty if i really wanted one of these two. However although range isn't important to me, dragging around, and paying for, the extra weight without benefiting from additional range would be. Mazda has deliberately chosen reduced weight over range in the MX30 and in the UK is nearly 40% cheaper!
For me, I like how the interior is designed but not how it looks. For me, the problem is the colour scheme: to grey, a bit early 80's looking and maybe because of all the grey, the plastics look far less quality than they probably are.
I need to see it in real life.
It’s all black in real life, fairly classy
All of the shinny black plastic will be a dust magnet.
To answer your Q the thing that would put me off is a split rear screen, as in a Prius for example. I had a Civic and after 18 months couldnt take it any more. Hence me ruling out the Genesis GV60.
The giant center displays can be very distracting.
Many time Subaru owners and long time Subaru fans...this car is such a disappointment to us....
This is for Loyal Subaru fans who don’t bother to look at the completion. If this is your first EV is might seem great, but this car shows that Toyota is not really in the game yet.
Wow, changing the colour of the car on the thumb nail to get more views. Reminds me when I worked for Subaru many years ago and all the press guys wanted was red demonstrators. Seems bright colours are still more photogenic.
I just went to the Lexus RZ launch in Montreal Canada. Beautifully put together with some very nice features but 305km autonomy at best is not going to sell well in any country. 95% of people don’t need more autonomy but perception is king.
Its main advantage is its higher ride height over the competition but I think people should just go with the Ayria instead
The higher ride feels good in the front but wierd in the back seat because of it's poor design. Back seat reminds me of small truck back seats.
“In this cold weather 128 miles of range”, as a Canadian I shudder because I know UK temps aren’t really that cold, actually perfect for EVs, cool but not freezing…. I’m a Subaru fan, so i guess we’ll see where this one goes, so I’ll reserve judgement for now.
I must have fallen asleep, when did £50k become mid range?
Just copped it. It’s fire 🔥
You can get this 2023 model now for under 30k with less than 5k miles in america.
Great review and thank you! these electric have too much tech that no one is really bothered. give me a car that is all electric motor and none of all the bells n bollocks! simple radio simple knob for the heating and cooling and a spare full size tyre!
Why change the colour of the car in the thumbnail? The grey is fine!
Don’t forget this car’s wheel will literally fall off. During testing in China, wheels from test vehicles fall off causing significant delays to this car’s introduction into Chinese market, the largest ev market in the world. Test vehicles were directly imported from Japan meaning the base car design is seriously flawed. Chinese market bz4 is modified so this problem wouldn’t happen, but what about cars already sold in us? On top of that, this car sells for 160k rmb in China, about 20k usd, in us, more than 40k, ouch
The reverse chime is because your seatbelt isn’t buckled
Munro has just done an engineering review of the BZ4X and it clearly has a lot of old technology especially in its body construction and 12v system with big heavy lead acid battery. However it did have a excellent but heavy underbody protection for the battery and motors which would make them a lot tougher for off road use than say a Tesla model Y. Prices are crazy and they won't sell many in fact probably won't want to as no doubt very expensive to make. Toyota have a lot of catching up to do.
My Model 3 has a 12v battery also...
Give it a couple of years and it'll be a handy second hand buy; especially if software updates fix the range issues.
Subtitles call it the 'Soul Terror' 🤣If it blocks rapid charging after the second charge like the Toyota then it will be a disaster and then they want 60 grand for a 64kwh battery which will probably see 200 miles at best, they're having a giraffe.
People with Subarus tend to tow, what’s the towing ability??
Strange, but every video I have watched about these 2 cars mentions the instrument display being partially blocked by the steering wheel.
Some advice for Toyota. Poach some enginners from Tesla. Pay them whatever it takes and then get your effiency sorted . . .
I don't like the reversing Bong. I agree that is a real negative.
Yes the reverse bong would put me off buying
I’d maybe consider it if it wasn’t a Toyota. Subarus are finally starting to not feel cheap, but then they come out with this; just a Toyota.
When it comes to chimes in a car, I would like to be able to replace the chimes with words.
When something unusual happens I have to look at the dash and try to figure out what that light is for, since I haven't looked at the manual in years.
So I when I first got the car, if I could have replaced the chime with "Tire Low", "Brake Engaged"...., then I'd understand the problem quicker.
My 2017 car does not have the big LCD screen so maybe LCDs give better info than dash lights.
You need an MG Maestro 😉
To decide whether it's to be a Toyota or a Subaru is the local dealer. I have had first-class Toyota standard service from my Toyota dealer for 20 years. Google struggles to find a Suburu one.
But I would like the Subaru.
Anyone else thinks that the back is reminiscent of the Pontiac Aztek?
I am on my second Subaru xv, this one is the hybrid. It is a superb underrated vehicle. As far as the Solterra goes I think they have dropped the ball, why would I pay another 17k for a car that has such a poor range? If they can get it to 350 miles and reduce the price in line with ice cars then I may be interested, as it stands, Thanks but no thanks.
I found no difference between MAX REGEN braking and ONE PEDAL DRIVING. Both could be a lot more aggressive.
My GF was going to look at this one for an upgrade to her 2011 Impreza… I think she’ll look at a used model Y instead.
Getting some real BRZ/FRS/FT86 energy again
Yes, definitely a case of ‘weight of opinions’, it’s a pretty good car, what I dint like is the floor is so high you have to sit with your knees up, which gets uncomfortable quickly. The Mustang Mach E, Fisker Ocean and the MEBs don’t have this issue.
The short and narrow back seat was uncomfortable to me right away and would be painful for anything but a short drive. The front seats seemed comfortable during a test drive.
Most people who buy or own an EV certainly know how to use a mobile phone and most likely they will use their phone to find charging station etc. Absolutely no need to have that huge manual, they could make a simple one and then have everything on the app like the BMW.
"It has a bong for everything". Keep this away from my teenage kids. But fine for Mom & Dad.
Subaru used to be a good car company, then Toyota bought into them, bean counters took over the vision from the engineers that made Subaru the quirky, fun vehicles they were and it all started turning into sticky brown stuff.
Oh dear, they've copied the Tesla front design 😩
The dealer can disable the reverse chime.
Piano black still?
Someone's dipping their toes in the RV market to gauge market feasibility. Problem is if they're this late to the party what does this show for competitive edge, innovation & company profitability. The Chinese market appears to be getting ready to eat their lunch...
I am, in no way, anti EV and know that one day I will own one. I also understand the idea of vehicle partnerships between car makers (which was hard enough to accept in ICE vehicles). It might be subconscious bias, on my part, but I can't get past an EV simply being a device. I can forgive Subaru for wanting to partner on the tech but it is very hard to forgive them for making no effort at all to create their own unique design, in and out, especially when said design is so boring. It is hard to respect a car maker being this lazy and relying solely on its name to sell. Subaru has a loyal following, indeed and if I were forced to, I would pick the Subaru simply because of the connotation associated with the brand but, otherwise, it's mind numbingly boring. The new Supra might be a Z4 underneath but, at least, Toyota bothered to design a completely different and sexy shell.
toyota has the money - so I guess it's another partnership of convenience
I prefer le soob tbh. Shocking range which is shame!
I can't wait for this piece to fail. The tech class on it was hilarious. Even the teachers were bad mouthing it. The few that bought it from my dealer are not the customers i want returning.