By Ian Strachan.
If you’ve decided to make the switch to all-electric driving, there’s no shortage of vehicles to choose from. The major manufacturers all have electric offerings, but it may just be worth having a look outside the mainstream.
The Subaru Solterra – the brand’s first fully electric vehicle – is comfortable, practical and sporty, with a good range and all-wheel drive, so it could be the car for you.
This Subaru – jointly developed with Toyota – is attractive to look at, very well-appointed inside, with high quality trim materials. From the outside it’s certainly a good looker, with 20-inch alloys, wheel arch extensions, roof rails and rear spoiler.
I tested this fully electric SUV in Touring spec which comes in at £55,495 on the road. It has a published range, if you’re careful, of 257 miles. It can charge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. It also has a heat pump to ensure that the dual-zone automatic climate control doesn’t have a negative effect on the car’s range.
The Solterra’s dual electric motors develop 215PS, and it will take you from 0 to 60 mph in around 6.5 seconds.
The permanent 4WD Solterra will give you comfortable driving, good road manners and high specification. Plus the build quality is exceptional. It has plenty of legroom in the rear and a good luggage capacity of 452 litres which can be increased by folding the 60/40 split rear seats. Unusually it has no glovebox, but there are plenty of storage spaces around the cabin.
The interior of the Solterra is pleasant, modern and well laid out, with a good driving position. In Touring spec you get a panoramic sunroof, making the interior light and airy. You also get heated leather seats all round, with a powered driver’s seat, a heated, leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, 360 degree surround view camera and a powered tailgate.
Specification on the Solterra also includes a 12.3-inch colour touch-screen navigation and infotainment system with eight-speaker DAB radio plus Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, USB ports and voice control and a range of safety technology including lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, 360-degree monitoring and pre-collision braking.
You also get all round electric windows and door mirrors, wireless phone charging, automatic headlights and wipers and LED daytime running lights.
Handling on the Solterra is excellent, with sure-footed road-holding and a suspension which could handle potholes without too much drama. The car’s off-road driving set-up is accessed with a simple press of a button and it has class-leading 210mm ground clearance.
The Subaru Solterra is a good option for someone who wants to do the right thing and go electric but also want the capabilities and practicalities of four-wheel drive. I enjoyed my time with it.
