Subaru can get by with a little help from its friends, at least when it comes to hybrids and electric cars. The company’s new hybrid powertrain uses Toyota hardware, and its growing range of electric SUVs also come from Toyota’s portfolio. The Trailseeker and the Uncharted are the new kids on the block for 2026, but the existing Solterra is not completely ignored. Like its twin, the Toyota bZ, it benefits from significant upgrades for the new model year. We just tested the new and improved Solterra, and it’s certainly a noticeable change from the previous model as soon as you step on the starter pedal.
The Solterra Touring XT we tested now comes with a 338-hp dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain, a significant increase from the 215-hp output of the previous AWD model. The 100 km/h time is reduced from 6.1 seconds to a quick 4.3 seconds, and the Solterra’s new responsiveness means it’s quite springy both in town and on the highway. It’s the fastest-accelerating Subaru we’ve ever tested – take that, WRX STI – and is now fully competitive with other dual-motor compact electric SUVs, many of which are faster than they have any right to be.
We can’t quite say the new grunt turns the Solterra into a driver’s car, though, as the steering still isn’t as engaging as we’d like, and the handling is more Forester than BRZ. The Solterra rides firmly and body movements are well controlled, but there’s not much to engage the senses here other than that typical EV push when you put it on the ground. We also longed for a true one-pedal driving mode; there are several levels of adjustable regeneration delay, but none are set to bring the car to a complete stop.
The battery is also being upgraded for 2026, and despite a paltry 2.6 percent increase in capacity, the Touring XT is expected to be able to travel 278 miles on a charge, an upgrade of more than 20 percent over the previous Touring model’s 220 miles and an upgrade that puts the Subaru in the same ballpark as AWD versions of competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Volkswagen ID.4. However, the Tesla Model Y still reigns supreme in terms of range, with its estimates of over 300 miles.
How does a barely larger battery translate into so much more range in a vehicle that is otherwise largely unchanged? The Solterra now wears different tires, which are presumably more efficient, but whether owners will see substantially greater real-world range will depend on their driving cycle. Comparing the coastdown figures that Toyota and Subaru submitted to the EPA for the 2026 Solterra, the updated model is only about 5 percent more efficient at 75 mph. So we expect it to travel about 210 miles on our 75mph highway loop, compared to 200 miles before.
We appreciate the adjustments to the interior of the Solterra, because the new dashboard feels less space in the front than before. There are also new buttons to control the temperature, and two wireless smartphone charging pads on the center console. But some packaging quirks remain, including the steering wheel rim that can partially block the digital instrument cluster when adjusted a certain way, and a high seating position that compromises headroom.
Subaru has lowered the Solterra’s price in recent years to broaden its appeal — and to offset the end of the federal electric vehicle tax credit — and the sub-$50,000 price for the loaded Touring XT model seems reasonable enough for what you get. It wouldn’t be our first choice among compact electric SUVs, as it’s less stylish and less fun to drive than the Ioniq 5, our current favorite in this segment. But the updated Solterra is finally competitive in its class – and it’s certainly a lot faster.
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Specifications
2026 Subaru Solterra Touring XT
Vehicle type: front and rear engine, four-wheel drive, 5 passengers, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/as tested: $47,005/$48,275
Options: Two-tone leather seats, $795; Midnight Tide Mica Paint, $475
DRIVE
Front Motor: Permanent Magnet Synchronous AC, 224 hp, 198 lb-ft
Rear motor: permanent magnet synchronous alternating current, 117 hp, 125 lb-ft
Combined power: 338 hp
Battery pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 67 kWh (CD East)
Peak charging speed, AC/DC: 11.0/150 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, front/rear: struts/multilink
Brakes, front/rear: 12.9″ ventilated disc/12.5″ ventilated disc
Tires: Yokohama Geolandar X-CV G057 E+
235/50R-20 100V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 inches
Length: 184.6 inches
Width: 73.2 inches
Height: 65.0 inches
Passenger volume, F/R: 55/40 ft3
Cargo volume, rear F/R: 64/24 ft3
Curb weight: 4499 pounds
CD TEST RESULTS
100 km/h: 4.3 sec
160 km/h: 11.8 sec
1/4 mile: 13.0 sec at 161 km/h
The above results show a 1-foot rollout of 0.3 sec. away.
Rolling start, 5-100 km/h: 4.5 sec
Top gear, 50-80 km/h: 2.0 sec
Top gear, 80-110 km/h: 2.8 sec
Top speed (gov ltd): 161 mph
Braking, 110–0 km/h: 50 meters
Braking, 100–0 mph: 343 ft
Interior noise
Idle: 29 dBA/1 sone
Full throttle: 73 dBA
Cruising at 110 km/h: 69 dBA/26 sone
CD FUEL CONSUMPTION AND CHARGING
Observed: 62 MPGe
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 117/128/105 MPGe
Range: 448 miles
CD TESTING EXPLAINED
Despite growing up on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas (or perhaps because of them), Joey Capparella still cultivated an obsession with the automotive industry while growing up in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led to him moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional car writing gig at Automobile magazine. He has been part of the Car and driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
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