Subaru jumps into the electric vehicle market with the brand's first widely offered EV, the 2023 Solterra. Sharing its platform with the almost identical Toyota bZ4X, we share our first impressions of this all-electric SUV, including its unique interior design cues, driving characteristics, and power delivery. We also discuss the current state of the semiconductor chip shortage on the car market: why you might see cars selling with a chip shortage discount, whether some manufacturers are dropping options like satellite radio in order to ration the available chips, and if cars from this era will be desirable in the future.
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SHOW NOTES
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00:00 – Introduction
00:52 – First Impressions : 2023 Subaru Solterra
13:39 – Question: Is the semiconductor chip shortage still affecting the car market?
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2023 Subaru Solterra EV Has Lots of Room but Its Battery Is Too Small
2022 New York Auto Show: Subaru Solterra EV
2022 New York Auto Show: Toyota’s All-Electric bZ4X
Why Your New Car May Not Have Everything You Want
When to Buy a Used Car in This Tough Market
Global Chip Shortage Makes It Tough to Buy Certain Cars
Guide to Car Safety
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I’m sorry but Subaru, Toyota and CR missed what the average Subaru owner would want. I’ve owned 5 Subarus and live in the PacNW. This EV only has 220 mile range in nice weather! I would rather have a Subaru Outback Wilderness hybrid, with the latest Toyota hybrid technology. We currently have a Subaru Legacy for road trips and a Nissan Leaf SV for around town.
I’m a long-time Subaru owner here and would rather have an Outback with hybrid technology than an electric any day. I have an Outback for camping/long trips and a Prius for everything else.
Toyota Tundra is the most epic American vehicle to me, hitting million miles of reliability built in TX (Yes, i’m very proud of that Team, love to visit if possible / allow visitors). I do like Honda Pilot / Passport / Ridgeline / Odyssey line for the top list for the most American vehicle nowadays just behind the most American vehicle the Dodge Grand Caravan taking the #1 spot in 2020. I think around the same time Acura MDX was so close to be the most American vehicle 75% just short of Grand Caravan 76% American made.
I am confident many CR subscribers look forward to more Subarus built in Toyota factories by Toyota 😉 In so far as “more power and torque” is concerned, has CR looked at the increasing death rate on US roadways? Does CR have evidence that average drivers have the skills to handle more power and torque?
Keith’s bad sound makes good video look bad.
I think that most people want EVs and most people like crossovers because they’re comfortable and flexible but until their average range is much greater than four hundred miles or ideally five hundred miles to a charge and charge times are under fifteen minutes they won’t take over the majority of the market.
That Solterra does not look like a $54,000 vehicle. Mid $30k max.
NO THEY MISSED THE TRAIN ON THIS.
ONE THIS IS A HALF MEASURED ATTEMPT TO PUT AN ELECTRIC CAR ON THE MARKET.
(1) Where is the 800 volt architecture we see in the other cars? (Kia/Hyundai) Slow damn charging.
(2) Hell to the NO on the range. Give is at least 300 miles on range. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN OUTDOOR VEHICLE? Right!!!
(3) Give us a true Subaru Hybrid Outback Wagon.
I was looking at getting a BZ or Soltera. After doing some research the SolterrA and AWD BZ was a charging rate of 100 not 150, killed it. The FWD has a 150 rate but not the AWD. Unless something change but I don’t think it has. People underestimate what a pain it the butt Slow Fast Charging and Slow onboard charger will on a TV long timed road trip especially with the SUV limited range. Has anyone told a Solterra AWD or BZ AWD on a timed road? The other thing I am trying to get is verified information on the charging curve, ei: what is the actual charging rate over time? My calculations are that it will take well over 8 hours with the onboard charger. And pre info is the charging rate drops to much lower than 100 on DC fast chargers early on is the charging curve. Leading to very charging sessions DC fast charger. Right now even if they cut the price a slow charging EV is a no. Have they put the same one for charging rate for the BZ the same as a Rav 4 Prime which has a tiny battery? I see issues a head when owners realize the limited slow charging.
Looking for Audi Q3 that dealer was willing to sell for MSRP. All available vehicles had small credit for Audi side assist, meaning no blind spot warning. Salesman and sales manager never mentioned this until I saw it myself in fine print on the sticker.
Why is even consumer reports presenting the tax credit like its a discount. If you buy the car the loan will be msrp plus tax. It wont be msrp minus 7,500, plus taxes. The tax credit should not at all factor into you purchase because most adults wont be to redeem all 7500 anyway.
Are used car buyers discerning buyers? Doubt it. Most used car postings don’t go into the details of all the options say split folding seats or alarms.
The qualification, in my opinion, for a car to be American is for the company to be founded and established in the USA. GM, Ford, Chrysler, AMC, Studebaker, Nash, Hudson, etc. Honda and Hyundai build excellent cars in America, but they are not American car companies. At one time Volkswagen and Rolls Royce built cars in the USA, but neither are domestic car companies.
While many cars can be considered iconic American cars, I feel Jeep should be recognized as representing the USA. Although Jeep has grown and matured since its humble roots in the early 1940’s, no brand in America has better followed its philosophy as Jeep.
The pre-ordering for the Solterra has been closed for months now, so no, Keith, you can’t pre-order one now.
Many Subaru drivers are older. Many of my friends (I’m 58) drive foresters. Think it might be a try to get us into an ev
Solterra is supposedly sold out for 2022 via pre-orders.
The on-board charging and DC fast charging on this seem awfully bad, along with the range, and the price is way too high. I like Subaru but this just isn’t a good attempt at all.
Just want to correct the misstatement that the solterra dc charge speed is only a max of 100 (not 150) kw. This is grossly underwhelming for a brand new ev. The overall specs of the solterra is underwhelming in general.
I had a 2002 Prius and it’s gauge cluster was simple, easy to read and nothing as dis functional as this Subaru. Perhaps it is time for some federal standards for readability of displays, configuration of steering wheels (no yokes or obtuse setups), and standardized gear selectors. Yes, some originality of design quirks would be out, but safety and usability would be in.
I like “80’s boom box.” Doesn’t seem like they put a lot of design effort into this car, especially compared to the Ioniq 5 and EV6. Toyota and Subaru sell a lot of cars based on reliability, is that reputation going to carry through on their significantly new all electric technology platform? Will consumers make the leap of faith?
“almost identical Toyota bZ4X”. I though I was looking at a bz4x…