Subaru has officially confirmed pricing for its Solterra midsize SUV as it prepares to officially open orders for the brand’s first electric vehicle later this week.
The Solterra SUV is available in two grades, the AWD and AWD Touring, priced at $69,990 and $76,990 respectively, before on-road costs are added on.
Update Feb 2024: Subaru Australia, in the days leading up to the launch of the Solterra, made the shock decision to drop the price of the starting AWD grade by $8000 and the AWD Touring by $6700.
Subaru has priced the Solterra from $77,990 in Australia
Update Jan 2024: We’ve updated this article with more information regarding standard equipment and safety features that have been confirmed for the Australian Solterra range.
The entry price reflects a sharp increase over the petrol-power Forester ($37,890 before on-roads) though undercuts other AWD-equipped EVs such as the Tesla Model Y Long Range ($78,400) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dynamiq ($80,500).
The price of both Solterra grades also fall under the $89,332 cut-off point for luxury car tax for fuel-efficient vehicles in Australia for the 2023 to 2024 financial year.
This means buyers can expect to not just pay less tax but those purchasing under a novated lease through their employer are eligible to wave fringe benefits tax.
The Solterra can travel up to 414km on a single charge, according to WLTP
Subaru Solterra range, charging and performance
At the moment, Subaru Australia is yet to confirm the full list of specifications for both grades and warns they could change ahead of the release date but the details provided so far are interesting.
Both grades will utilise a 71.4kWh battery (64kWh usable) and feed electricity to a dual-motor setup, with a combined output of 160kW of power and 337Nm of torque.
Subaru was also keen to point out the Aussie-spec Solterra has a solid 210mm of ground clearance – 10mm down on a Forester 2.5i-S – and an electrified version of the company’s ‘X-Mode’ off-road setting.
The Solterra features 210mm of ground clearance and X-Mode
The WLTP-tested range of the Solterra in this guise is 414km.
Subaru says its electric SUV is also capable of charging from 20 to 80 percent in 30 minutes using a 150kW DC charger. Those using a home-style 7kW AC charger will be able to top up the battery from 20 to 80 percent in seven to eight hours.
What does each grade of the Solterra include?
Solterra AWD
The entry-level Solterra AWD comes with standard features such as heated seats up front and for the outboard rear seats, along with a heated steering wheel. The driver’s seat also features eight-way power adjustment.
The entry-level Solterra AWD is fitted with cloth seat upholstery, similar to those seen on an early prototype spotted by Chasing Cars on the streets of Sydney earlier this year.
A 12.3-inch touchscreen is fitted as standard
Other notable features include a massive 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with an additional 7.0-inch display within the instrument cluster. The base model is also fitted with 18-inch wheels, a power tailgate, LED headlights and fog lights along with a digital rear mirror.
Other features include satellite navigation, roof rails, regenerative braking modes, a six-speaker sound system and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Five years of complimentary servicing are included in the cost of the Solterra.
Standard safety features include:
- Adaptive LED high-beam headlights
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane keep assistance
- Lane departure alert
- Blind-spot monitoring
- A 360-degree camera
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Rear parking sensors
- Emergency steering assistance
- Road sign assist
- Front view monitor
- Distraction and drowsiness driver monitoring
Solterra AWD Touring
Stepping up to the Touring grade adds synthetic leather seats, eight-way power adjustment for both front seats with a memory setting for the driver and larger 20-inch alloy wheels.
Other notable features include a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a wireless phone charger, an automatic parking function, a panoramic sunroof and the ability to option two-tone paint colours – though that will set you back an extra $1200.
The top-spec model rolls on 20-inch wheels
At-home EV chargers available
A 2kW AC charging cable is included as standard with both Solterra grades.
Like pretty much every car manufacturer offering EVs in Australia, Subaru is offering two chargers to bundle in with the purchase of the Solterra.
Including the cost of installation, buyers can purchase a single-phase 7kW Ocular LTE Plus Wallbox and a six-metre cable for $2250.
The first patch of Solterras will arrive in Australia in late December
Or, for $2645, buyers can opt for a three-phase 22kW Ocular LTE Plus Wallbox with a similar style of cable included, for faster charging.
The order books will officially open on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 before the first batch of Solterras are expected to arrive in late December.
Additional reporting by Zak Adkins.
Subaru Solterra 2024: prices in Australia
All prices listed are before on-road costs.
- AWD: $69,990
- AWD Touring: $76,990