• Single powertrain available
• Swift performance
• Standard all-wheel-drive

Electric engines

There are no decisions to be made in the powertrain department with the Subaru Solterra, as there’s just one electric motor setup available. It comes with a pair of 80kW motors, one on each axle, providing all-wheel drive.

Most other manufacturers use a dual-motor set-up to create a high-performance monster – see the 577hp Kia EV6 GT and 487hp Ford Mustang Mach-E GT. By contrast, the Solterra has a mere 215hp to play with. However, at around 2,000kg, it’s quite light for this type of car, so performance is actually pretty brisk. The 0-62mph sprint takes 6.9 seconds – fast enough to outrun a hot hatch only a few years ago – and top speed is limited to 99mph.

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What’s it like to drive?

• Composed in corners
• Soaks up big bumps
• Genuine off-road ability

The Solterra is quite quick off the mark and its all-wheel drive means it’s unlikely to spin the wheels up even on a soaking wet, muddy road. It has plenty of overtaking muscle and rocks up to the motorway speed limit swiftly, but as is often the case with electric cars the rate of acceleration tails off above that level.

On a twisty road, the Solterra doesn’t display the verve of Subaru’s iconic Impreza WRX road-going rally cars, but it’s impressively composed all the same. It’s not remotely sporty, but the accurate steering feels like it’s actually connected to the front wheels (not always the case in EVs), there’s not a trace of bodyroll and it shrugs off big bumps and holes.

It doesn’t encourage such behaviour, but if you need to make rapid progress cross-country, the Solterra doesn’t hold you back. You’ll have more fun in a Kia EV6, but the Solterra acquits itself much better than the likes of the Audi Q4 e-tron.

But the Solterra really impresses with its off-roading ability. It’s down to the X-Mode system which features Snow/Dirt and Snow/Mud modes that keep the wheels turning in any conditions. There’s also an ingenious automatic hill descent control system that holds the speed at which you crest the top of a slope.

On a steep, muddy, rutted off-road course, it proved to be extremely capable. 210mm of ground clearance and good approach and departure angles mean you’re rarely in danger of grounding out and the easily modulated power makes it easy to maintain momentum. The car I drove had road tyres which highlighted the need for appropriate rubber, but it’s still more than able to cope with life in the countryside.

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