• Robustly put together
• User-friendly infotainment
• Still has some proper buttons

How is the quality and layout

Literally the only difference between the interior of the Subaru Solterra and that of the Toyota bZ4X is the badge on the steering wheel. That’s no bad thing, though. The various grades of plastic and other materials feel as robust as you’d expect of a Subaru and they’re vastly better quality than Subaru’s usual fare, if not especially tactile.

The high-set digital instrument display copies Peugeot’s i-Cockpit format and it’s just as divisive here. It works absolutely fine for me, but some people just can’t get on with it. The high centre console won’t be to all tastes, either, as you can feel a bit hemmed in by it.

The 12.3-inch infotainment system display sits atop the dashboard. Mercifully, not all the car’s features and functions are housed in it – there’s a mix of haptic and hard buttons for things like the climate control and drive modes, and a rotary selector for drive and reverse.

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Infotainment and tech

As with the rest of the interior, the 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is identical to the bZ4X’s. It’s a giant leap forward from the decidedly sub-par, bought-in systems used in other Subarus. The graphics look clear and bright, the screen’s responsive and it’s relatively easy to find your way around the menus.

Sat nav, Bluetooth and DAB radio are included as standard. There’s also wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity.

Top-of-range Touring spec adds a useful wireless phone charging pad on the centre console and a high-quality Harmon/Kardon stereo. You’ll find various charging ports adjacent to the plinth under the centre console, making it the ideal place for wired device charging.   

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Comfort

• Standard electric driver’s seat
• Good lateral support
• Generally very quiet

The Solterra has a trait common to most electric cars with a so-called skateboard chassis containing everything that makes the car go, steer and stop. The floor is quite high and the seats relatively low down, so you sit with your knees up, especially in the back. Add to that short seat bases both in the front and back, and leg ache could become an issue on longer drives for taller people.

Overall, though, I found it to be perfectly smooth, comfortable and quiet for well over an hour of driving. The seats provide excellent lateral support, and you feel like you’re sat in them, not on them. I’d have no problem spending a lot longer in the Solterra.

Both Limited and Touring spec have an electrically-adjustable driver’s seat; Touring adds memory for seat, steering wheel and mirror positions. Both models also have heated seats front and back, and a heated steering wheel. Touring upgrades to faux leather upholstery and a (non-opening) panoramic glass sunroof; the back seats are a bit dingy without it.

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