The 2026 Subaru Solterra now packs a 74.7-kWh battery pack, which works with the rest of the powertrain to net a 25% range increase over the previous Solterra’s 227 miles.
The updated Solterra EV also cranks power up to 233 hp standard or 338 hp from the more powerful XT models.
The 2026 Solterra is expected to hit dealerships later this year, with pricing still to be determined.
After a handful of years on the market, Subaru is giving its Solterra EV a major overhaul. Just like its platform-shared counterpart, the Toyota bZ (formerly bZ4X), the ’26 Subaru Solterra makes the ownership experience better in almost every way.
While the sheetmetal isn’t dramatically different from its predecessor, the underpinnings and option list were both reworked to make the Solterra attractive in a continuously more competitive space.
Powering every ’26 Subaru Solterra is a revamped battery pack. Now boasting 74.7 kWh, this revamped Solterra can now travel up to 288 miles on a single charge.
That’s up from the previous Solterra’s 72.8-kWh battery, which was only good for 227 miles per charge.
Subaru says there’s more to the extra range than just adding 1.9 kWh. The bump in range is largely due to better battery temperature management, which also should help you when charging.
If you want the 288 miles per charge, that means you’ll have to opt for the slightly more efficient entry-level powertrain. This powertrain sports a drive module on each axle, which work together to make 233 hp.
More Range, More Power
If you don’t mind sacrificing some range and some extra dollars a month, you can move up to the more powerful Solterra XT model, which now advertise 338 hp from its pair of drive modules.
If you’re wondering why the Toyota offers 314 miles per charge from effectively the same car, well, it’s simple. That’s for a front-wheel-drive only model, which Subaru doesn’t offer.
The extra oomph helps the Solterra better align with the increasingly more potent battery-electric offerings. The 338-hp Solterra XT, like almost any BEV, will reset what 338 hp means on a spec sheet.
Subaru helps your right foot better manage that power with a trio of drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Power.
The drive modes are exactly what you expect, with the Eco mode pulling accelerator position, the normal drive mode giving you a fairly linear relationship with the pedal and your expected demand, and Power giving you a slightly more aggressive tip in.
Considering the range constraints and the available power on tap, driving around in Eco mode isn’t nearly as much of a punishment as you’d expect.
Zero to 60 in Under 5 Seconds
But if you’re trying to impress friends, hustle onto an interstate or give your best Colin McRae on a gravel road, the Power mode does give you solid control over the power delivery.
When pushing the Solterra to its acceleration limit, the machine is fairly uneventful. Torque steer is well managed despite a more powerful front-drive module on Solterra XT models.
From a standing start, with the accelerator stuffed to the floor, the car hustles quickly to highway speeds without any drama.
Subaru says these Solterra XT models are good for a sprint to 60 in under 5 seconds, which feels about right when you’re in the driver’s seat.
You’ll be commanding this new powertrain from a similarly new interior. Again, just like the updated Toyota bZ, this Solterra moves up to the standard 14.0-inch touchscreen media controller.
This runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but also native functions as well. Unfortunately, this new standard big screen media system is also home to the climate control functions.
Despite the digital controls, managing your climate functions is intuitive and should become second nature with time.
All in, the updated interior is both spacious and fairly user friendly. Second row passengers might have to slouch to help clear the headliner of this aerodynamically efficient crossover, but that might major setback on the inside.
Together, the updates to the powertrain and to the interior do make the Solterra more competitive with the growing field of battery-electric machines in the marketplace.
Hitting Showrooms in October
Subaru is also pushing the brand’s off-road chops as a way to differentiate the Solterra from your average road-going Family Truckster. In truth, the Solterra does handle logging roads well, but you probably won’t want to take it through Hell’s Revenge next Easter.
But the Solterra has 8.3 inches of ground clearance and Subaru’s hill descent control system to give you some more confidence in low-friction situations.
These upgrades to the Solterra, as well as the expansion of its EV lineup with the unconventionally named Uncharted and more apt Trailseeker, shows that Subaru is betting that BEVs will command more space in the market in the future.
Subaru says the ’26 Solterra is scheduled to hit showrooms around the end of October or the beginning of November.
Pricing is still to be determined, but the folks at Subaru say there shouldn’t be a major shakeup in the pricing. That means you should expect the ’26 Solterra to start around the current $39,915 base price.
What do you think of the revamped Solterra? Tell us your thoughts below.
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