Subaru Solterra Limited Edition, the emotional rally connection

To make a name for itself, the electric SUV Subaru Solterra will soon offer a Limited Edition recalling its rally past.

Who still remembers the glorious history of Subaru in rallying? Young people under 20 have never seen this Japanese manufacturer triumph. To recall those great moments, we go back to 1995 with the brilliant Colin McRae (soon 30 years ago) with the legendary blue and yellow Impreza in the colors of cigarette brand 555. More recently, in 2001 with the late Richard Burns, and in 2003 with Petter Solberg. That covers driver titles in WRC, while manufacturer titles were spread from 1995 to 1997. Then came French dominance with Peugeot and Citroën, which revolutionized the technical approach with compact cars instead of large three-box sedans. It was during this period that Subaru faded back into anonymity at least in Europe.

It’s a loss we can only regret, because Subaru is a true automotive engineering firm. Its products are reliable, relevant, and agile in all circumstances. Mountain dwellers will confirm! But, alas, Subaru suffers from a limited distribution network, historically high fuel consumption (and performance as well…), and prices that match its offerings. When shifting to electric vehicles, Subaru had no choice but to collaborate with Toyota to share development and industrialization costs. That’s how, in 2022, the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra were born.

Just for the Look?

The bZ4X remains Toyota’s first all-electric vehicle. So, no need to criticize it for lacking electric performance. Charging and range are far from benchmarks, but reliability, again, is impeccable. You can’t have everything.

Initially costly, this electric SUV is becoming increasingly affordable despite the absence of eco-bonus incentives. The reason: its production in Japan. And if you are a true fan of this SUV, why choose it as a Subaru rather than as a Toyota? This question will soon be addressed by the former, through a Limited Edition playing on emotional appeal: a midnight blue metallic color and gold wheels. Just like the rallying heyday.

For the thrill, you’ll have to wait, as although the drivetrain is all-wheel drive, power is limited to 217 horsepower (160 kW). As for the range, you’re unlikely to get more than 400 km in real-world mixed cycle driving (officially 414 km). More realistic estimates are around 300 km, up to 500 km in city driving. That’s even less than the standard Comfort version offering up to 465 km in WLTP combined cycle. Hard to understand when its 71.4 kWh battery is cube-shaped. The 20-inch wheels are much more energy-consuming than the original 18-inch ones.

Finally, for acceleration, you’ll need 6.9 seconds to reach 100 km/h, with a top speed limited to 160 km/h. Charging options include 7 kW AC and up to 150 kW DC fast charging.

Price-wise, it could be a cold shower, with a cost close to 55,000 euros… roughly the same as a Tesla Model Y Performance, which is substantially superior…

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