Tested: 2026 Subaru Solterra Gets a Lot Quicker
Appearance: Still a "simple and honest" muscular man
At first sight of the 2026 Solterra, I almost thought Subaru had replaced the designer's coffee with Red Bull-the front face was fierce, the wheels were bulging, and the whole posture was like a sumo wrestler squatting ready to start. The side lines are still stubborn like "Although I am an electric SUV, I want to install off-road", but to be honest, they are really eye-catching. Especially the black trim board of the C-pillar reminds me of a certain mysterious Gundam mech... Of course, if you insist on saying that it looks like the face-changing brother of the Toyota bZ4X, I can't refute it. After all, brothers. (laughs)
Interior: The plastic feels still, but the screen finally wakes up
When I got in the car, my first reaction was: Well, it's very Subaru-there's still so much hard plastic, but this time I gave me at least a 12.3-inch central control screen, and the response speed finally caught up with the 2019 Android phone (Yes, the previous one was a resistive screen in 2009). "Life-saving" configurations such as steering wheel heating and seat ventilation are all available on Touring XT, but what moved me the most was that the wireless charging pad could finally firmly clamp my iPhone, rather than flying out with a sudden brake. However, the rear space... is quite normal at the same level, but my hair will still rub against the roof of the car after I sit straight with my height of 175. Is this panoramic sunroof fake?
Core upgrade: Accelerate! Accelerate! Accelerate!
Okay, here comes the point! In the past, when you drove Solterra, you accelerated at full throttle. It was like thinking about life: "Should I go faster? Forget it, just take your time..."What about the 2026 model? If you step down, the motor will instantly push the back to your spine. The actual measurement of 0-96 km/h takes only 5.8 seconds! It's a full 1.5 seconds faster than the old model! Oh, my God, this is not an update, it's just a stimulant! Although it is still a little far behind the Model Y Performance, at least it can fight the golf GTI at the start of the traffic light, and no matter how hard it accelerates in the middle, it is no longer a "dry roar". Subaru finally understood: Electric cars are not fast, so I'm sorry for the word "electricity".
Driving experience: Does the chassis finally taste like a "magic carpet"?
After driving, you will find that the car is not only faster, but also more "sticky". The suspension adjustment is obviously firmer, and the roll control when turning corners is better than the old model, but when encountering a bad road, it will not make you doubt your life-Subaru's full-time four-wheel drive system (electric four-wheel drive version) intervenes extremely naturally, and driving it in rainy and snowy days is as solid as wearing non-slip shoes. However, the steering feel is still light, with a strong electronic smell, and lacks any real feedback, but no one complains about this in most daily drivers. In addition, the intensity adjustment of energy recovery can finally be as linear as an old driver's braking, rather than the previous polarization of "either sliding or hitting the wall".
Battery life and charging: A little more radical, but don't get too excited
The battery capacity has been increased to 73 kWh (the old model was 66 kWh), and the EPA battery life is nominal to 412 kilometers. The actual speed of running on the air conditioner is about 340-360 kilometers, which is acceptable. But the most maddening charging speed-the peak power is still only about 100 kW. It takes 35 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. Even the modern IONIQ 5 next door laughed out loud. However, Subaru finally gave a "pre-conditioning battery" function this time, which can automatically heat the battery before charging in winter, which is a conscience finding. Moreover, I actually measured that at a temperature of 25°C, plugged in a 350 kW fast-charging pile, and it was able to stably reach 108 kW, and the power was lost until 60%, which was an improvement than before! But it's still not fast enough. Please go directly to the 400V platform next time...
Conclusion: From a "grocery cart" to a "grocery cart that you can step on"
The 2026 Solterra is like a friend who only knew how to make scrambled eggs with tomatoes. He suddenly learned Kung Pao Chicken Dice-although it is not as amazing as the Manchu and Han banquet, at least it makes you willing to take it out for dinner. Accelerated improvement is the biggest highlight of this modification. Coupled with minor repairs to the chassis and vehicle, it has finally become a car I would like to recommend to people who like the Subaru brand and want an electric four-wheel-drive SUV. But if you are a terminally ill patient with charging anxiety or are pursuing extreme acceleration, it is still not the optimal solution. But then again, driving a Subaru skiing and easily overtaking those two-wheel-drive electric vehicles in the snow, you know the feeling.
