2026 is starting off with quite a bit of excitement with the introduction of many new brands and models, and in this case, the reinvention of existing brands that we love.
When Subaru invited us for a sneak preview of the Solterra XT, I was a little blindsided. The original Solterra was brought here almost three years ago for a demonstration event – my fellow colleagues got to sit in it, but nobody from the media drove it.
Years passed by without any Subaru EV presence on our roads, and just as we were still getting overwhelmed by new Chinese EVs, we received an email about the new Solterra XT. Exciting.
Return of the XT moniker
Just search ‘Subaru XT’ on Google and you’ll find Subaru Asia’s page about the return of the XT. If you aren’t familiar with Subaru in Singapore, here’s the significance: The Subaru Forester has always been one of the most popular SUVs here, and the XT was a highly-specced trim, equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine.
The ‘XT’ moniker has always been associated with high specs and high power, but the trim level has been missing from the lineup in the recent years — Foresters are no longer offered with turbocharged engines.
Now, the XT returns in a fully electric, but still very potent form. Equipped with dual motors and all-wheel drive, the Solterra XT puts out a total of 252kW (338bhp), with 167kW and 268Nm at the front axle, and 88kW and 169Nm at the rear.
The potent powertrain allows the Solterra XT to complete the century sprint in just over five seconds, which is truly impressive.
Equipped with a 73.1kWh battery, the Solterra XT manages a WLTP range of 436km, which is a healthy number — going on road trips without fretting about charging is something entirely doable with this car.
Subaru’s famed driving dynamics
Subaru is known for a few things: Boxer engine, all-wheel drive and great handling. While the Solterra XT doesn’t have an internal combustion engine, it still retains the distinct flavour of Subaru.
The Solterra XT drives more similarly to the internal-combustion Subaru models than most of the newer EVs out there. Atypical of EVs, the steering is nicely weighted and communicative, resulting in a confidence-inspiring drive.
Brake modulation is also on point — without being overly assisted, it is much easier to control the brakes for a smooth stop, even when you drive the car for the first time. The ability to control the strength of regenerative braking through the paddle shifter is yet another thoughtful inclusion that would be appreciated by most drivers.
As expected from Subaru, the Solterra XT also comes with the X-Mode feature that optimises power delivery for increased traction on off-road surfaces — yes, the Solterra XT is designed to be driven on paths less travelled as well.
With damping on the slightly stiffer side, the Solterra XT stays settled around tighter bends, once again offering increased confidence for the driver. While some might prefer a softer ride quality, the firmer, steadfast ride quality is something that I appreciate here – against common thinking, a ride that is too soft can cause motion sickness, and there’s no such issue here.
Yet another Toyobaru twin
Those who are familiar with the development of the Solterra would probably know that, like the Toyota 86 and BRZ pair, this is also a shared product that was developed with Toyota — the Toyota bZ4X and the Subaru Solterra are practically twins.
Hence, the exterior and interior of both cars are similar in many ways, down to the iconic black wheel arches. However, Subaru has given the car’s design a slight spin – you’ll see that the Solterra XT’s head lights are split units, with slim daytime running lights separated from the main beams which are boxy units located below (unlike Toyota’s).
The grille is also distinct, with the Solterra bearing a new blacked-out, flat Subaru badge that will be used on electric models going forward.
The C-shaped taillight signature is yet another tell-tale for identifying the Subaru version — the rest of the car looks highly similar.
Inside, the Solterra XT once again shares plenty with its Toyota twin, with the main point of differentiation being the squared-off steering wheel on the Subaru.
This is a welcome sight though, as the car gets a large 14-inch infotainment system with built-in navigation, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity.
Aircon temperature can be controlled with the physical knobs on the display, while the other climate control settings are always accessible on screen. With dual wireless chargers and ventilated front seats, the Solterra XT is indeed well equipped.
A good ride and a great drive
Equipped with a premium Harmon Kardon sound system, the Solterra XT promises quality audio. But more importantly, the Subaru engineers have spent considerable effort to improve the insulation and NVH characteristics on this car.
With minimal vibrations and external noise, the Solterra XT’s interior is a nice environment to enjoy a comfortable ride. Thanks to a long wheelbase of just pver 2.8 metres, legroom is abundant, and boot space is a substantial 441 litres as well.
More importantly, the Solterra XT is among the handful of EVs that doesn’t feel too detached to drive — from its communicative steering to the well-modulated brakes and sublime performance, this is probably one of the more enjoyable EV SUVs in the market.
Its indicative price of $228,800 (as of time of writing) puts it in a rather competitive position. The Solterra XT is priced just below the dual motor high-performance variants of many other popular competitors such as the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD ($246,672), the Xpeng G6 Pro Performance AWD ($241,999) and the BYD Sealion 7 Electric Performance ($237,888). But it is also considerably less powerful, coming in with 338bhp as opposed to the other models’ 500-odd horsepower output.
The new Subaru Solterra XT is a relatively quick EV SUV that is spacious, relatively well-equipped, and the most impressive of all, engaging and enjoyable to drive.
What we like
- Powerful dual motor drivetrain – 5.1 seconds century sprint!
- Great steering weight and feel
- Adequate damping stiffness for a sporty drive
- Spacious and practical
- Well-insulated with good NVH
What we dislike
- Not sure about the two-tone colourway with gloss black fenders
- No frunk
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This article was first published in sgCarMart.
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