Subaru and Toyota have once again collaborated on a new model after two generations of the BRZ and 86 sport coupes with their first mass-market electric entries. Following the presentation of the Toyota bZX4 late last month, it’s Subaru’s turn to reveal their version called the Solterra, a combination of the Latin words for “sun” and “earth”.
To no one’s surprise, the Solterra looks just like the bZX4 minus some negligible, for the most part, cosmetic differences such as the lobster-claw taillights, the front bumper design that oddly, creates a very Mustang Mach-E-like enclosed grille, the round fog lights, and let’s not forget, the badges so you can tell which one is which. The same applies to the modern looking interior with the large infotainment system, where we expect the two models to try to differentiate themselves through the trimming and color options.
Both compact crossovers are officially being called prototypes, but beyond some regional tweaks such as the North American model’s amber turning signals on the front, they are 99.9 per cent production ready.
Around The Same Size As The Forester
Built on the e-TNGA dedicated electric architecture that Toyota developed with Subaru, the Solterra’s overall dimensions are the same as the bZ4X’s at 4,690mm (184.6 in.) long, 1,860mm (73.2 in.) x 1,650mm (65 in.) tall, with a 2,850mm (112.2 in.), giving it a similar footprint to the Forester (182″ L x 72 W “x68” H).
As with its Toyota twin, the Solterra will come in two layouts, a front-wheel drive model with a single electric motor delivering 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) and an all-wheel drive version with an electric motor on each axle producing a combined output of 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS). In Japan, both models get a 71.4-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery that offers the FWD version a driving range of around 330 miles (530 km), and the AWD, about 285 miles (460 km).
Subaru said the electric crossover will go on sale worldwide starting from mid-2022. We’ll get all the specifics about the North American Solterra at Los Angeles Auto Show.
Source: carscoops