The 2027 Subaru Solterra Is Weirdly Quick But Still Playing It Safe

Here’s something nobody expected: Subaru‘s electric wagon is now the fastest thing the brand has ever put in a showroom. The 2027 Solterra XT sprints to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds—quicker than the legendary WRX, quicker than most hot hatches, and basically quick enough to embarrass people who thought EVs were supposed to be boring appliances. Yet somehow, Subaru still managed to make a vehicle that feels like it’s playing it safe in every other way that matters.

This is peak Subaru: take a genuinely interesting idea (a practical EV wagon with standard all-wheel drive), nail one thing spectacularly (acceleration), then trip over itself on everything else.

The Good: All-Wheel Drive and Actual Pace

Let’s start with what Subaru got right. The Solterra’s dual-motor setup means every version ships with all-wheel drive—no front-drive penalty, no upsell nonsense. The standard model produces 233 horsepower, while the XT bumps that to 338 hp, enough to genuinely surprise people at stoplights. Car and Driver’s testing confirmed the XT’s sub-4.4-second sprint, putting it in the same zip code as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 SEL AWD (4.4 seconds) while running laps around older EVs.

The XT’s performance isn’t just a party trick either—that 4.3-second time is legitimately quick for an all-wheel-drive family hauler. Couple that with Subaru’s suite of off-road software (X-MODE with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes, Grip Control, Downhill Assist) and you’ve got an EV that actually knows how to handle a gravel road. That’s rare. Most EV makers act like dirt doesn’t exist.

The cabin is straightforward and functional—no fussy minimalist design, no touch-sensitive controls that feel like ghost hunting. A 14.0-inch touchscreen sits in the middle with actual knobs for temperature adjustment. Standard dual wireless phone chargers, USB-C ports everywhere, and available Harman/Kardon audio keeps things practical. The limited trim adds leather, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats, making it feel genuinely comfortable.

The Weird: One-Pedal Driving That Doesn’t Actually Stop You

Here’s where things get strange. The Solterra offers four levels of regenerative braking, which sounds comprehensive until you realize it doesn’t include true one-pedal driving—the kind that brings the car to a complete stop. Instead, you’re left with a half-measure that forces you to hit the brake pedal anyway. In 2025, when every competitor from Hyundai to Volkswagen figured this out, Subaru shipping an EV without this basic feature feels like showing up to the party with a flip phone.

The steering and handling are equally undistinguished. The XT’s stiffer suspension is a trade-off that works for acceleration junkies but feels out of place for what is, functionally, a family wagon. Nothing about the driving experience translates to engaging or particularly fun—it’s just competent with occasional bursts of speed.

The Problem: Range and Charging Speed That Miss the Mark

The EPA rates the standard Solterra at 288 miles of range, dropping to 278 miles in the quicker XT. That sounds okay until you remember that Ioniq 5s, ID.4s, and basically everything else in this class is pushing 300-plus. The Solterra is already playing catch-up on specifications.

Charging speed improved for 2026 with a bump to 150 kW DC charging (up from the previous model’s 100 kW), but that’s still not class-leading. The addition of the NACS charging port as standard helps, and the battery preconditioning feature is useful. Real-world highway efficiency sits at 105-109 MPGe depending on trim, which is respectable but again, not exceptional. Hyundai’s competing Ioniq 5 dual-motor AWD posts 96 MPGe highway—marginally worse, but close enough that Subaru’s efficiency advantage isn’t a selling point.

Why Subaru Built the Safe EV (Not the Bold One)

The elephant in the room: the Solterra was co-developed with the Toyota bZ4X, and you can feel the Japanese engineering-by-committee approach baked into every decision. The unique front and rear fascias distinguish it from its identical twin, but only barely. Subaru added leather and leg heaters (which activate when seat warmers turn on—a nice touch), but these are garnishes, not solutions.

The problem isn’t that the Solterra is bad. It’s genuinely usable, comfortable, and that XT acceleration is legitimately fun. The problem is that it’s playing it safe in a segment where the market has already moved on. Subaru had the chance to make a truly distinctive EV—one that proved the brand could translate its off-road credibility and practical DNA into the electric age. Instead, they built something that does one thing brilliantly (acceleration) and everything else adequately.

At $47,005 for the base model and $48,275 as tested in XT form, you’re paying mainstream EV prices for a vehicle that trails competitors in range, charging speed, and driving engagement. The all-wheel-drive standard setup and off-road software are selling points, sure, but not enough to justify choosing this over an Ioniq 5, ID.4, or even a Kia EV9 if you need three rows.

The 2027 Solterra is exactly what you’d expect from a brand that still thinks the Outback’s biggest selling point is that it has plastic cladding. Practical, slightly quirky, and fundamentally conservative. The fact that it can also accelerate like something with a turbo is almost incidental—a party trick on a vehicle designed for people who just want their EV to work, not wow them.

Sources: Car and Driver