2024 Subaru Solterra Gets Flatter Steering Wheel, Faster DC Charging
Subaru may have saved a ton of money by teaming up with Toyota to develop and launch its first all-electric vehicle, the Solterra, but the result has been largely underwhelming so far. Sales in Canada last year were barely a third of those posted by popular rivals like the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
What’s so bad about the Solterra? Slow charging speeds and an odd instrument layout are two of the biggest irritants. It appears that the company has gotten the message, though.
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For 2024, the Solterra can replenish its high-voltage lithium-ion battery from 10-80 percent in 35 minutes instead of about an hour. Also, thanks to an upgraded battery conditioning system, the vehicle can charge at temperatures below freezing significantly faster than its predecessor—up to 80 minutes faster in certain conditions, Subaru claims. So, while maximum range is a disappointing 360 km, drivers will spend less time charging.
What’s more, the fully digital multi-information display now provides additional charging information such as the state of charge percentage (finally!), estimated time to 80- or 100-percent charge and estimated vehicle range. It’ll be easier to keep an eye on it, too, with a redesigned steering wheel that is flatter and should no longer hide key information for most drivers.
Speaking of the steering wheel, Subaru has added paddles—one with a “+” and another with a “-”—to easily adjust regenerative braking force.
Another change for 2024 is standard roof rails on all Solterra models. There are new EyeSight driver assistance features not yet found on other Subaru vehicles. For example, the vehicle can travel in its lane at speeds up to 40 km/h with only driver supervision, including stop-and-go traffic. It can also change lanes on command by activating a turn signal. Front Cross Traffic Alert makes pulling into an intersection or parking lot safer, while a driver attention monitoring system further increases safety.
Pricing and equipment details for Canada will be announced shortly, and we’ll update this story when Subaru provides them. Interestingly, the 2024 Subaru Solterra carries the same base price as its predecessor in the U.S., so let’s hope things will be similar north of the border.