ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS DRIVES THE SUBARU SOLTERRA

Mention the name Subaru here in Ireland, and thoughts for many turn to rallying. Subaru won a number of World Rally Championships and I can recall when the series visited our shores with Rally Ireland, I was amazed at the number of road going Subarus I witnessed. Of course, Subarus played a major part in Irish rallying and at one stage there were more competitive versions in Ireland than any other nation. However bringing the story up to date and like so many other car manufacturers with EVs, Subaru has joined the ranks so to speak with their Solterra and recently I spent a week with one to put it through its paces. Immediately I was impressed with the overall build quality of the vehicle; which came about as the result of co-operation with Toyota; it has a lot in common with the Toyota bz4x. According to Subaru this is the most technically advanced vehicle from them to date; it is built on the e-global platform.

At the core of this vehicle its all-wheel drive system which delivers outstanding traction in all kinds of weather and terrain and it delivers substantial on demand torque at all speeds with power and driver selectable regenerative modes. The system also features the dual function X mode with snow, dirt, deep snow and mud settings. Also part of this package, grip control and downhill assist control for increased performance in low friction and off road conditions. I also discovered that the Solterra, named after the Latin words for sun and earth, has 210mm of ground clearance, ideal when the going gets really tough. As I also discovered this is a SUV equally at home in an urban setting or over the roughest of rural conditions. With dual electric motors there is 215bhp with 168.5 Nm of torque from each motor; all in all quite a performer. The high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack provides a more than ample daily range and accepts both 7kW type 2 AC connection and 150kW CCS (Combined Charging System) DC fast charging capability and DC fast charging; you can charge up to 80 per cent of its total battery capacity in approximately 30 minutes. For everyday charging there is a Type 2 7.0kW AC system, which can be charged either from a dedicated wall box or using a standard domestic three-pin 13-amp socket. As regards range I was somewhat disappointed as fully charged I managed just 294km (183m). Looking at performance, rest to 100kph (62mph) in under seven seconds and on to a top speed of 161kph (100mph). The Solterra has evolved from the Subaru Dynamic X Solid design concept, rendered with the design flexibility of the e-Subaru Global Platform. I found the exterior design pleasing and much superior to a number of EVs currently on our roads; the signature hexagonal grille has been tightly integrated with the front fascia, thin and wide LED headlights complement this design motif, while a low bonnet line also contributes to the SUV’s sleek styling, aerodynamic performance, and excellent forward visibility while retaining pedestrian impact safety. The aerodynamically sloped rear glass has a standard ducktail spoiler at the bottom and a dual spoiler at the top. The interior is functional and clean with a minimalist design centred around an intuitive, high resolution touchscreen with a multifunction display, multimedia, and climate control.

Safety is very much a priority with this Subaru with such features as a 360-degree panoramic view monitor which provides an overhead view of the vehicle for better all-around situational awareness and there is standard Safe Exit Assist, this notifies occupants, before exiting the vehicle, of approaching vehicles with an audible and visual warning; all very clever.

Ian Lynas