Subaru Solterra completes the invasion of electric SUVs that have been one of the main characters of 2021. By now, it is clear that the path of SUVs is the one that convinces most people, but if many competitors have chosen the strategy of SUV forms, but with a light from the ground that is not so great, Subaru is among the very few who still believe in the car. with good entry, impact and exit angles; and with 21 cm high from the ground face any obstacle.
And he’s not entirely wrong: if you really want to go off-road, doing it with an electric car is technically the best way, because electric motors have a lot of torque and can be controlled digitally with more precision and responsiveness than anything else – all-wheel drive is mechanical , which necessarily has a response delay due to a mechanical transmission. Here Torque loss is instantaneous by activating more or less 80kW electric motors, a system with a perfectly balanced output (total 160kW, 218hp) with a torque of 168.5Nm each (total 336Nm).
This is not truck data, we are already used to seeing 600/800 Nm on many electric vehicles, but let’s not forget that these are figures that are fully in line with mid-sized diesels and that they are enough to provide a brilliant ride. on the road, great for shooting and quite capable of moving two tons of this vehicle off-road.
In fact, off-road it is impressive how digital traction control, with absolutely road original tires, is such that it forces the car to move forward on a surface with poor grip, even uphill and with a trickle of gas that allows you to not slip in completely unsuitable shoes! Subaru may also have borrowed the platform and engines from Toyota (actually a joint project, not a rebrand), but for the off-road part he put his own into it and implementation proves it. The choice of tires also confirms a more off-road attitude, with /60 tires on the 18-inch and /50 on the 20-inch to have a high shoulder rather than the narrow shoulder area of many pure road SUVs.
The alliance between Toyota and Subaru provides for a 50:50 share between the two manufacturers. Toyota supplies the TNGA platform, electrification and technology, while Subaru takes care of all-wheel drive, safety and the dynamic part of the car. In particular, with Solterra, Subaru has worked on steering feel, suspension setup and braking behavior.
Continuing with the theme of numbers, far from the world of old-school SUVs, Solterra offers interesting characteristic angles of attack: an angle of attack of 17.7 °, a roughness angle of 18.2 ° and a departure angle of 25.4 °.
Since this was the first test, there was no way to balance the routes, in particular the urban part was almost non-existent, favoring off-road, motorways and suburban areas. For this reason, consumption is higher than usual, with an extra-urban average of 23 kWh / 100 km with many ups and downs, and a motorway + extra-urban average of 24 kWh / 100 km. About 300 km real range in winter under the conditions described aboveeven if driving exclusively on the motorway increases consumption (the car itself is high above the ground, and the aerodynamics of an SUV) and brings us about 26-27 kWh / 100 km (250/270 km range).
Smooth, complete and connected infotainment system with app
Partially enclosed equipment if you are very tall
TECHNIQUE
- MOTOR: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
- POWER: 160 kW, 218 HP
- TORQUE: 336 Nm
- four-wheel drive vehicle
- SUSPENSION: MacPherson front, double wishbone rear
- BRAKES: 4 discs
DIMENSIONS
- LENGTH: 4690 mm
- WIDTH: 1860 mm
- HEIGHT: 1650 mm
- WHEELBASE: 2850 mm
- SPACE FROM GROUND: 210mm
- TRUNK: 452 liters
- WHEELS: 18″-20″
- TIRES: 235/60 R18, 235/50 R20
- WEIGHT: 2010 kg curb
- BATTERY: 71.4 kWh
PERFORMANCE
- MAXIMUM SPEED: 160 km/h
- ACCELERATION 0-100 km/h: 6.9 seconds
- CONSUMPTION: 16.7-20.2 kWh/100 km (WLTP combined)
- CO2 EMISSIONS: 0 grams per km (WLTP total)
- TURNING RADIUS: 5.6 meters
- AC CHARGING: 7 kW
- DC CHARGING: max. 150 kW
- CLAIMED RANGE: up to 464 km
- WARRANTY: 8 years / 160,000 km at 70% (battery)
PRICE: from 59,900 euros
Two trim levels: 4E-xperience and 4E-xperience+. The choice of a very similar name for both makes it clear that the philosophy is again “totally optional”, a strategy used by many electricians. You pay more, there is no entry level, poor equipment, but you have everything.
Indeed, the 4E-xperience includes 18-inch alloy wheels highly recommended for both fuel economy and off-road use, a power driver’s seat, a 12.3-inch navigation display, heated front seats, driving modes, S- PEDAL Drive (Subaru single-pedal driving), telematics to connect to the app and Subaru Safety Sense, ADAS level 2 semi-autonomous driving kit.
The 4E-xperience+ adds 20-inch wheels, a panoramic roof, synthetic leather seats, a Harman Kardon system, driver’s seat memory, wireless smartphone charging, and a heated steering wheel and rear seats. value for money in the world of electric SUVs, minus any discussions about range and performance.
SUBARU ONLINE CONFIGURATOR
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Source: HD Motori
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.