2024 Subaru Solterra gets faster charging and several new features

Subaru has published pricing information and specifications for the 2024 Solterra. The electric crossover gets a handful of new features, including faster charging and additional driving aids, and it remains available in three trim levels and costs about as much as it did for 2023.

You can count the changes that Subaru made to the Solterra, its first series-produced electric car, on one hand, but they should add up to a more convenient driving experience. Sit in the driver's seat and you'll face a redesigned steering wheel that's no longer oval and that's fitted with paddles used to control the regenerative braking system. Instead of shifting up a gear, the paddle labeled "+" dials in more regeneration. The "-" paddle selects a less aggressive regeneration profile.

When your battery gets low, topping it up should take less time. Subaru promises that charging from 10% to 80% now takes approximately 35 minutes, though a variety of factors (including the ambient temperature) can affect that number. The estimated charging time remaining appears next to the state-of-charge indicator. Speaking of the weather, Subaru also notes that the 2024 Solterra charges "up to 80 minutes faster in certain conditions" than the 2023 model in sub-freezing temperatures thanks to improvements made to the conditioning system. 

Once you're back on the road, you can count on new features added to Subaru's EyeSight suite of electronic driving aids to keep you and yours safe. The 2024 Solterra is capable of traveling in its lane with only driver supervision at up to 25 mph, even in traffic. The driver can also ask the car to change lanes on its own by signaling, and every 2024 Solterra comes standard with Front Cross Traffic Alert technology.

Finally, the list of standard features now includes a pair of roof rails capable of carrying up to 700 pounds.

Subaru hasn't made changes to the specifications sheet. Power for the 2024 Solterra comes from a pair of electric motors (one per axle) that draw electricity from a 72.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack to zap the four wheels with 215 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque. Driving range checks in at about 228 miles, so customers who buy or lease a new Solterra receive a free voucher that lets them rent a car (presumably one that's gasoline-powered) for long highway trips, for up to 10 days, from a Subaru dealer enrolled in the company's Just Drive program.

Model year updates normally go hand-in-hand with price hikes, but Subaru chose to buck that trend. Pricing for the 2024 Solterra stays flat across the range, though buyers will nonetheless end up paying $120 more because the destination charge increases from $1,225 to $1,345.

Pricing for the full range (including the aforementioned destination charge) is as follows:

• Solterra Premium: $46,340
• Solterra Limited: $49,840
• Solterra Touring: $53,340

Subaru dealers across the nation will begin receiving the 2024 Solterra in February.