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Stuck in the middle again.
The 2024 Subaru Solterra is a fascinating contrast. It achieved a remarkable feat by setting another new sales record in June, yet it received below-average reliability ratings from two respected sources. This intriguing combination is further accentuated by its lower-than-expected predicted owner satisfaction. There's more to this unique story.
The 2024 Subaru Solterra EV is between the best and the worst. How can that be? It had record sales in June but had subpar reliability. People like deals, and Subaru offers incentives like 0% financing and other manufacturer deals to move Solterra off retailers' lots. Find out more in my Solterra report here.
It's working.
Subaru of America (SOA) reported delivering 1,236 Solterra EVs to customers in June compared with only 574 in June 2023. That's an impressive 115.3 percent increase over the same period last year.
It was the best June ever for Solterra.
SOA sold 5,385 Solterra EVs through the first six months of 2024, compared with 2,972 models delivered to customers through June 2023. That's an 81.2 percent increase, the highest percentage of sales increase on any nameplate in the lineup.
That's the good news. Now for the bad.
J.D. Power says the 2024 Subaru Solterra is subpar in reliability, but as you can see, this hasn't hurt sales. Customer incentives have made all the difference.
The Subaru Solterra has a J.D. Power quality and reliability score of 67/100. That's well below average and worthy of a C- or a D grade. Consumer Reports isn't that generous.
J.D. Power says its reliability score "measures the level of defects, malfunctions, and design flaws experienced by vehicle owners. It covers the entire vehicle, from engine to infotainment system."
Consumer Reports gives Solterra a 47/100 reliability score, which is further below average and worthy of an F grade. It gets an even lower predicted ownership satisfaction score of 2/5, or 40/100.
Consumer Reports says, "We expect the 2024 Solterra will have about average reliability compared to the average new car. This prediction is based on data from 2023 models."
How does Solterra compare with other EVs in terms of reliability?
In comparison with other EVs, the Solterra doesn't look so bad. Here are the predicted reliability scores from Consumer Reports. None of them look good.
- Nissan Ariya - 62/100
- Kia EV6 - 48/100
- Toyota bZ4X - 47/100
- Subaru Solterra 47/100
- Ford Mustang Mach-E - 45/100
- Chevrolet Blazer EV - 35/100
Should you avoid the Solterra?
It's crucial to understand that new vehicles often encounter the most reliability issues. It typically takes automakers a few years to iron out these 'bugs.' The 2024 Subaru Solterra is in its second year and is expected to show significant improvement. This improvement potential should not deter you from considering it now.
Find out more about the newly-upgraded 2024 Solterra in my model guide here.
The 2024 Subaru Solterra is the top performer in terms of the percentage of sales increase due to manufacturer sales incentives. According to two respected sources, the Solterra EV has below-average reliability. Neither is a surprise.
Are you considering a Subaru Solterra EV this year? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.
I am Denis Flierl, a top Torque News reporter since 2012. I’ve invested over 13 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Competition Subaru
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Comments
The issue with the solterra…
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The issue with the solterra is not unique to it. The battery cost is extremely high, $45k but that's the case for most EVs. Another less discussed fact is the weight of the vehicle leads to faster tire wear and more particulate emissions but that's par for the course for most EVs as big as the solterra. I never understood the need for 20" tires either. 18" should have been more than ok
I have a 2024 Solterra…
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I have a 2024 Solterra Touring model and absolutely LOVE driving this car! I have not had a single issue with mine.
Same here! I purchased mine…
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In reply to I have a 2024 Solterra… by Rob (not verified)
Same here! I purchased mine in Jan ‘23 and have put almost 30k on mine. It drives like a dream! No issues whatsoever AND I get between 230-270 miles/charge depending on the weather. Last time I checked, I had run my a/c the entire charge (90+ temps here) and got 242 miles on my charge.
Currently leasing A 2021…
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Currently leasing A 2021 Forester. Lease expires next month. Looking into the Soltera. As I have back issues, a big concern is the seat height. I fit comfortably in the Forrester. Getting in and out is not a problem. But I would like to go electric. And this has been a really good first experience with Subaru. I literally have to go to the dealer to check the height of the driver seat from the ground as I have not found anything online. With many people aging in America this is a good metric that could be added to the information on new cars
My one point of dissatisfaction is that the colors for the car are not very exciting. Too many grays, silvers, blacks, and whites on the market. And the reds are very bright. My ideal color would be a black cherry, sort of dark burgundy or Chianti. Most parking lots are filled with cars in the white to black spectrum. They just give them all sorts of crazy names; Gray, Silver, dust, pewter, platinum, etc., with white and black at the opposite ends. In my book cars should be more exciting in their colors. I wonder what it says about our national mindset.
Your website is very informative. Thanks for all your hard work.