2023 Subaru Solterra EV makes regional debut in Singapore

Subaru may be looking to dip its toes in the ASEAN electric vehicle market real soon.

After having its global debut back in late 2021, the Japanese manufacturer has previewed the 2023 Subaru Solterra - its first battery electric vehicle at the 2023 Singapore Motor Show.

For those unfamiliar with the model, the Solterra EV is a product of the Toyota and Subaru collaboration, making it a direct twin of the Toyota bZ4X EV crossover which will be offered here in the country.

But unlike the BRZ and GR86 which look identical, Subaru made a few changes to distinguish the Solterra from its bZ4X twin. Starting with its front fascia, Subaru adopted a closed-off grille design and a different set of headlights to feature the brand's C-shaped LED signature. In addition, the Solterra has a set of round foglamps that flank its lower grille.

Meanwhile, apart from the Subaru-exclusive wheels, the Solterra also has a different light signature on its LED taillights to distinguish it further from the bZ4X.

In terms of powertrain, the Solterra is being offered in other countries with either a front-wheel-drive, single-motor version or an all-wheel-drive, dual-motor variant. As for the Solterra EV previewed in Singapore, Subaru chose the latter. The all-wheel-drive version has Subaru's X-mode system, and its two electric motors have a combined system output of 217 PS and 337 Nm of torque. In terms of range, Subaru says the all-wheel-drive version has up to 502 km of cruising range using the NEDC standard.

Interestingly, Subaru previewed a left-hand-drive Solterra EV in Singapore, which is a right-hand-drive country. For now, Motor Image Pilipinas has not made any indications of bringing the Solterra to the Philippines. However, let's keep our eyes peeled for future updates regarding this matter.