An August spree of electrified vehicles concludes today with a vastly revised and improved entry by Colorado-beloved Subaru, producing an EV that has more year-round appeal, even for mountain drivers.

The 2026 Subaru Solterra offers a 25% boost in overall range and a considerable bump in performance. It’s also no longer the only game in town, as Subaru has announced both the more SUV-styled Trailseeker EV, based on the Solterra platform, and the smaller Uncharted EV – co-developed with the upcoming Honda C-HR EV – both of which are scheduled to appear next year, as part of more than a half-dozen new or heavily revised Subaru products.

Solterra was also created along with what has been retitled as the Toyota bZ, though the first-generation models of both were largely placeholders in EV development, as was the conjoined Lexus RZ.

Flash forward to 2026 and Solterra offers as much as 288 miles of range in the Premium model (278 in Limited, Limited XT and Touring XT), plus either 233 horsepower on the base model and 338-hp on its XT models. That’s up from just 227 miles and only 215-hp in the outgoing 2025 car. 

A new 74.7-kilowatt-hour battery with improved heating and cooling systems (including a winter-friendly preconditioning system) allows a super-fast charge when you are poaching a Tesla charging station — because it now features a NACS charging port as its standard connection, with adapters for more pedestrian chargers. A Level-2 home-charging kit is also included with your purchase.

All of that combines to allow more uphill power and more flexibility in distance driving. And, because it’s a Subaru, it comes with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as its standard setup, with an all-electronic system that replicates all of the X-Mode and grip control features found on gasoline or hybrid models.

We got to try all of that a few weeks back in my backyard, the Denver foothills routes that I test drive everything on year-round. Flat out on the Sixth Avenue freeway, the extra power is pretty tangible (it’ll hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds). And as we headed up Golden’s Lookout Mountain and all the way down to Idaho Springs on Little Bear Creek Road, the improved ride and grip were also impressive.

Subaru had also purpose-built an off-road demonstration loop at a ranch in Gilpin County, which gave us a chance to see the downhill assist control, the power redistribution from a pair of front and rear motors and even a climbing-or-descending automatic speed control system. It’s got a standard 8.3 inches of clearance and a pretty decent turning ability as it’s only 184.6 inches long, so we were able to weave through trees and bounce over rocks with no issues. Headed downhill on the highway, you’ve also got four levels of battery regeneration, to try to make the most out of that still somewhat limited total range.

As seen in the eye-catching Elemental Red Pearl and black two-tone paint job, Solterra continues to be maybe the least traditional Subaru-looking member of its current family, though that may not be a bad thing. 

The thin row of LED headlamps, the sizeable and stylish 20-inch wheels on the more upscale builds (18-inch wheels on the base model) and those glossy wheel wells and window frames do make it as splashy as other EVs of this five-passenger size. 

Inside, it’s arguably more Subaru-esque, though in a future-forward way that’s slightly less awkward than other brands’ electrified models. You start off with a curious, oblong steering wheel and an undersized, pop-up-styled instrument panel for basic functions, and a not-overwhelming 14-inch touchscreen with non-hidden fan controls, physical temperature and volume knobs. You still get superb front, side and rear visibility, as is the Subaru tradition. 

An elevated center console with storage underneath offers two full-sized phone charging pads, plus the slightly funky shift control, and the whole cabin can be outfitted in a two-tone, actual leather scheme. The crossbar in the full-roof glass panel is gone, as well. 

While it’s not enormous, Solterra has the ability to carry up to 63.5 cubic feet if you drop the reasonably comfortable rear seats, and is additionally bike-and-gear friendly with a 41.3-inch-wide liftgate.   

By the way, in the Toyota camp, the 2026 bZ also sees a wide array of updates, most notably an upcoming, 375-hp Woodland edition that’s more similar to Subaru’s upcoming Trailseeker. The 2026 Lexus RZ also features an AWD version topping out at 375-hp, plus an F Sport AWD rendition with 408-hp. 

One final caveat, as early 2026 Solterras are scheduled to arrive this fall, and expected to be in the $40,00 range. According to Car and Driver, you may be able to still qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit, set to expire on Sept. 30, if you make a payment on a new EV that won’t be delivered until after the deadline. Maybe discuss that with a dealer, though.     

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.