2024 Toyota bZ4X vs Subaru Solterra electric SUV comparison: What's the difference?

08/01/2024 09:17 PM

New vehicles are more expensive than ever to design and develop, so for many car makers, working together with another manufacturer on their next new models is becoming increasingly attractive.

Particularly for vehicles expected to sell in low numbers, such as sports cars – or models planned to use a lot of all-new, expensive technology – sharing costs with another car brand helps to get the business case for a pair of 'twinned' models over the line.

Among the most successful model-sharing partnerships over the past two decades have been formed by Toyota, with brands such as BMW, Mazda, and most notably, Subaru.

First there were the 86 and BRZ coupe twins – which proved there was still a market for small, affordable, rear-wheel-drive sports cars – and now the Japanese firms have joined forces on a pair of mid-size electric SUVs, the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra.

Aimed at the Tesla Model Y – the world's top-selling new vehicle, electric or otherwise – the bZ4X and Solterra share the vast majority of their design, underpinnings and technology.

What they also share is how long they took to come to Australia. The bZ4X was unveiled in October 2021, the Solterra following a month later, but both took until early 2024 to reach Australia – and were coincidentally launched to Australian motoring media on the same day, 1200km and two states apart.

It's easy to accuse the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra of being lazy rebadges of the same vehicle, but their makers say there are plenty of subtle differences you can't see. What better way to find out then lining them up, side by side?

This will not be a normal Drive comparison, rather we will focus on the differences between the cars – and only talk briefly about what they share. For in-depth looks at each car, click here for our review of the Toyota on test, and here for our review of the Subaru on test.

How much do the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra cost in Australia?

For this test we lined up the top-of-the-range version of each car to iron out any differences in how each car maker picked the features for their base model – and level the playing field.

The Toyota bZ4X AWD is priced from $74,900 plus on-road costs – compared to $66,000 for the other model in the range, the FWD – while the Subaru Solterra AWD Touring is priced from $76,990 plus on-road costs, up from the $69,990 base model.

That means there’s a $2090 difference in the list prices of the Toyota and Subaru, but it was almost $8790, before a late price cut for the Subaru Solterra that would have seen the AWD Touring cost more than two base-model Subaru Forester petrol SUVs.

Few customers at this price point buy their vehicles outright, so you may be able to get a sharper finance deal on the Solterra than the bZ4X. The Toyota is also available for purchase through a new Full-Service Lease program that includes insurance, servicing and registration costs in one monthly payment. Click here for more details.

Although both vehicles are top-of-the-range models, there are still some differences in standard equipment that even caught us by surprise.

The Toyota bZ4X AWD has ventilated front seats for hot Australian summer days, support for a Toyota Connected Services smartphone app with remote locking/cabin pre-conditioning and vehicle tracking functions, and uses a nine-speaker JBL audio system.

However, the Subaru Solterra AWD Touring counters with heated outboard rear seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, digital rear-view mirror, and 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

There is another factor in the price difference – ownership costs – which we'll discuss later, that goes some to closing the gap.

Toyota vehicles are sold in Australia by a factory-owned distributor – which is a subsidiary of its Japanese parent company – while Subarus are distributed by third-party importer Inchcape, which has a deal with Subaru in Japan to sell the brand's vehicles locally, but is not a subsidiary of the car manufacturer, so it has to clip the ticket on the way to showrooms.

The bZ4X and Solterra introduced to Australia are updated models, compared to what first launched overseas two years ago. Charging times have been shortened – both software and hardware – while a battery charge percentage has been added, and the estimated driving range readout has been made less conservative and more realistic.

How big are the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra?

The cabins of the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra are effectively identical, with one key exception: the steering wheel.

While they share centre sections – with the same buttons and airbag cover, badge aside – the Toyota has a traditional circular wheel, while the Subaru uses an odd squared-off design.

The bZ4X's steering wheel feels more conventional – and never feels awkward in hand-over-hand manoeuvres, which the Subaru's can on occasion – while the Solterra gives a better view of the instrument display, which is set high and far away, intended for the driver to view over rather than through the steering wheel.

There's not a huge difference between the steering wheels, all in all, though the Subaru also gains paddles behind its wheel to switch between four regenerative braking modes – rather than two in the Toyota, via a button on the centre console. More on this later.

Neither tester of these cars found an issue with the placement of the steering wheel and instrument display – which is similar to what has been used in Peugeot cars for a decade – though we'd recommend taking a test drive before buying in case it doesn't work for you.

Aside from the steering wheel – and the feature differences discussed in the previous section – there is essentially no difference between the Solterra and bZ4X.

For size context, the vehicles are slightly longer (at 4690mm) than a 4600-4615mm Toyota RAV4, and slightly narrower (the RAV4 is 1865mm wide, the bZ4X/Solterra is 1860mm), and lower (1690mm for the RAV4, 1650mm for the bZ4X) – but the electric twins are 160mm longer between the front and rear wheels for more space inside.

There is a lot more Toyota than Subaru in the cabin, and key elements you touch and interact with – the seats, instrument display software and central touchscreen – will be familiar to Toyota owners, not Subaru customers.

The power-adjustable front seats are comfortable (plus two-way lumbar), but the centre console is wide, cutting into knee room.

There's an interesting range of materials around the cabin. The textured cloth on the dashboard is nice – although it feels like bus seat fabric – but there is no glovebox here. Instead, this area is home to a radiant heater, which is claimed to be more efficient than a traditional heating element for an electric vehicle.

Storage space is not plentiful. There is space under the centre console tunnel, but it is hard to access, while the main centre console box is not big, and the door pockets won't fit much more than a bottle.

Amenities in both vehicles include keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, two USB-C ports, one USB-A socket, one 12-volt outlet, heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera, automatic parking, and a glass roof.

In the rear, passengers are offered excellent leg room and good head room, even behind a tall driver, but toe room is almost non-existent with the front seats in their lowest positions.

There are two USB-C power outlets and air vents for rear passengers, and a central armrest with in-built cupholders. The seat base is a little low – or the floor is high – but either way you’ll notice that your thighs rise off the seat base, which leaves you feeling a little less comfortable than some rivals.

The rear backrest does recline – or fold close to flat in a 60:40 split for more boot space – and there are bottle holders in the doors, three top-tether points for child seats, two ISOFIX anchors, and two map pockets.

Boot space is a claimed 410 litres in both cars, with Toyota also quoting 31L of storage under the floor. As with most electric cars, there's no spare tyre under the floor, rather a puncture repair kit. There's no storage under the bonnet either.

Do the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

The twins share a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and 7.0-inch instrument display – both running software from Toyota, although the companies have changed the start-up screens depending on the vehicle they are fitted to.

The infotainment system is not the fastest or most contemporary on the market, and the icons and text feel small given how large the display is, but it works effectively and is easy to use once you live with the car.

There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available, along with wireless functionality for both services. There’s cloud-based satellite navigation, which means you don’t need to have mapping data stored on board – plus AM, FM and DAB digital radio.

Frustratingly, there is no easy function in the embedded navigation system to search for charging stations, which feels like a bizarre omission in electric cars with shorter driving ranges than their rivals.

Wireless Apple CarPlay worked well on test in both vehicles, while we stuck to wired Android Auto during our time with the twins.

Where the pair differ is the Toyota's inclusion of 12 months' free access to Toyota Connected Services, including a smartphone app that allows for remote unlocking/locking, vehicle tracking, and pre-heating of the cabin.

Once the free period runs out, a subscription to Connected Services costs $10–$12.50 a month to maintain it, or $120–$150 a year, depending on your preferred level of access.

The 7.0-inch instrument display can only display basic information such as the speed, energy use and tyre pressures, but it's clear and relatively easy to navigate. It is more than can be said for a Tesla, which does not have a dedicated instrument display of any form, rather merging all vehicle functions into the touchscreen.

The Solterra's 10-speaker Harman Kardon stereo has one more speaker than the nine-speaker JBL system in the bZ4X, but we found the Toyota to deliver the deeper, more balanced audio experience.

Still, neither is a match for the stereo in a Tesla Model Y, which was in-house by engineers poached from top Danish home audio brands.

Are the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra safe cars?

Both vehicles carry five-star safety ratings from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), based on testing of the bZ4X twin conducted by ANCAP's European counterpart Euro NCAP in 2022.

Against just-superseded 2020–2022 test protocols, both vehicles were awarded category scores of 88 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 79 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians and cyclists), and 93 per cent for safety assist technology.

What safety technology do the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra have?

As you may guess, the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra have the same list of safety equipment in top-of-the-range models.

It ticks nearly every box expected of the class in 2024, and it all worked well on test – in both vehicles – though the driver attention monitor could be overzealous in its beeps and chimes at times.

How much do the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra cost to run?

Both vehicles are covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, and an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty, whichever comes first.

They also share 12-month/15,000km service intervals, again whichever comes first.

But whereas Toyota buyers need to pay $900 for the first five services, Subaru is offering them – at least for the time being – for free.

While each of the bZ4X's first five services are relatively affordable by electric-vehicle standards – only Tesla, which does not quote service intervals, is cheaper – prices are not so low once the vehicle warranty ends.

After eight years/120,000km, the Toyota bZ4X owner will have spent a quoted $1861.60 on servicing – almost nullifying the $2090 saving in its RRP compared to the Solterra.

Subaru Australia has not confirmed service prices for its vehicle beyond the first five years. An end date for the free servicing deal has not been announced.

The Solterra is also offered with five years of free roadside assistance – which would cost $495 to $695 for the Toyota – and membership to a state motoring club (such as NRMA, RACV or RACQ).

In short, the Toyota costs more to buy, but the Subaru's ownership benefits – servicing, roadside assistance, and more – mean the price difference is close to nil.

Another factor is the dealership network. Toyota has approximately 230 showrooms around Australia, including plenty in rural areas, while Subaru operates about 140 locations.

At the time of writing, a year of comprehensive insurance coverage with a leading provider costs $1699 for the Solterra and $1953 for the bZ4X, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

It's unclear why the Toyota is so much more expensive to cover with this insurer.

Are the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra energy-efficient?

The Toyota bZ4X AWD and Subaru Solterra AWD Touring quote identical energy consumption in notoriously lenient NEDC lab testing of 14.1kWh per 100 kilometres. Toyota Australia also claims consumption of 18.1kWh/100km in more stringent European WLTP testing.

In the real world, we saw similar energy consumption from the vehicles ranging from 16kWh/100km in easy-going suburban driving, to 18 or 19kWh/100km in more demanding conditions.

The varying on-test energy consumption listed in the table below is because outside of our back-to-back testing, each vehicle was driven in different conditions by different journalists during their week in the Drive garage.

Our results translate to a real-world driving range of about 400km, based on the 71.4kWh battery pack shared by the vehicles – compared to a WLTP rating of 411km.

We took the bZ4X on a 110km/h highway driving-range loop we use for testing electric vehicles, and returned energy consumption on the trip computer of 18.2kWh/100km.

For comparison, a Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive used 15.8kWh/100km on the same route, while a Ford Mustang Mach-E Select base model's trip computer displayed 18.6kWh/100km.

In other words, the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra are on the ‘thirsty’ side for mid-size electric SUVs, but when driven modestly can deliver about 400km on a charge in town.

Toyota and Subaru claim a 10 to 80 per cent fast charge can be completed in about 30 minutes at up to 150kW.

A real-world test of the bZ4X returned a 10 to 80 per cent recharge in 34 minutes and 30 seconds at a peak of 129kW. We have no reason to assume the Subaru would perform differently, given they share battery packs and charging claims.

Oddly, Subaru and Toyota claim slightly different AC home charging times.

It is worth noting the Subaru and Toyota do not use the lithium iron phosphate chemistry of a Tesla Model Y, meaning regular charges to 100 per cent – and down to empty – may accelerate the wear of the battery pack.

It is generally advised owners keep the battery between 20 and 80 per cent charge, and only use the full zero to 100 per cent capacity on a road trip when maximum driving range is needed.

What are the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra like to drive?

This is where the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra differ most – on the road.

Both cars also provide confident roadholding and a comfortable ride, but there are subtle – and we mean subtle – differences in the tuning of the steering and suspension.

The Subaru feels firmer over bumps than the bZ4X, and does not disguise its two-tonne weight as well.

Whereas the Toyota irons out small lumps and imperfections in the road at high speeds, the Subaru doesn't feel as refined, jostling its occupants around and never feeling as relaxed. It is a small difference, but one that we noticed testing the cars back-to-back.

At lower speeds in the city, the 20-inch wheels and low-profile tyres mean neither car delivers a magic-carpet ride – especially not compared to the soft suspension of a RAV4 or Forester – but the Solterra is not as comfortable as its twin, transferring more of speed bumps and potholes into the cabin.

Neither car is uncomfortable – and even the Subaru is plusher than a Ford Mustang Mach-E, or the first Tesla Model Ys to reach Australia – but the bZ4X is the easier car to live with around town.

The steering in the Solterra is heavier than the bZ4X, and it's not as effortless as long-time Subaru owners many expect. The steering in both cars is reasonably quick and direct, albeit not the sharpest in the category.

The twins deliver neutral, confident handling – aided by the heavy battery placed low in the chassis – with little body roll and decent grip from the Bridgestone Alenza (235/50 R20) tyres in the dry, but neither feels as agile as a Model Y.

As mentioned, the Solterra gains paddles behind the steering wheel to choose from four levels of regenerative braking (the electric motor slowing the car down like engine braking to recapture energy), compared to two settings – and no paddles – in the Toyota.

Don't think the regenerative braking settings in the Toyota are actually different in strength to the Subaru. The bZ4X's normal setting is effectively 'level two' in the Solterra – light deceleration when lifting off the accelerator pedal – while its 'boost' setting is also the Subaru's maximum mode.

It is nice to have the extra customisation in the Subaru, with a setting between the Toyota's two – and another that does not recuperate energy, allowing the car to coast as much as wind resistance and friction from the tyres allow.

Neither car is capable of bringing the car to a full stop without the driver touching the brake pedal. Not everyone likes 'one-pedal' drive modes, but it would be nice to have the option of such a system for those who do.

Other differences: the Subaru has a Power mode with more immediate throttle response, in addition to the Eco and Normal modes shared with the Toyota.

The all-wheel-drive versions of both cars share dual 80kW electric motors – one on each axle – developing 160kW/337Nm, delivering enough performance to zip into gaps in traffic or overtake on the freeway, but not enough to pin you into the back of the seat.

Also shared is claimed a 0–100km/h acceleration time of 6.9 seconds – on par with a base Tesla Model Y, about a second brisker than a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and more than three seconds faster than a 2.5-litre petrol Subaru Forester (though it is not a quick car to begin with).

There is a fair amount of tyre roar on coarse-chip country roads, as well as some wind noise on the motorway, though it is perhaps more noticeable with the lack of engine noise.

Visibility is good around town, it's easy to park with a suite of cameras and sensors, there's another pair of X-Mode settings for off-road driving, and the brake pedal feels natural and easy to modulate in both vehicles.

Can the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra tow?

The Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra twins have a maximum tow rating of 750kg, whether braked or unbraked.

Both vehicles have a gross vehicle mass of 2550kg, but according to the specification sheet the Solterra weighs 2060kg, and the bZ4X is 2055kg, meaning the Toyota can carry 5kg more in passengers and cargo before it becomes illegal to drive on the road.

In a petrol vehicle there is a big variance between tare and kerb weights – as it is the difference between 10 litres of fuel on board (tare), and a full tank (kerb) – but this is not an issue in an electric vehicle, so 2055kg is claimed for the kerb (Toyota spec sheet) and tare weights (Australian government certification documents) for the bZ4X.

Should I buy a Toyota bZ4X or Subaru Solterra?

There is not a lot splitting the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra – and it is hard to go wrong with either, if you're looking for an electric family SUV that does not feel like a spaceship or science experiment.

If you are a long-time Subaru driver – or live down the road from a Subaru dealer – buy the Solterra. Conversely, if you intend to trade in a Toyota, and your nearest Toyota showroom is close by, choose the bZ4X.

But if you are on the fence – and do not have any brand loyalty either way – it is the Toyota bZ4X that is our pick.

While the Solterra is arguably slightly better equipped, and comes with five years of free servicing, plus other perks, the bZ4X is cheaper to buy, slightly more comfortable in the daily grind, and has a more conventional steering wheel (yes, we do have to split hairs here).

Most of the interior switchgear comes from Toyota – and it is built in a Toyota factory – so we'd argue the bZ4X feels more like a Toyota than the Solterra does a Subaru, and the backing of Toyota's larger dealer network is also a bonus.

If you're shopping just between these two, that's where we'd place our money. But if you're open to alternatives, the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6 or EV5, and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are also worth taking for a test drive.

How do I buy a Toyota bZ4X or Subaru Solterra? The next steps.

Both the bZ4X and Solterra are readily in stock, at last check.

If you’re interested in the Toyota, the next step would be to search for available bZ4X vehicles near you via the Toyota website, You can also find Toyotas for sale on Drive Marketplace.

Meanwhile, contact a Subaru dealer for stock of your preferred variant at this link. You can also find Subarus for sale for sale on Drive.

If you want to stay updated with everything that’s happened to these cars since our review, you’ll find all the latest bZ4X news here, and the latest Solterra news here.

Bonus: How the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra were developed

Drive spoke with the chief engineer of the Toyota side of the project, Masaya Uchiyama, at the media preview drive for the bZ4X earlier this year.

Uchiyama-san said development of the twins began in 2018, and much of the design was 'frozen' – locked in for production – towards the end of 2020, although changes were made closer to their overseas launches in 2022.

The two cars were styled together in the Toyota design studio – with Subaru coming in to work on its vehicle – and there was "more collaboration" in this project than the 86 and BRZ sports cars, according to the executive.

"At the time of the 86, we developed 86 and then we asked Subaru to produce it. That’s the relationship at the 86 time," he said.

"But this time … we invited hundreds of engineers from Subaru to Toyota and then we literally developed together for the platform. So that is a big difference from the 86."

Asked exactly what is different between the twins, Uchiyama-san said: "Appearance-wise we changed the bumper and fenders [gloss black on the Toyota, matte on the Subaru], that kind of thing.

"And then the ride things, we changed the springs and the shocks. We have many controls [we can change] like the EPS [electric power steering]."

The Toyota was tuned to be on the "comfort side", and the Subaru on the "more rigid side", with suspension tuning among the main points of discussion during development, according to the bZ4X chief engineer.

Both cars are built in the factory that produces the Toyota GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatchbacks, and previously the Lexus LFA supercar, as it is better suited to lower-volume vehicles, the executive said.

"How we see the vehicle, that is the biggest learning from Subaru," Uchiyama-san said when asked what Toyota learned from Subaru, a company famous for its success in rally racing.

"When we drive the car, and usually on the rough road, overspeed and [in] the cornering situation, the usual Toyota engineer puts the brake on – and Subaru puts the accelerator on.

"That cultural difference, we had many conflicts during the development because we have a different culture, a different [way of] thinking. But that conflict, that was very good … because of that we could see that vehicle from many aspects and that makes this vehicle better."

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