Subaru’s Toyota-Lexus arrives in December
Pricing, specification throws down gauntlet to sister Toyota model
Subaru of New Zealand has confirmed it will land its first-ever battery electric vehicle (BEV), the Solterra, here in December.
It will come in two variants: Solterra and Solterra Touring, both with dual-motor all-wheeldrive. With a 71.4kWh battery and 160kW peak power split evenly between front and rear, Subaru is claiming a range of 465km for the base model and 414km for the more lavishly equipped (and larger-wheeled) Touring.
The entry car rides on 18in rims and features 10-way poweradjustable driver’s seat, front-seat heaters and a power tailgate. The Touring adds 20in wheels, wireless phone charging, memory front seats, leather upholstery, uprated audio and heated steering wheel/rear seats.
Pricing of $79,990 for the Solterra and $84,990 for the Touring (with an extra $1000 for two-tone) throws down the gauntlet to Toyota NZ’s sister model, the bZ4X. TNZ has confirmed a 2024 launch for its BEV and has announced specification: there are two models, a 150kW front-drive Pure and 160kW AWD Motion.
Both Solterra and bZ4X are also closely related to this week’s Lexus RZ AWD cover car; although it has more power, retaining the 150kW motor up front and 80kW at the back.
While Solterra’s December arrival means guaranteed access to the $7015 Clean Car Discount for buyers of the first shipment, 2024 pricing for these and other sub-$80k BEVs might depend on the future of the CCD, postelection.
The $70-80k range is currently the biggest BEV market in NZ, but many distributors struggle to keep those cars under the crucial $80k rebate cap. Some, like Volkswagen NZ during its media launch for the ID.4, have already warned that if the CCD is abolished, prices are likely to rise.