It’s obvious that auto manufacturers have shifted focus heavily toward crossovers and SUVs.

The thing is, inevitably things can start to look the same as the playing field levels out and it can be hard to separate car makers and models on merit, especially as the running gear for one EV becomes indistinguishable from the next one.

You can argue that rather than varied and characterful engines playing a role in vehicle choice, it may fall in a large part to the quality and ability of the chassis.

Admittedly, now more than ever, brand image, interior design, and features play a large role in customer choice.

If you were to pick just one automobile manufacturer though to make a capable off-roader chassis, who might it be?

Toyota comes to mind as the creator of the hugely successful and capable Land Cruiser, Hilux, Rav4, and many more.

Another Japanese company springs to mind as a proven quantity in both rally driving and 4x4 engineering – Subaru.

Well, this year on November 11th we saw the public unveiling of the 2023 Subaru Solterra, which is due for next year and whose name is an amalgam of sun and earth; the car will be an electric crossover SUV and will share a lot of its basic structure and underpinnings with Toyota’s bZ4X.

The 2023 Solterra Is A First Time EV From Subaru

Via: motor.es
Via: motor.es

It’s not the first time Toyota and Subaru have worked together so closely – you might remember the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GT86 pair which were almost identical save for badges and according to contemporary press – slight perceptive differences in handling.

With press renders of both new EV-SUVs we can see that the Toyota will come with the steering yoke as an option – like the steering yoke on a Tesla Model S, it provides a jetfighter-like way to steer your vehicle, but the jury is still out on that one.

Apart from being separated at birth from the Toyota bZ4X, this car will be noteworthy as being the first full EV from Subaru so a fair amount of expectation will rest on its rugged shoulders.

In addition, Toyota, famously known for its hybrid-pushing has not been in the EV business since the RAV4 electric vehicle a long time ago in two short generations from 1997 to 2014 so it seems fitting that the two makers embark together on this new adventure.

RELATED: Subaru BRZ Vs WRX: Which Budget Sports Car To Get?

Peeping Inside The Stylish 2023 Subaru Solterra

Via: Subaru
Via: Subaru

Anyway, like its Toyota cousin, the Solterra has a large touchscreen integrated into a curved center console with an attractive shiny finish. There is an uncluttered ethos present with the high-positioned driver’s digital display above the steering wheel. In some of the renders, you can see tan leather seats and door inserts which lend the crossover a sophisticated and up-market feel.

You can expect the car to be loaded with all the usual features present in a crossover these days, with advanced safety tech and all the connectivity you require for your smartphone.

With a focus nowadays on interior comfort, you can imagine that there will be a plethora of options either standard or to spec, including wireless phone charging, heated seats, and more.

RELATED: The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness Edition Is A Capable Little Crossover

A Subaru Chassis For A Capable Off-Roader

Via: Subaru
Via: Subaru

As with a lot of electric vehicles, there are slightly different powertrains optionable on the Solterra. Like Tesla and Kia and many others, you will be able to opt for front-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive, one motor upfront and one up back.

Power will sit at around 200-215hp depending on the version chosen, with a very small upgrade in power for the all-wheel-drive model then, as always these versions' availability may vary by country.

Included in the car will be the increasingly common drive mode selector for Eco, Normal, and Power modes. Regenerative braking can be varied by the driver with wheel-mounted paddles, and Grip Control will help with low-speed negotiation of challenging terrains alongside a slippery surface mode too as you would expect in a polyvalent vehicle such as this.

Estimated autonomy for the car is stated as 330 miles for that cheaper FWD version and 286 for the 4x4 one so you can expect something a little south of that, but these make for ok numbers in a heavy and rugged car. For comparison both the very different BMW iX and Hyundai Kona Electric both make less than the stated figures for this car while benchmark Tesla makes an EPA rating of 240-325 miles, so the Subaru is up there, at least officially.

2023 Subaru Solterra: Sun And Earth

Via: Subaru
Via: Subaru

The thing is, that the Solterra is not an iX rival, and it's not a Tesla one either, with those cars offering a distinct ownership experience and performance (including a much higher purchase cost) so it's more in line with the Kona from Hyundai on paper at least – but the Kona can be specced with just a 135hp/180-mile range drivetrain.

Car and Driver pitched a high-30,000-dollar entry price for this car which seems reasonable and would pitch it against the likes of the Hyundai. Other cars competing for space in the middle-tier EV market include the Mustang Mach E, the Volkswagen ID:4, and the Niro from Kia.

More details are likely to surface as time goes on then, but for now, the Subaru Solterra looks like a well-executed piece of design with everything you would expect from a crossover in 2022 and perhaps more relevantly - from an automaker who knows a thing or two about going off the beaten track.