Toyota’s bZ4X hasn’t had an easy time in the market. People have been vocal in criticism of Toyota for allying with the Trump administration against California’s Air Resources Board, disingenuously marketing hybrids as “self charging electric cars,” bankrolling fuel cell technology over battery-electric vehicles, and overall slow pace to bring EVs to market. So, it’s probably no surprise that we’d laugh at its expense when its first EV proved to be a half-hearted effort.

The results speak for themselves thus far. Not only did it have problems with the lugnuts not being sufficiently tight from the factory (a rookie mistake a teenage girl might make — don’t ask me how I know this), but the reviews were less than stellar, and failed even at the suborbital game. Charging is dreadfully slow (especially in the cold, which is super weird), there’s no one-pedal driving option, and ranges are competitive — with a sub-$30k Chevy Bolt EV.

But, there’s a possible ray of hope for the vehicle: The Subaru Solterra. Coming from the same factory and with the same underpinnings, but with Subaru improvements, we have to wonder whether Subaru will get it right, or at least significantly better.

The highly-anticipated 2023 Solterra from Subaru Canada, Inc. has finally been announced with pricing information! This SUV represents what Subaru says is the future of the company and they say it stays true to its heritage with excellent industry-leading safety features and go-anywhere capability.

Specs are pretty similar to its brother from Toyota. The 2023 Solterra comes with a 72.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, which gives the driver up to 360 km of range. The car has dual 80 kW electric motors located at both the front and rear axles for stability and power. In addition, it comes with a CCS1 Combo charger that supports Level One and Level Two AC charging, as well as 100kW DC fast charging — the latter being able to charge the car up to 80% in fifty minutes.

Subaru is promising connectivity, too. Subaru Solterra Connect is divided into four categories to keep the driver informed and connected to their vehicle. Safety Connect (three-year trial subscription) automatically notifies drivers of collisions, offers roadside assistance, emergency service, stolen vehicle recovery, and immobilizer features. Remote connect (three-year trial subscription) allows drivers to control various aspects of their car from afar like honking the horn and turning lights on/off, as well as locking or unlocking doors, setting climate controls, and locating charging stations — all with scheduling capabilities.

Service Connect (five-year trial subscription) allows you to schedule maintenance appointments, receive alerts, and get a vehicle health report. Lastly, Drive Connect provides cloud-based navigation, remote destination entry, and an intelligent assistant — but only when the available subscription is activated.

Subaru also seems confident that the wheels won’t fall off, even off-road. The company brags that the Solterra AWD comes with standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and Dual-Function X-MODE for increased control when off-road. Power and Eco drive modes help to maximize the available range, an S pedelec mode provides a power boost up to 18 mph (28 km/h), and regenerative braking recharges the battery while driving. The vehicle also has hill ascent and descent assist, 18″ aluminum alloy wheels, and aerodynamic wheel covers to reduce drag.

The Solterra comes with fully automatic LED headlights and taillights, as well as a rear underbody diffuser, giving it an aggressive look. Other exterior features include a rearview camera, wiper de-icer, and power-adjustable door mirrors that can be folded and heated.

Inside, you’ll find a leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror, cloth seating surfaces and automatic heated seats. You’ll also enjoy the 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster with multi-information display and 8.0-inch touch screen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – all connected to a 6 speaker audio system. Plus, there are dual USB C ports in the front of the vehicle and a USB A port in the center console for even more connectivity options.

It seems that Subaru is also offering some safety features Toyota isn’t offering. The standard EyeSight Driver Assist Technologies include Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert,Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Emergency Driving Stop System, Road Sign Assist, Parking Support Brake, and Lane Tracing Assist. These technologies are included to increase passenger safety as well as the driver’s.

Even if the car is practically identical to Toyota’s offering, it wouldn’t take much to do better than Toyota did. Simply getting the lugnut torque right would avoid some of the worst bad press. But, the big question will be whether charging speeds are better than that of the Toyota. If it was only a matter of software, Subaru might have gotten a clue and will avoid peeing on the electric fence that Toyota did. If there’s a mechanical reason for the slowness, Subaru might be in for more of a rough ride than its buyers usually imagine.