Kristen Lee, the senior features editor at MotorTrends, joins “CBS Saturday Morning” with what to know about buying a car in 2026.
Tag: subaru
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Subaru Solterra first drive: Big improvements in all the right places for 2026
When Subaru’s first electric car launched in late 2021, the Solterra had something of a problem: It wasn’t exactly competitive in any of the major factors that EV buyers typically look for. Its 220-mile range and 215-horsepower output were middling at best when compared to vehicles like the Tesla Model Y. Its quirky styling didn’t exactly help, either.
For 2026, Subaru is giving the Solterra a significant up-do. Don’t call it a reboot, as it’s still very much the same SUV as before, but with more range, more power and better tech (though we’re still waiting on the pricing). The result is a much more compelling car. Now, with Tesla’s international appeal falling to an all-time low, which takes the Model Y off the table for many buyers, Subaru’s first EV feels like it’s finally found its time to shine.
More of what you want
I’m the first person to tell a potential EV buyer that range is not the first criterion they should be considering when EV shopping. There are many more important factors that impact your quality of life on a daily basis than how many charging stops you’ll need to make on your annual road trip. Still, when the original Solterra was doing 220 miles on a charge, while the Tesla Model Y did well over 300, that made the thing a bit of a hard sell.
Thankfully, the 2026 Solterra gets a big bump in that department, up to 288 miles on a charge. It’s not class-leading by any means, but as someone who’s lived with EVs for years, I can confidently say that’s plenty of juice to eliminate range anxiety for most.
Impressively, the new Subaru does that on a battery pack that’s barely any bigger: 74.7 kWh vs. 72.8 before. Where does the extra range come from, then? Subaru and Toyota engineers (this car is mechanically identical to the 2026 Toyota bZ) deployed a raft of subtle improvements that result in substantial efficiency, everything from aerodynamic tweaks to updated electronics and new motors.
When it’s time to plug in, the Solterra and the Model Y can now use the same chargers. For 2026, the Solterra switches over to a Tesla-style NACS port, though the car comes with adapters for using J1772 and CCS ports. Outright charging speed is up by 50 percent over last year’s car, but that only equates to a maximum charging rate of 150 kW. Again, it’s a big improvement, but not class-leading.
It can at least burn those electrons more quickly. Outright power is up, with the Solterra now putting down 338 horsepower through all four wheels on the XT trims, a nice boost from the old car’s 215.
Big display, big safety
All those updates are nice, but potential buyers will be more immediately wooed by a completely rethought dashboard layout that’s still quirky but significantly less awkward than before. A new, 14-inch touchscreen dominates proceedings, giving you quick and easy access to everything from navigation to media playback. It serves as a generous canvas for either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, both of which are offered wirelessly.
There’s not one but two wireless charging pads to keep your devices juiced while slinging tunes and navigation, plus a pair of USB-C ports in the second row for passengers. With 60 watts of output, back-seat productivity hounds can keep happily typing away even if they forgot their adapter.
They’ll be comfortable, too. There’s a good amount of headroom and legroom in the rear seat, plus 23.8 cubic feet of cargo space in the rear.
When it comes to keeping everyone safe, the new Solterra offers Subaru’s EyeSight system standard, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and a lane-centering system. I got a good chance to sample these systems in the increasingly heavy traffic in and around Denver, Colorado. The adaptive cruise brought the car to a complete stop and resumed on its own when traffic came to a crawl, while the active lane-keep system ensured the Solterra stayed centered.
The drive
For my day behind the wheel of the new Solterra, Subaru provided me with a model in top-shelf Touring XT trim, the highest performance. That meant I got to sample the car’s full 338 horsepower, but I have to admit that in terms of acceleration, the thing still isn’t a rocket ship. It has the instant torque of an EV and is certainly quick, but the power is delivered in a somewhat more relaxed way than many of the peppier EVs on the market today.
That character continues throughout the Solterra drive experience. Steering is quite sharp and responsive, but the suspension doesn’t really encourage any overly dramatic cornering antics. The traction and stability control systems quickly and abruptly kill all power at the first hint of loss of grip. For many Subaru enthusiasts, that’s just when things start getting fun.
It won’t be a terror on your favorite gravel road, but the Solterra is reasonably competent when the asphalt ends. Subaru set up a short dirt course, which was more meander through the trees than proper expedition. Still, it proved the SUV capable on the sorts of terrain a mass-market machine like this is liable to see.
In terms of comfort and ride quality, the Solterra handled most road imperfections and bumps without issue, but felt a little harsh over bigger stuff. There’s no real wind noise or the like, making it a quiet and calm highway cruiser, but a fair bit of road noise did come up through the suspension on rougher stretches of asphalt.
Wrap-up
In many ways, this improved Solterra feels like the electric SUV that the brand should have launched in the first place. Better late than never. The big boost in range and performance, plus all the other tech and feature upgrades, make for a significantly improved car. It still comes up a little short of the competition from Hyundai or Tesla in terms of key metrics that EV shoppers tend to hyper-fixate on — particularly range — but it’s close enough now to be judged on its other merits. Thankfully, those merits are good.
Update, August 25, 2025, 11:14AM ET: This story was originally published with a placeholder for the Solterra’s price, which hasn’t yet been announced. When Subaru reveals the 2026 Solterra’s price, we’ll update this story.
Tim Stevens
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Earn a $50 Bonus When You Test Drive a Subaru
$50 Subaru Test Drive Bonus
Subaru has a new promotion that could get you a $50 gift card when you take one of their new models for a test drive. The bonus is a Visa Rewards Card. You need to fill out your information and you will receive a coupon code.
With that coupon code, you can visit a dealership and take a test drive. The salesperson will validate your coupon and you will receive your $50 gift card even if you don’t actually purchase a Subaru. Check out the details below.
How to Find the Offer
Follow these steps to find this Subaru test drive bonus:
- Go to Subaru.com
- Click ‘Find a Retailer’ on top right.
- Enter your zip code to find a dealer near you and go to their page
- Click New Inventory at the dealer page and click on one of the cars
- The offer should pop up on the screen.
It doesn’t always show, so try a few times with different dealers. My coupon shows an expiration date of Jan 6, 2024. You are limited to one coupon redemption per household.
Offer Terms
- Must be at least 18 years old, a US resident; present a valid U.S. driver’s license and proof of insurance.
- Offer valid with test drive of a new Subaru only.
- Test Drive not required for residents of the state of Maryland.
- Excludes WRX and BRZ models.
- To obtain the financial incentive, an offer code will be sent to you via email, and you must take the offer code to a participating dealer and test drive a participating vehicle. Participation in any financial incentive program is optional, and you may withdraw at any time by not redeeming the offer code or emailing us at dealersupport@urbanscience.com
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Guru’s Wrap-Up
This is a good Subaru test drive bonus, but we have seen offers up to $65 in the past. As is the case with most test drive bonuses, you don’t have to make a purchase at the dealership. You just need to print the coupon and then do the test drive. Sometimes just telling the salesperson that you only want the bonus, will make your trip even quicker, but that doesn’t always work.
Let me know how it works out for you, or share any issues you might encounter to help other readers.
DDG
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Austin Pets Alive! | Share the Love 2023
‘Tis the season for all things merry and bright! And Austin Subaru’s Share the Love campaign fits right into that aesthetic. A fundraiser that supports pets in need makes the staff, volunteers and pets of APA! so merry because it helps ensure a bright year ahead for our lifesaving programs.
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UAW begins drive to unionize workers at Tesla, Toyota and other non-unionized automakers
The United Auto Workers union said its next target is to unionize factory workers at Lucid, Rivian, Tesla and 10 foreign automakers, a move that comes after it garnered new employment contracts from Detroit’s Big Three automakers.
BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Mazda, Mercedes, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo are based overseas but all have manufacturing operations in the U.S. Because these companies have brought in billions of dollars in profit over the past decade, their hourly factory workers deserve to make more money, UAW President Shawn Fain said in a video Wednesday.
Also on the union’s list are U.S. factories run by electric vehicle sales leader Tesla, as well as EV startups Rivian and Lucid. All three are U.S.-based companies.
“To all the autoworkers out there working without the benefits of a union, now it’s your turn,” he said, urging autoworkers to join the UAW’s membership drive campaign.
Tesla and other dozen automakers targeted by the UAW have long used non-unionized workers at their plants. The UAW said its drive will focus largely on factories in the South, where the union has had little success in recruiting new members. Currently, the UAW has about 146,000 members.
Still, Fain said thousands of non-unionized workers have contacted the UAW and asked to join the organization ever since the union ratified pay raises for employees at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis (the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram).
The union said that Toyota’s 7,800-worker assembly complex in Georgetown, Kentucky, is among factories with the strongest interest in the union. A Toyota spokesman declined to comment.
The organizing drive comes after a six-week series of strikes at factories run by Ford, General Motors and Jeep maker Stellantis that ended with new contracts. Under the contracts, top assembly plant worker pay will rise 33% by the time the deals expire in April of 2028.
The new contracts also ended some lower tiers of wages, gave raises to temporary workers and shortened the time it takes for full-time workers to get to the top of the pay scale.
—With reporting by the Associated Press.
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Austin Pets Alive! | Celebrating Eight Years of Share the Love
May 04, 2023
For the eighth year in a row, Austin Pets Alive! has been selected as a recipient of funds raised during Austin Subaru’s Share the Love campaign. The annual fundraiser, which ran from November 2022 to January 2023, pledges to donate $250 when a new vehicle is purchased or leased. The 2022 Share the Love campaign has been the most successful to date for our organization, bringing in a tail-wagging $125,000! This awe-inspiring donation can contribute to our organization in many ways! With a contribution like this we we are can do any of the following:
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treat 416 parvo puppies.
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vaccinate 2,500 litters of puppies.
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perform 62 life-saving surgeries.
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purchase a vehicle for our transport team and support its maintenance.
Our friends at Austin Subaru support APA! throughout the year and we’re honored to see the hard work and passion they gave to finish the most recent Share the Love campaign on such a high note! The success of the campaign is due to a fundraising concept that easily engages the public and is partnered with the passion that each employee puts behind their effort to share the fundraiser with their customers. And as if raising over $100k doesn’t showcase this company’s passion enough, this generous company makes sure to mark the check celebration by coming on site to put in some sweat equity by participating in a volunteer project!
In celebration of this donation, the dealership team rolled up their sleeves and “dug” in to help us beautify a piece of our shelter! The team got to work laying out the frame for a memorial garden, shoveling fresh dirt into wheelbarrows, then smoothing it into the garden area. With 12 people contributing a couple of hours, we were able to make huge progress and are now ready for the next phase in this project!
Thank you Austin Subaru for your continuous support year after year — support that has helped save the lives of hundreds of animals! This generous support furthers APA!’s mission to provide innovative life-saving medical care and support so that more pets can be saved each year.
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Austin Pets Alive! | Ready, Set, Rally!
Feb 13, 2023
As one of Austin Subaru’s 2023 “pillar partners,” APA! has the opportunity to attend several events hosted or sponsored by the philanthropic company throughout the year!
Ready, Set, Rally was the first of these events, which took place on February 4th. Austin Subaru recently welcomed a “dealership dog” and used this event to welcome Rally to the team!
Taking place just days after one of Austin’s historic winter weather events, this event was welcomed with the warmth of the sunshine and the event hosted 250+ people who were, no doubt, excited to meet Rally and enjoy the sun after several days of navigating ice covering the city.
APA!, along with Austin Subaru’s six other 2023 pillar partners, took the opportunity to connect with event-goers to share more about our organization and how we serve this community. In addition, we hosted a pet adoption!
Several dogs, including Elastigirl and Mr. Bane came out with their fosters to enjoy the event. One of our puppers even found their loving home! Getting to show off our foster dogs is always a ton of fun, but even better when they find their adoptive homes!
We’re looking forward to a full year of partnering with our friends at Austin Subaru and are grateful to be one of their pillar partners!
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Austin Pets Alive! | Share the Love with Subaru
Jun 23, 2022
Locally, Austin Subaru selects organizations to support right here at home, and APA! is honored to be one of those partners since 2015! This generous company has firmly established a commitment to community involvement, and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.
2021 marked the seventh year that the employees of Austin Subaru have worked hard to assist our mission through this fundraiser, raising $80,000 and over $400,000 since the lifetime of the Share the Love event! This fundraiser launches each November and concludes in early January with the pledge to donate $250 with every new vehicle purchase or lease.
Not only does the Austin Subaru team recognize the importance of supporting local nonprofits with monetary gifts, they also recognize that the gift of time makes a big difference, too! To celebrate the accomplishment of their 2021 Share the Love fundraiser, we worked with the team to get them on-site, roll up their sleeves, and give of their valuable time! Thanks to this crew, our shelter received some TLC, including tackling a number of painting projects, helping to stuff our adopter bags with some fun goodies, and aiding our facilities team with building an awning that will help shade our clinic team and APA! fosters when conducting their carside appointments. This volunteer day is incredibly generous and just goes to show how deep the Austin Subaru support runs for our organization.
Austin Subaru’s contributions throughout these years have been incredibly impactful, allowing our teams the ability to give essential care to the pets that come through our doors. Their continued commitment helps APA! remain in a position to assist at-risk animals. Below are just a few examples of what we can do with generosity like theirs:
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$100 — Provides intake vaccinations, dewormers, and spay/neuter for one puppy.
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$225 — Provides immune-boosting IV Vitamin C for three puppies.
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$500 — Supports maintenance and repair of current IV pumps.
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$1,000 — Purchases a new IV pump to keep puppies hydrated and alive as they fight Parvovirus.
We can’t thank Austin Subaru enough for championing the work that takes place within our organization!
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Austin Pets Alive! | Share the Love with Subaru
Dec 21, 2021
There is a lot that can be said for this time of year!
The holiday season is a time filled with love and joy, friends and family, busy calendars full of festive get-togethers, and cozy evenings at home wrapped in blankets. And at Austin Pets Alive! this is the busiest time of the year for our fundraising which is why we’re so grateful for Subaru’s Share The Love event!
This holiday season marks Subaru’s 14th Share the Love event and since 2015 Austin Subaru has selected APA! as their hometown charity, raising more than $300,000 over the years to support our lifesaving mission!
Share the Love takes place from November 18 – January 3rd. Hometown charities receive $250 for any new or leased vehicle sold during this time! And Austin Subaru adds some additional donations as well, such as donating $5 for every vehicle serviced during the Share the Love period!
This fundraiser goes a long way for our organization. To name just a few things that we can accomplish with Austin Subaru’s Share the Love support:
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$1,000 — Purchases a new IV pump to keep puppies hydrated and alive as they fight Parvovirus.
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$500 — Supports maintenance and repair of current IV pumps.
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$225 — Provides immune-boosting IV Vitamin C for three puppies.
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$100 — Provides intake vaccinations, dewormers, and spay/neuter for one puppy.
Each year, APA! brings more animals into our care, who otherwise, wouldn’t have had a chance at life. The support we receive from community partners like Austin Subaru makes all the difference to help the animals most at risk.
Pets like Legacy can find their loving homes because of community partner fundraising like Austin Subaru’s Share the Love event! Legacy who was actually named for Austin Subaru came into our care in early 2021. He’s worked with our behavior team to learn skills that will help him find a home that fits his personality and that can offer him the continued support he needs.
Join us in thanking our long-time and loyal supporters, Austin Subaru, for their hard work, generosity, and dedication to serving our community well!
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Austin Pets Alive! | Austin Subaru Shares the Love!
Jun 23, 2021
Every year, Austin Subaru partners with local nonprofits for their Share the Love campaign held at the end of each year.
We are so honored that Austin Subaru selected Austin Pets Alive! as their hometown charity last year — for the seventh year in a row! We can all agree that 2020 proved to be a tough time for so many people. But even through a ravaging pandemic, Austin Subaru persevered and through this cause marketing campaign, raised a significant amount of money — $100,000!
Legacy is ready for adoption! Year after year, Austin Subaru meets and then exceeds their donation from the year prior. What’s even more impressive, you ask? For the second year in a row, they have raised $100,000 during their Share the Love campaign! Genny Hill, owner at Continental Automotive Group says, “our commitment to APA! allows us to share the love that our team and our guests have for their pets. We are excited to continue this partnership and happy to contribute to an organization that acts on the affection and appreciation we have for our furry friends.” For Austin Pets Alive!, every penny counts. We are able to stretch that money a LONG way. Here are some of the types of work we can do with that donation:
- $100 — Provides intake vaccinations, dewormers, and spay/neuter for one puppy.
- $225 — Provides immune-boosting IV Vitamin C for three puppies.
- $500 — Supports maintenance and repair of current IV pumps.
- $1,000 — Purchases a new IV pump to keep puppies hydrated and alive as they fight Parvovirus.
With Austin Subaru’s $100,000, Austin Pets Alive! has the ability to effectively treat and provide the resources to keep our pups alive and well as they fight Parvo. APA! is creating a future where no animal will be unnecessarily euthanized and with generous gifts like that of Austin’s Subaru’s, we’re able to continue to work towards that mission. With every animal who walks through our doors, along with our current animals, APA! will be able to do what we do best — provide lifesaving care and get our furry friends into loving homes!
Our Austin Pets Alive! team, along with the woofs and purrs are so gracious! Thank you to Austin Subaru and their wonderful pet-loving sales team for a successful fu
ndraiser. We love working closely with organizations like Austin Subaru, who truly understand and encompass our no-kill mission and work to advance that undertaking.
Be like Austin Subaru and share the love to keep Austin No Kill.
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Austin Pets Alive! | Register Today for Paddle for Puppies 2021!
Apr 21, 2021
Paddle for Puppies is back on the water for its 10-year anniversary!
Presented by Austin Subaru, this unique annual fundraiser benefits the Parvo Puppy ICU Program at Austin Pets Alive! which has pioneered the path to give puppies with parvo a fighting chance.
Austin Pets Alive!’s Parvo Puppy ICU is the first of its kind in the nation and has saved over 5,500 puppies since its creation in 2008. On average, they continue to save around 600 puppies each year. Even with the pandemic happening, in 2020 this amazing team saved 609 puppies! Parvo, short for the canine parvovirus, is a highly contagious viral illness, and often means immediate and absolute euthanasia for puppies.
This is where APA! comes in. Our Parvo Puppy ICU provides an alternative to euthanasia and gives the puppies who were on death’s doorstep a real chance at life. With proper treatment, parvo takes about a week to cure. Post-parvo, these pups are finally given a chance at adoption to lead a healthy, normal life. We love seeing updates from our adopters who watch as their small parvo puppies grow into big and strong dogs. Check out sweet Bodie’s transformation after he was released from the ICU!
Now you have the chance to help pioneer change for our pups, too! Grab your friends and family and hop in a kayak, canoe, or SUP the weekend of May 7-9 for the 10th Annual Paddle for Puppies.
Unfortunately, due to the recent surge of algae in the water, we’re suggesting pets stay at home this year. No need to fear — you’re still sure to have a paw-some time!
In compliance with CDC guidelines, we will not be paddling as a large group, but instead have extended the paddling experience over three days. The paddle will begin at 4:00 pm at Rowing Dock on May 7 and end at 8:00 pm. May 8-9, the paddle will begin at 8:00 am and end at 12:00 pm at the same location.
Last year was anything but traditional, with Paddle for Puppies being virtual. This year we want to see you! Come out to Lady Bird Lake and have a nice, relaxing time, all while making a splash in our Parvo Puppy Program!
Be sure to buy your tickets now! We’re absolutely paw-sitive you won’t want to miss out on this fun-filled paddling experience!
Special thanks to Austin Subaru for sponsoring Paddle for Puppies for 10 years, and to Rowing Dock for hosting us once again!
All photos used are from the 2019 Paddle for Puppies with accreditation to Austin Subaru.
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Austin Pets Alive! | Austin Pets Alive! announces 10th Annual Paddle…
Apr 16, 2021
Austin Pets Alive! is thrilled to announce the return of Paddle for Puppies, presented by Austin Subaru and hosted at Rowing Dock. Though the format may look a little different from years past, the concept — and the cause — are the same.
Instead of hosting this fundraiser on one day, it has been spread out over the course of a weekend to accommodate social distancing needs. Participants can register for their preferred time slot on one of three days (May 7, 4-8 pm; May 8, 8 am-12 pm; May 9, 8 am-12 pm) and enjoy a leisurely paddle, kayak, or canoe ride on their own down Lady Bird Lake. All participants will receive an exclusive Paddle for Puppies t-shirt, and all proceeds directly benefit the APA! Parvo Puppy ICU.
This is the 10th anniversary of Paddle for Puppies. Since its inception in 2011, Austin Subaru has raised over $20,000 each year through this community favorite activity. APA!’s Parvo Puppy ICU is a specialized facility designed to care for puppies that contract canine parvovirus, a highly contagious and life-threatening virus. Dogs with parvo are often at extremely high risk of euthanasia in certain shelters and regions that lack the resources to safely quarantine and treat these pups. Through this program, APA! provides shelters across Texas with an alternative to euthanasia and saves around 500 lives each year.
Due to recent detection of toxins in an algae sample taken from Lake Austin, APA! is not encouraging participants to bring their dogs along for the paddle at this time. Humans of all ages, however, are welcome to attend. Registration starts at $40 per adult, with an optional boat rental fee. Children under 16 can be added on as a second rider for $25. All attendees can register on the Paddle for Puppies website ahead of time.