Subaru follows Kia and Hyundai’s EV sales dips
We came away from our first drive of the 2026 Subaru Solterra EV impressed by the changes that had been made to the crossover. From more range to a newly designed dashboard, it’s clearly an improvement over the pre-facelift model. Earlier this year, sales of the EV appeared to be moving in the right direction, and certain lessees could qualify for a tax credit of $7,500 on the vehicle.
But the tax credit fell away after September, and many EVs are already bearing the brunt of this change. Kia and Hyundai EV sales declined sharply last month, but even those declines are nothing compared to the Solterra’s dramatic fall.
Solterra Sales Decline By Almost 100%
Subaru
In October, Subaru managed to sell only 13 units of the Solterra. That’s compared to 1,078 a year ago in the same month, representing a staggering 98.8% drop in sales. It’s also a big drop from September, when 443 Solterras were sold.
However, there may be a reason besides the tax credit’s absence that explains the Solterra’s decline. Pricing for the 2026 model was only announced on September 25, with the manufacturer saying this version would become available later this fall. This transition to the 2026 model year may have impacted availability of the EV, and some buyers may have held off on a planned purchase to wait for the updated model.
2026 Solterra is a Solid EV
Subaru
Although hardly anyone bought one last month, the 2026 Subaru Solterra is much improved over the previous model. The range on a full charge is up by 25%, and a new XT derivative produces 338 horsepower. Charging speeds have increased, the styling has been sharpened up, and the interior gains a new 14-inch touchscreen interface. Weeks ago, Subaru added Tesla Supercharging access for the 2026 Solterra, and a NACS charging adapter for previous model years will be available soon.
These are meaningful changes that address many of the concerns we had with the Solterra when it was first launched. The related Toyota bZ (previously bZ4X) received similar updates for 2026.
Why It Matters
2026 Subaru Uncharted
Moving only 13 units of the EV is worrying for Subaru’s EV growth, especially as the company plans to launch the smaller Uncharted EV early next year. This EV is expected to start at around $34,000, which will make it one of the most affordable new EVs in the country. The company also has the larger Trailseeker EV coming in 2026, which boasts more cargo space than the Solterra.
For the Solterra, November sales should tell us if the transition to the 2026 model year is the main reason for its sales dip—or if the tax credit drove a larger-than-expected percentage of sales.
Previous surveys suggest that incentives of over $5,000 play a significant role in motivating people to buy EVs. Without them, EVs like the Solterra may struggle to match previous sales highs in the coming months.