Nissan Ariya Evolve e-4ORCE vs Subaru Solterra Solterra AWD

The Subaru wins this one clearly. The base Solterra AWD claims 566km on the WLTP cycle from a 74.7kWh battery, while the dearer Ariya Evolve e-4ORCE manages 487km from a larger 87kWh pack. The Nissan carries the bigger battery but is heavier and less efficient at 208Wh/km against the Subaru's 146, which is why it travels less. Even the longest-range Ariya, the front-drive Advance+ at 504km, falls short of the base Solterra. If maximum range for the money is the priority, the Solterra AWD is the pick, and it costs less to buy as well.

On a DC fast-charger the Solterra AWD leads: 150kW peak and roughly 30 minutes from 10 to 80 per cent, against the Ariya Evolve's 130kW and about 40 minutes. Neither is a 2026 class-leader, so on a long trip with several stops the Subaru asks for a little less time at each. For home charging the two are level, both fitting a 22kW three-phase AC charger, double what many rivals offer, so an overnight refill is quick in either. Around town, charging speed rarely comes into it. On the highway, the Subaru is the easier companion.

At $75,990 driveaway on 2026 pricing the Ariya Evolve is $8,470 dearer than the $67,520 Solterra AWD, and the money buys power and polish rather than range. You get a 290kW dual-motor system against 252kW, a 5.6-second sprint, and a plusher cabin with a head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated Nappa leather seats and a ten-speaker stereo, where the base Subaru runs six speakers and reserves the roof and ventilated seats for its dearer Touring. Nissan also adds up to ten years of roadside assistance to Subaru's one. What it does not buy is efficiency: the Ariya travels less far and uses more energy. Read the premium as worth it for power and cabin, not for covering distance.

For a family stepping into their first EV, the Solterra AWD is the sensible pick. Its 566km range takes the anxiety out of weekly driving and weekends away, it fast-charges quicker, its 2025 ANCAP five-star rating is the fresher of the two, and it saves $8,470 over the Ariya Evolve on 2026 pricing. Both seat five with dual-zone climate and near-identical boots, so day-to-day space is a wash. The Ariya's cabin feels more special and its roadside cover runs longer, but for a family weighing range, safety and total cost, the Subaru answers the brief for less money.

Both cars drive all four wheels and both offer selectable drive modes, so each copes with loose surfaces better than a front-drive EV. The Solterra AWD has the edge for light adventure: 212mm of ground clearance against the Ariya's 180, Subaru's long soft-roader pedigree, and more touring range to reach the trailhead. The Ariya Evolve's e-4ORCE system is genuinely capable and it is the more powerful car, but its lower clearance and shorter range count against it once the tarmac ends. Neither is a serious off-roader. For gravel, boat ramps and grassy campsites, the Subaru is the more natural fit.

The Ariya Evolve earns its premium only for buyers who want the most power and the plushest cabin. It is the more powerful and more lavish car, with 290kW, a head-up display, a panoramic roof and ventilated Nappa seats, plus a ten-year roadside program. If a hushed cabin and outright pace lead your decision, the $8,470 premium on 2026 pricing buys something real. But on pure value the Solterra AWD is hard to argue with: more range, quicker charging, fresher safety and a lower price. Read the Ariya as the indulgence and the Solterra as the sensible buy. Most cross-shoppers weighing dollars against features will land on the Subaru.

The Ariya Evolve is the quicker car. Its dual-motor e-4ORCE system makes 290kW and 600Nm and Nissan quotes a 5.6-second run to 100km/h. The Solterra AWD counters with 252kW and 437Nm from its own dual-motor setup, enough to feel brisk but short of the Nissan's punch, and Subaru does not publish a headline sprint time for it. Reviewers describe both as smooth and quiet rather than outright sharp, so in everyday driving the gap is smaller than the numbers suggest. If straight-line pace matters to you, the Ariya Evolve is the one with the muscle.

There is little in it. The Solterra AWD offers 421 litres of boot space seats-up against the Ariya Evolve's 408, so the Subaru is marginally the more practical, though both are modest for a medium SUV where 500 litres is common. The Solterra is the longer car overall at 4,690mm to 4,595mm and rides a longer wheelbase, which helps rear space. Both seat five and both fit dual-zone climate. If cargo room is a deciding factor, neither leads the class, but the Subaru holds a small edge and the longer body behind it.

The Solterra AWD is the leaner car to run, using 146Wh/km against the Ariya Evolve's 208, so it costs less to charge over a year. Both come with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and an eight-year, 160,000km battery warranty, and both service every 12 months or 15,000km, with Subaru quoting capped servicing around $480 a visit. The Ariya's trump card is roadside assistance, up to ten years against Subaru's one. Up front the Subaru saves $8,470 on 2026 pricing. Read the Solterra as the cheaper car to buy and charge, and the Ariya as the one with the longer roadside safety net.