Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: it scores well across the board with no single weak engine.
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Subaru Solterra, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 8% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 8% |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 4% |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 4% |
| Power train | 1 | 4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I am writing to express my concern regarding a series of significant issues I’ve experienced with my vehicle, all occurring within a span of less than six months and well within the 3-year/36,000-mile warranty period. 1.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
Sudden unintended acceleration while maneuvering to park. The acceleration was instantaneous and forceful, that in less than 20 feet of rapid movement the car forced itself over some utility poles laying behind the inte
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Solterra 2023 bought Dec 23, 2022 Report: 1. Unintended Acceleration while parking. 2. No braking power till few feet away from fence. Incident:1. Prior parking, owner had accidentally touched the Reg
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
My Subaru Solterra EV was parked in the driveway of an Airbnb in Virginia. We were about to depart to return home. Vehicle was turned on and driver commenced to back out of the driveway, however rear safety warning act
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Solterra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the heating system became inoperable. The contact stated that the heating system failed to function properly and was blow
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
A/C Air compressor failure resulting in no heat. Report as very common problem on internet but no recall or other fix. $3000 repair in a car approximately 2 years old.
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Driving vehicle during rain storm at 10mph through standing water approximately 1 foot depth while exiting freeway in San Francisco caused front bumper components to loosen/crack, front fender liners to tear off, thereby
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Vehicle stopped dramatically at low speed in snow while sensors were freaking out and flashing reverse breaking sensor problem. Car has been in shop for 6 weeks. My concern is the breaks auto/over corrected and caused my
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2023 Subaru Solterra. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Subaru Solterra and Toyota BZ4X vehicles. The hub bolts on the wheels may loosen, causing a wheel to detach from the vehicle after low-mileage use.
Risk: A wheel detaching from a moving vehicle can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they are repaired. Dealers will replace the hub bolts and wheels, free of charge. Letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 27
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Solterra vehicles. Improperly tightened hub bolts may loosen and cause the wheels to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: Wheel detachment while driving can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the repair has been completed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the hub bolts, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2025 bZ4X, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra vehicles. During certain HVAC system faults, such as electrical compressor failure, the defroster and defogger system may become inoperative.
Risk: An inoperative defroster and defogger system can decrease the driver's visibility under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the HVAC control ECU software, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect the electrical compressor, and replace it, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were ma
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or di
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this re
| Reliability raw | 90 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 86 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 88 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 52 | average |
| Performance | 85 | excellent |
| Efficiency | 87 | excellent |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and vehicle speed control is the most reported area with 2 of them (8%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 90/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 86/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2023 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: buy, because it scores well across the board with no single weak engine. Its overall ownership score is 83/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.