Last updated: 2026-10-10

Subaru Solterra

Subaru Solterra Years to Avoid

3 scored model years (2023–2025) · model average 71/100

Skip the 2023 Subaru Solterra. It has the most owner complaints, led by sudden, forceful acceleration at parking speed, including crash reports. The 2024 is the year to buy, with fewer complaints and more time on the road behind it.

Verdict

Avoid
2023 65/100
Buy
2024 74/100
Model average
71/100
See years to avoid ↓See best year ↓See all years ranked ↓

Subaru Solterra Years to Avoid

These model years score significantly below the Subaru Solterra average of 71/100.

#YearScoreRatingRecallsComplaintsTop Issue
1202365/100Good225Electrical System (6)

Why These Years Should Be Avoided

65
GoodReliability score: 65 out of 100, rated Good

2023 Subaru Solterra

Owners describe sudden, forceful acceleration at parking speed, with cars lunging over obstacles or into trees. Cruise control in rain can lose the car ahead and speed up toward it without warning. Regenerative braking can shut off at random. Driving through standing water tore off fender liners and exposed high-voltage cables.

2 recalls25 complaintsEst. repair:

Top issues: Electrical System (6), Service Brakes (3), Vehicle Speed Control (3), Unknown Or Other (3), Suspension (2), Forward Collision Avoidance (2)

View full 2023reliability report →

What Are Common Subaru Solterra Problems?

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

10 complaints

Most reported in 2023, 2024

2023: Sudden, forceful acceleration at parking speed is the most serious pattern, and both crash-related reports describe it.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

4 complaints

Most reported in 2024, 2023

2024: When the driver-monitoring camera cannot see the driver's face, it brings the car to a sudden stop in traffic.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

3 complaints

Most reported in 2023

2023: The car can lurch forward with great force at low speed.

SERVICE BRAKES

3 complaints

Most reported in 2023

2023: Braking behavior changes without warning.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

3 complaints

Most reported in 2023

2023: Climate system failures make up most of this category.

LANE DEPARTURE

2 complaints

Most reported in 2024

2024: Lane keeping steers hard toward the road edge without warning.

Best Subaru Solterra Year to Buy Instead

74
GoodReliability score: 74 out of 100, rated Good

2024 Subaru Solterra

The 2024 has 14 owner complaints against 25 for the 2023, and it lacks the parking-speed lunges and crash reports that define the earlier year. It still has driver-monitoring and lane-keeping faults, so check those on a test drive. The 2025 is too new to rank fairly.

Score: 74/100 (Good)2 recalls14 complaints
View full 2024reliability report →
VIN History Report

Found a Safe Year? Check the Specific Car

Even the 2024 Subaru Solterra has 2 recalls on file. A VIN check confirms the recall work on the exact car and shows its accident, title, and service history.

No VIN? Just hit “Check VIN” to look one up.

  • Accidents
  • Open Recalls
  • Title History
  • Odometer Rollback

All Subaru Solterra Years by Generation

Subaru Solterra Reliability Scores by Year

Excellent Good Mixed Risky

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Subaru Solterra years should I avoid?
Avoid the 2023. Site analysis puts it well below the model's own average. Owners report sudden, forceful acceleration at parking speed, cruise control that speeds up toward traffic in rain, and regenerative braking that shuts off at random.
Why is the 2023 Subaru Solterra the worst year?
It has the most complaints, 25 in total, and the highest rate per vehicle sold at 28.2 per 10,000. Two crash-linked reports describe sudden acceleration, and one car hit a house without automatic emergency braking activating.
Is the 2024 Subaru Solterra free of these problems?
No. The 2024 has fewer complaints, but owners report driver-monitoring cameras that fail to see the driver, sudden stops in traffic, and lane keeping that steers toward the road edge. Test those systems before buying.
Is the 2025 Subaru Solterra better than the 2023?
It looks better on paper, with only 4 complaints, but it is too new to trust that number. Newer years collect fewer complaints simply because they have had less time. Choose the 2024 for a year with a proven record.
Which Subaru Solterra year should I buy instead?
Buy the 2024. It has been on the road long enough to judge, and its complaint count is well below the 2023. Its known weak spots are driver-monitoring alerts and lane-keeping behavior, not parking-speed acceleration.

How we score every Subaru Solterra model year

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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