More car buyers are considering either considering the switch to an all-electric car or seeking to put a new EV on their driveway. At least that’s suggested from a report on the most researched cars on Edmunds for February. Of all the 2023 model year cars, trucks, and SUVs on sale today, the most researched of them all is the Subaru Solterra.

The 2023 Subaru Solterra makes its debut

The 2023 Solterra is Subaru’s first foray into the all-electric space. The compact EV SUV was jointly developed with Toyota, and the Subaru shares much of its underpinnings with the all-new Toyota bZ4X; both the Soltera and bZ4X are built in the same factory.  

The Solterra, as expected of a Subaru, comes with all-wheel drive and is motivated by two electric motors delivering 215 hp and 249 lb-ft of torque. The EPA rates the Solterra for a driving range of up to 228 miles on a single charge, and Subaru claims its batteries can be re-juiced to 80 percent in a little under an hour with a max input of 100-kW.

Its power, range, and charging specs are modest, but the Solterra does incorporate some traditional Subaru aspects like a notable 8.3 inches of ground clearance, an X-Mode setting for driving on slippery surfaces, and a “Grip Control” low-speed cruise control.

The 2023 Subaru Solterra and bZ4X share nearly identical angular styling that appears to borrow from the Toyota RAV4, but inside, the Subaru sets itself apart. The digital gauge cluster sits atop an aggressively angular and futuristic housing with a textured cloth dashboard and a glossy black piano center console and center stack.

The Solterra is offered in three trims — Premium, Limited, and Touring — with prices starting at $46,220.

Prospective buyers are intrigued by the 2023 Subaru Solterra

The 2023 Subaru Solterra doesn’t particularly stand out on the spec sheet against some other EV SUVs for its power, price, driving range, or features, but an all-electric offering wearing a Subaru badge with some of the brand’s bread-and-butter capability is apparently plenty enough to garner attention. The Solterra was the most researched 2023 model for the month of February on Edmunds.

The consumer research figures also show that most potential buyers are more interested in 2022 models. Despite being the most researched 2023 model year car for February, the Solterra was No. 17 overall for the most researched vehicle behind 16 2022 model year cars.

Interest in the Solterra cooled off slightly on Edmunds for March, the most recent month in which the publication has compiled its most researched list as of this writing, but it remained the No. 10 most researched 2023 model.

Interest in this electric car could be a positive harbinger for Subaru

The strong interest in the Subaru Solterra among buyers points to a positive future for Subaru’s electrification movement. Earlier this year, Subaru announced it plans to offer an all-electric variant of each model in its lineup by 2030. The company aims to have more than 40 percent of its sales be BEVs and hybrids by 2030. The company’s partnership with Toyota, in which the companies will jointly develop electric SUVs, should pay dividends for Subaru’s electrification efforts as it plans to occupy more of the EV SUV segment.