2023 Toyota bZ4X and 2023 Subaru Solterra | 2022 Chicago Auto Show

The 2023 Toyota bZ4X and 2023 Subaru Solterra are some of the first fully electric cars the brands' will sell across the United States. They're also extremely similar, but not quite identical. As such, we wanted to highlight their differences. Design-wise, the differences are in the front and rear sections. The bZ4X eschews any sort of grille design, while the Subaru has a faux grille to tie it to its internal combustion cars. It also has a slightly more rugged lower front fascia. At the rear, the Toyota has a full-width taillight, while the Subaru uses more conventional-looking units. The powertrains are slightly different, too. The Toyota comes standard with a 201-horsepower front motor and a range of 250 miles. The Subaru comes with dual motors standard, making around 215 horsepower. It has a shorter range of 220 miles. That powertrain is also available on the Toyota, but as an option.

Video Transcript

JOEL STOCKSDALE: Toyota and Subaru are launching their very first electric cars here in the US this coming year. Now, they're almost the same vehicle, but with slight differences. And so we wanted to point out just a few of what makes the Toyota the Toyota, and what makes the Subaru the Subaru.

Now, styling wise, the biggest difference is that the Toyota doesn't really have any sort of grille. It is mostly featureless up front. And the headlights are a little bit different as well. Now, the front end is kind of the main part that differs on these two vehicles. The rest of the side is pretty much the same between both of them.

And it's not until you get around to the back where you find a few other differences. The Toyota features a full width light bar, and different badging, and again, that's about it. But one of the more significant differences between the two is that the Toyota comes with two powertrain options.

The standard one has a 201 horsepower single motor mounted up front providing front wheel drive. Optionally, you can get it with dual motors, making 214 horsepower. Those are the main things that distinguish the Toyota bZ4X. And so we'll go over to the Subaru now to show you what's unique about that.