Compare the2027 Kia EV3 VS 2026 Subaru Solterra

Both the EV3 and the Solterra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The EV3 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Solterra’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the EV3 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Solterra. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Solterra ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 24 percent more Kia dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the EV3’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

The EV3 has more powerful engines than the Solterra:

	Torque
EV3 electric motor	209 lbs.-ft.
EV3 electric motors	284 lbs.-ft.
EV3 GT electric motors	345 lbs.-ft.
Solterra electric motors
Solterra XT electric motors

The EV3 can travel longer on a full charge than the Solterra on a full charge:

			Miles
EV3
	FWD	Wind/Land Electric Motor	321 miles
	AWD	Electric Motors	280 miles
		GT Electric Motors	280 miles
Solterra
	AWD	Limited Electric Motors	278 miles
		XT Electric Motors	278 miles

The EV3 GT’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Solterra doesn’t offer launch control.

The EV3 GT-Line/GT’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Solterra Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the EV3’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Solterra’s (34 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

The Kia EV3 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 550 pounds less than the Subaru Solterra.

The EV3 Light/Wind/Land is 1 foot, 3.3 inches shorter than the Solterra, making the EV3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The EV3 has 2.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Solterra (99.7 vs. 97.5).

The EV3 has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more rear legroom, 8.2 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Solterra.

The EV3 has a much larger cargo volume than the Solterra with its rear seat up (26.1 vs. 23.8 cubic feet).

The EV3 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Solterra has no towing capacity.

The EV3 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Solterra uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The EV3 GT has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Solterra doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The EV3’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Solterra’s power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EV3 has a standard rear wiper. The Solterra doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The EV3 GT’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Solterra Limited/Touring’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The EV3 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Solterra doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.