Compare the2026 Subaru SolterraVS 2025 Tesla Model 3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Solterra are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Solterra. But it costs extra on the Model 3.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Solterra’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model 3 doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Solterra Limited/Touring has a standard 360-degree Surround-View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Subaru Solterra’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Tesla Model 3 does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

The Solterra has standard STARLINK Safety and Security, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Solterra and the Model 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Solterra is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Solterra	Model 3
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	227	235
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Stress	130 lbs.	190 lbs.
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	101 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Solterra is safer than the Model 3:

	Solterra	Model 3
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Solterra is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Solterra	Model 3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.4 inches	.5 inches
Abdominal Force	86 lbs.	158 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	315	384
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	41 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Solterra is safer than the Model 3:

	Solterra	Model 3
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	105	274
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	245 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	1.42 in
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	268 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.22 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	870 lbs.	937 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	212	237
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.63 in	1.06 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	245 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD

The Subaru Solterra has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Model 3 has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Warranty

There are over 3 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Solterra’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru first in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 17th.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Solterra gets better mileage than the Model 3:

			MPGe
Solterra
	AWD	Premium Electric Motors	131 city/109 hwy
		Limited Electric Motors	128 city/105 hwy
		XT Electric Motors	128 city/105 hwy
Model 3
	AWD	Performance Electric Motors	118 city/107 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Solterra’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Model 3:

	Solterra	Model 3
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	12.6 inches

Suspension and Handling

The Solterra has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Solterra flat and controlled during cornering. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Solterra is .6 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model 3.

For better maneuverability, the Solterra’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Model 3’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Passenger Space

The Solterra has 1.4 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model 3.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Solterra’s rear seats recline. The Model 3’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Solterra Limited/Touring’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Solterra’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Model 3’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Solterra has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model 3 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Solterra’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Solterra has standard extendable sun visors. The Model 3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Solterra is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the Model 3, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Solterra offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the Model 3.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Solterra equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The Model 3, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Subaru Solterra empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Tesla Model 3’s traditional radio, the Subaru Solterra equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

The Solterra Limited/Touring has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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