Compare the2025 Subaru SolterraVS 2025 Tesla Model Y

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 Y doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Solterra has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model Y doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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 Y.

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

The Solterra Limited/Touring/Onyx has a standard 360-degree Surround-View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model Y 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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Solterra’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Parking Support Brake automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Solterra’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Model Y doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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 Y 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 Y 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rearview cameras.

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 Y:

	Solterra	Model Y
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Stress	130 lbs.	165 lbs.
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	189 lbs.

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

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 Y:

	Solterra	Model Y
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.4 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	86 lbs.	145 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	223	358
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	39 G’s

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

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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 83 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Tesla With 54 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Tesla.

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.

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

			MPGe
Solterra
	AWD	Premium Electric Motors	114 city/94 hwy
Model Y
	AWD	Performance Electric Motors	110 city/97 hwy

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

For better maneuverability, the Solterra’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the Model Y’s (36.7 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Solterra has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (8.3 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the Solterra to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Solterra has .3 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

The Solterra has a much larger cargo volume than the Model Y with its rear seat up (23.8 vs. 16.9 cubic feet).

Consumer Reports rated the Solterra’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Model Y’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Solterra Limited/Touring has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Model Y doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Solterra’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y 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 Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Insurance will cost less for the Solterra owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Solterra will cost $3575 to $4405 less than the Model Y over a five-year period.

The Solterra will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Solterra will retain 51.28% to 52.31% of its original price after five years, while the Model Y only retains 45.72%.