Compare the2024 Subaru SolterraVS 2023 Hyundai Nexo

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Solterra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Hyundai Nexo doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Nexo doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Subaru Solterra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Nexo doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Nexo 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Solterra has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Nexo doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Solterra has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Nexo doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Solterra and the Nexo have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Solterra its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Nexo has not been fully tested, yet.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 5 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The Solterra’s electric motors produces 54 more horsepower (215 vs. 161) than the Nexo’s electric motor.

On the EPA test cycle the Solterra gets better mileage than the Nexo:

For better stopping power the Solterra’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Nexo:

The Solterra’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nexo are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Solterra has larger tires than the Nexo (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Solterra Premium has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Nexo. The Solterra Limited/Touring’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Nexo Limited.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Solterra’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Nexo (112.2 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Solterra has a 1.9 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Nexo (8.3 vs. 6.4 inches), allowing the Solterra to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Solterra uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Nexo doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Solterra has .6 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room, .6 inches more front shoulder room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Nexo.

The Solterra has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Nexo with its rear seat folded (63.5 vs. 56.5 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Solterra easier. The Solterra’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28 inches, while the Nexo’s liftover is 29.7 inches.

When two different drivers share the Solterra Limited/Touring, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Nexo doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Nexo doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Solterra’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Nexo’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Solterra the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Subaru service department.) The driver of the Nexo can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Nexo doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Solterra Limited/Touring is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Nexo’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Solterra and the Nexo have standard heated front seats. The Solterra Limited/Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Nexo.

The Subaru Solterra outsold the Hyundai Nexo by almost 37 to one during 2023.