Media

Zaventem, November 19, 2025 – Subaru Europe, subsidiary of Subaru Corporation, announced today that the new Solterra (European specification) has achieved the maximum five-star overall rating in the 2025 European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP^*1). The Solterra registered scores in all four assessment areas (Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road Users, Safety Assist) that stand above the minimum threshold required.

For the Adult Occupant assessment area, the new Subaru Solterra achieved excellent results, scoring maximum points in the rear impact, occupant interaction and side mobile barrier tests thanks to good protection across all critical body areas. Tests showed that the passenger compartment stayed stable in the frontal offset impact, with dummy readings confirming good protection of the knees and femurs for both the driver and front passenger. Solterra also demonstrated that occupants of varying sizes and seating positions would receive a similar level of protection. Analysis of the impact trolley deceleration and the deformable barrier indicated that the Solterra would be a moderately benign impact partner in a frontal collision, absorbing crash energy in a way that helps reduce forces on both vehicles and enhance protection for all occupants. Tests on the front seats and head restraints showed good whiplash protection in a rear-end collision, while the design of the rear seats also indicates a good level of protection for passengers in the back. Control of excursion in far-side impacts was deemed adequate, aided by Subaru’s countermeasure designed to reduce occupant-to-occupant interaction. The central airbag performed well in Euro NCAP’s evaluations, with dummy data indicating good protection for both the driver and passenger. The Solterra features an advanced eCall system that notifies emergency services in the event of a crash, as well as a post-impact braking system that helps prevent secondary collisions. Subaru further demonstrated that the vehicle’s doors and windows remain operable following submergence, allowing occupants to escape safely if needed.

For the Child Occupant assessment area, the new Subaru Solterra has attained the maximum points in CRS installation check and lateral impact, while almost attaining maximum points in frontal impact based on 6 and 10 year old child occupants^*2. Protection in the frontal offset test was rated as good for the 6-year-old dummy and good or adequate for the 10-year-old dummy, contributing to the Solterra’s strong overall crash test performance for child occupants. In the side barrier impact, all critical body regions were well protected for both child dummies. The front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow the safe use of a rearward-facing child seat, with Euro NCAP noting the clear information provided to the driver about the airbag status. The Solterra is equipped with the Rear Seat Reminder system, which alerts the driver to check the rear seats if a rear door was opened prior to driving, helping prevent a child or infant from being inadvertently left in the vehicle. All child restraint types for which the Solterra is designed could be correctly installed and properly accommodated in the vehicle.

For the Vulnerable Road Users assessment area, the new Subaru Solterra attained the maximum points for AEB Motorcyclists and Lane Support Motorcyclists, while almost attaining maximum points in AEB Cyclist^*3 and Cyclist Dooring Prevention^*4. Solterra’s Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system responds to vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Its performance in cyclist scenarios was strong, including ‘dooring’ situations where a vehicle door opens into the path of a cyclist, and the system reacted well to motorcyclists when approaching stationary, braking, or oncoming riders. In pedestrian detection tests, the system performed adequately. Protection of a struck pedestrian or cyclist was largely good or adequate. Pelvis protection was mostly good, while the knee and tibia showed good protection across all test locations. Lane support for motorcyclists likewise performed well, helping prevent collisions during lane-change scenarios.

For the Safety Assist assessment area, the new Subaru Solterra attained maximum points for Lane Support and Seatbelt Reminder performance, while almost attaining maximum points in the AEB Car-to-Car assessment^*5. The Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system performed well in tests of its reaction to other vehicles, contributing positively to collision avoidance. The lane support system (i.e. Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Departure Alert) gently corrects the vehicle’s path if it is drifting out of the lane and also intervenes in some more critical situations (i.e. Proactive Driving Assist). It is equipped with a seatbelt reminder system fitted as standard to the front and rear seats which gained the maximum score in the category, as well as a driver status monitoring system (i.e. Driver Monitoring System) that continuously checks the driver’s status and provides alerts or recommendations as needed, enhancing the performance and effectiveness of safety systems such as Pre-Collision Braking (PCS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and Emergency Driving Stop System (EDSS)). The Road Sign Assist (RSA) function recognises road signs and displays them on the instrument panel. It also allows the driver to set the speed limiter to match the speed limits detected by the RSA.

*1: An independent agency composed of European governments and European motoring and consumer organisations

*2: Subaru Solterra Crash Test Performance (frontal impact) based on 6 and 10 year old children score: 15.9/16 pts

*3: Subaru Solterra AEB Cyclist score: 7.8/8 pts

*4: Subaru Solterra Cyclist Dooring Prevention score: 0.8/1 pts

*5: Subaru Solterra AEB Car-to-Car score: 8/9 pts