Subaru's foray into EVs begins soon

Subaru will jump into the electric vehicle fray next year with a crossover co-developed with Toyota Motor Corp. alongside Toyota's new bZ4X. Meanwhile, the brand will continue to expand its trim offerings with a dedicated Wilderness line to bolster its off-road lineup, which begins this year with the Outback and will come soon to the Forester, Crosstrek and Ascent.

There is still no word, however, as to when or where the promised "global strategic SUV" previewed in Subaru's 2018 five-year business plan will show up, and in what form, or whether it is still in the plan.

BRZ: The sporty coupe receives its first redesign in the second half of 2021, featuring a new, larger, naturally aspirated 2.4-liter, four-cylinder boxer engine with 228 hp and 184 pound-feet of torque that replaces the previous 2.0-liter. The redesign, coinciding with that of its Toyota GR 86 twin, allowed for exterior styling changes as well as interior refinements, including a new 7-inch digital instrument cluster screen.

WRX/WRX STI: Subaru's twin performance sedans make the jump to the brand's modular platform early next year. The redesigned WRX, which was to have appeared at the canceled 2021 New York auto show, is expected to arrive in dealership showrooms first, followed by the more-powerful WRX STI a few months later. The models are expected to pick up design cues from Subaru's 2017 Viziv Performance Concept, which appeared at that year's Tokyo auto show.

Impreza: The compact sedan and hatchback, the first models put onto the Subaru Global Platform, are to be redesigned in the first half of 2022. They are likely to receive interior, exterior and safety upgrades.

Legacy: The midsize all-wheel-drive sedan will remain in market and is due for a freshen next in 2023, after its redesign in 2019. A redesign is due in 2025.

Crosstrek: The Crosstrek, freshened last year, when it added a larger engine, will be redesigned in the second half of 2022, when the model is likely to receive its own Wilderness trim level.

Forester: The brand's top-selling nameplate will add a Wilderness trim in the second half of 2021. It will then be due for a full redesign in 2024.

Outback: It is the first Subaru crossover to get a dedicated Wilderness off-road trim in the second half of 2021. On the Outback, that translates to added ground clearance, standard front skid plate, all-terrain tires and an upgraded suspension, as well as improved approach, departure and break-over angles. The trim level also features an electronically controlled crawl ratio of 4:44:1 for hill climbs and descents. The Outback is next due for a freshen in 2023 and a redesign in 2025.

Ascent: Subaru's three-row crossover is scheduled to get a freshen in the second half of 2022, when it is likely to add interior and safety refinements, get an upgrade to its exterior styling and may pick up its own Wilderness trim level.

Solterra: The brand's first mass-market EV, the new battery-powered awd Solterra, is scheduled to arrive in dealerships in the second half of 2022 in the U.S. The Japan-built crossover was jointly developed with Toyota Motor Corp., which unveiled its own version of the vehicle, the bZ4X, at the 2021 Shanghai auto show. The Solterra will be built on a dedicated EV platform called e-Subaru Global Platform, echoing Toyota's e-Toyota New Global Architecture. Future EVs off the platform are likely, but details on those are unclear.