- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr
The first generation of the 2017 Subaru Evoltis
The Subaru Evoltis is a seven- or eight-seat passenger all-wheel drive SUV produced by Subaru (Japan) since 2017. This is the biggest vehicle of the Japanese Subaru brand throughout its entire history. With a length of almost 5 meters, it can accommodate 7 or 8 (depending on the trim level) people. The big Subaru competes with the Ford Explorer, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander and Volkswagen Teramont. It can boast of the most powerful engine as compared to other models of this company, and the length of the wheelbase is average. In 2021, Israeli buyers could purchase the first generation of the SUV.
Exterior and interior
The new vehicle is 4,998 mm long, 1,930 mm wide, 1,819 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2,890 mm. But despite such impressive dimensions, the SUV does not come across as aggressive or intimidating. This is a calm vehicle with a serious ‘face’, targeted at families. There are five body colors in Israel: white, silver, red, blue and black.
The new Evoltis offers passenger car type fit, good visibility, high-quality materials and a well-thought-out organization of the passenger compartment. The second row has the great legroom, and in order to get to the third row, the second row seats can be moved 60 mm, thus providing additional space to the third row passengers. Everyone will feel comfortable, as let’s not forget that the wheelbase amounts to 2,890 mm.
The second row of seats is either a three-seater sofa (Luxury trim) or two separate seats in the more expensive Limited version. The interior itself is simple, but has the three-zone climate control as standard. There are separate air vents on both the second and third rows, and the passengers can use 19 cupholders and bottle-holders, eight USB ports and a 12-volt socket.
Power trains and chassis
The 2017/2018 Subaru Evoltis is the first model to be equipped with a new turbocharged 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine. It is part of the FA family and is an evolution of the two-liter boxer engine used on the Forester and WRX models: it has direct injection and a turbocharger with two exhaust ducts. It can produce 260 hp and 376 Nm, allowing the vehicle to accelerate to 100 km in 7.4 seconds. And since this is a flat-boxer engine, the center of gravity of the vehicle, just like in all the Subaru models, is lower, which improves its stability.
All the vehicles are equipped with a reliable Lineartronic CVT, which was enforced for the sake of a powerful engine and a greater mass of the Evoltis, and a signature Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. By the way, eight pseudo-gears of the variator can be controlled via the keys on the steering wheel. Just like the brand’s other SUVs, the new model has a dual-mode X-system (Snow/Mud and Deep Snow/Mud) that provides assistance in the off-road conditions. And on the pavement, the vehicle activates another assistant, Active Torque Vectoring, which first appeared on the WRX STI sports sedan: the system can slightly brake the inner front wheel when turning to add traction on the outer front wheel, helping the car to turn fast. The SUV is equipped with the McPherson struts in front and with a multi-link suspension in the rear, while the ground clearance is rather big, reaching 220 mm.
Equipment and trim levels
Equipment matches the size of the vehicle: the entry trim level of the 2019/2020 Subaru Evoltis include seven airbags (including a knee airbag for the driver) and the EyeSight system with two cameras under the windshield, which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic braking and lane tracking systems. There are electric front seats, heated second row and steering wheel, LED headlights, as well as access to some of the vehicle’s functions from a smartphone.
In total, the Israeli market offers two basic trim levels for the 2020 Subaru Evoltis, both of which include high-quality leather upholstery (ivory for 8-seater vehicles and brown camel color for 7-seater vehicles), a full set of electronic assistants, 20-inch wheels and panoramic roof. The multimedia system includes a 792 W Harman Kardon audio system with 14 speakers that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Three-zone climate control for the Subaru SUV is also included in the entry trim.
The Luxury trim level is primarily distinguished by separate ‘captain’s’ middle row seats (in this case, the interior becomes seven-seater), and also contains rain and light sensors, a “smart” rearview mirror and a front camera, its image is displayed on the “smart” mirror, and the ventilated front seats.
