2021 Subaru Evoltis Review | Philkotse Philippines

Seven-seater vehicles are popular in the Philippines since Filipinos love to travel in groups. Having a seat for everyone in the family is one of the factors being considered when buying a vehicle in the local market. Subaru Philippines understands the said mindset, which is why it decided to jump into the premium seven-seater battle royale. Say hello to the Evoltis.

Subaru PH aims to get a slice of the premium crossover SUV segment with the all-new Evoltis, otherwise known in North America as the Subaru Ascent. It goes up against the likes of the Ford Explorer, Mazda CX-9, among others. Banking on the “True Seven Seater” tagline as well as on the well-known Subaru safety tech, could the Evoltis find its place among its segment rivals? To know the answer to that, here’s Philkotse.com’s 2021 Subaru Evoltis full review.

2021 Subaru Evoltis Full Review: Is the price justified?

2021 Subaru Evoltis

The 2021 Subaru Evoltis has a bold and composed stance, integrated with the familiar Subaru fascia that it shares with the smaller Forester. It comes with a massive grille that complements well with the sweptback LED headlights. Subaru’s seven-seater crossover SUV also comes with LED daytime running lights, LED fog lamps, and an angular bumper. Despite having a bold stance, I find the Evoltis’ front end a bit bland.

It comes with sharp character lines

The side profile of the Evoltis comes with a simple and straightforward design. It has sharp character lines from front to rear, prominent fender flares, a set of 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels, and roof rails for added functionality. Subaru also put a black cladding that gives accent, and a hint of rugged appeal to the vehicle. Of note, the Evoltis has a ground clearance of 220mm, which is at par with its segment rivals. 

The Evoltis has large LED taillights

The rear looks rather odd, and I’m not quite sold at its overall design. The LED taillights, while large and distinctive, are not as stylish as compared to other Subaru vehicles. I also find the chrome bar too thick, and the black cladding a bit too much. The vehicle also has a tailgate-mounted spoiler, a shark fin antenna, and dual exhaust pipes. Overall, the Evoltis’ rear seems to be confused as to what persona it wanted to portray. From the looks of it, Subaru wanted to make it look rugged, premium, and sporty all at the same time.

The interior comes with soft-touch materials

The interior is one of the best selling points of the Evoltis. It has a familiar premium-looking cabin that features soft-touch materials, and leather inserts. The detail that makes the Evoltis stand out is the dark brown wood accent integrated into the center console and door panels. The dark wood accent is better than using piano black trims as it looks more elegant, and more scratch-resistant, adding to the Evoltis’ premium interior vibe. Ambient lights will also greet you when you step inside the cabin, which is more visible at night.  

The steering wheel is integrated with several controls

The driver’s seat features a 10-way power adjustment that helps you find your most preferred driving position easily. The three-spoke leather steering wheel feels good to the touch, and it comes with several buttons for audio, phone, and cruise controls. The Evoltis has a white-on-black analog speedometer that’s separated in between by a digital trip meter display. Placed right at the center of the dashboard is an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Evoltis is also equipped with a 14-speaker Harman Kardon speaker setup. 

Captain seats for the second row

The Subaru Evoltis comes with a 2+2+3 seat layout. This means that the second row features captain seats. All seats are in leather that provides good cushion support, which is perfect for out-of-town trips. The captain seats on the second row offer generous leg- and head-room, and it has a slide adjustment for you to maximize space, or to increase the legroom for the third-row passengers. 

Third-row seats

Speaking of which, the Evoltis can fit up to three individuals on the third row but the one seated in the middle might feel a bit cramped. Safe to say, and for maximum comfort, two averaged size Filipino adults can fit perfectly on the third row. 

The Evoltis comes with a panoramic sunroof

Cooling the cabin is not a problem since the Evoltis has ceiling-mounted aircon vents up to the last row. Rear aircon controls are also placed in the second row. The Evoltis can also be a perfect car for a stargazing date as it comes with a large panoramic sunroof.  

It has a notable cargo space

In terms of cargo, you can load items such as two to three medium-sized maletas at the back even when the third-row seats are up. It can also accommodate up to three ice coolers, a week’s supply of groceries, a baby stroller, among others.

Seamless smartphone integration

When it comes to tech toys, the Subaru Evoltis is loaded right up to the brim. It comes with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless phone integration where you can access smartphone apps such as Waze and Spotify. The infotainment screen also features crisp images and responds well to every touch. 

The Evoltis is also equipped with safety and tech features that you can expect from a Subaru that’s designed to give you peace of mind while driving on- and off-road. It comes with the car brand’s award-winning EyeSight driver-assist technology that features a suite of safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and sway warning, pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, and lead vehicle start alert. 

Of all the said tech, I find the pre-collision braking as one of the most useful features of the Evoltis. It works by automatically applying the car’s brakes when the EyeSight tech senses a potential crash. This is made possible through a camera tucked behind the rear-view mirror. It also alerts you when the system picks up something unusual or hazards while you’re on the road.

Park with ease

Another thing that you’ll appreciate is the Evoltis’ blind spot detection system. It gives a flashing yellow light alert on the side mirror whenever there’s an approaching vehicle on either side. This feature comes in handy when you’re driving in the nation’s capital that has a lot of motorcycle riders who pass between lanes.

The Evoltis is built on the Subaru global platform, and the car brand’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (SAWD) with X-Mode is standard. The SAWD system allows the Evoltis to have a more stable drive. It distributes power to all for wheels, which assures you that you’ll have traction even on slippery roads. The SAWD also compensates when a wheel loses grip, which will help you to keep the Evoltis plated on the road. The X-Mode, on the other hand, makes the Evoltis off-road ready. It allows you to safely drive through rough terrain.    

Subaru also equipped the Evoltis with steering responsive LED headlights. This tech automatically adjusts the ray of light emitted from the headlamps to go along with your steering input, which gives you better visibility when driving at night. 

The Evoltis is also equipped with front and rear cameras that assist you when you’re parking the vehicle. 
 

Equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine

Just like the North American Ascent, the 2021 Subaru Evoltis is powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that puts out 256 hp and 375 Nm of torque. The engine is connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). 

The Evoltis delivers adequate power whether you’re driving it around the city or on the open highway. It also has a quick throttle response that translates to better acceleration, which is a bit surprising considering the vehicle’s overall size. Another thing that you’ll appreciate in the Evoltis is its light steering feel, a feature that’s beneficial when you’re driving the vehicle around the city. The light steering also responds to minimal inputs, which help reduce driver fatigue, and gives you a more comfortable time behind the wheel. The combination of the Evoltis’ quick throttle response and light steering results in an enjoyable drive. It might not be that agile but that’s not an issue since it’s a crossover SUV meant to ferry people as comfortably and safely as possible.  

The Evoltis has a comfortable ride

Speaking of ride comfort, Subaru’s seven-seater vehicle can absorb impact within reason. It relatively has a comfortable ride despite driving along EDSA with its 20-inch wheels. The forward visibility is one of the things I like about the vehicle since the dashboard layout is not distracting, and the front quarter glass increases visibility as it lessens blind spots.  

The Subaru Evoltis’ engine is relaxed when cruising at highway speeds. It also puts out decent power in case you want to overtake slower vehicles. The light steering gets firm as you start to gain speed giving you better control of the vehicle, and keeps the Evoltis stable and planted on the road. There’s just a bit of tire noise creeping inside the cabin when you’re driving on the expressway. But, the Evoltis gives you a pleasurable drive thanks to its quick acceleration, adequate engine, and stable ride.

In terms of fuel economy, I was able to get 9 km/l while driving around the city at an average speed of 40 km/h. On the open highway, the Evoltis yielded 11 km/l while driving at an average speed of 90 km/h with three passengers on board. 

2021 Subaru Evoltis

The Subaru Evoltis is a well-capable car, which shows that seven-seaters can both be a family hauler as well as a fun-to-drive vehicle. The sprightly characteristic of its engine, the receptive throttle response, and the light steering feel are surprising considering the overall size of the vehicle. The interior of the Evoltis is filled with high-quality materials, and it can accommodate up to seven individuals. The question is, does all that justify its price tag of Php 3,480,000? 

Well, it can but you have to take note that its segment rivals are priced lower. One of the reasons for the Evoltis’ Php 3.48 million price tag is that it’s built at Subaru’s plant in Lafayette, Indiana. Subaru PH had to bump up the sticker price to cover the shipment cost. You also have to remember that the Subaru Evoltis is loaded with a ton of safety and tech features that aims to keep you and your passengers safe and sound while you’re out on the road. After all, your family’s safety is priceless, right? With that, you can say that the Evoltis’ price tag is reasonable and justifiable.  

Those interested to learn more about the 2021 Subaru Evoltis can register here: https://www.subaru.asia/evoltis/. Subaru PH said that the first 50 individuals who sign-up and complete the purchase will receive an exclusive Evoltis watch. 

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