2026 Subaru Uncharted Hands-On Preview: A More Approachable EV
Over half a foot shorter than the Solterra, the Uncharted will also be one of the quickest Subarus you can buy.
Hello from New York City, where Subaru has fully revealed the 2026 Uncharted to the world. As we suspected when the brand teased the all-electric crossover last week, the Uncharted borrows a lot from the Toyota C-HR—even those three letters—but takes a markedly different approach to market positioning. As the smallest of the Subaru EV trio (including Solterra and upcoming Trailseeker), the Uncharted will be the most approachable option of the family.
Powertrain and Range
The Uncharted sits atop the same platform as its siblings, which was co-developed with Toyota. Thanks to the joys of modern global supplier logistics, there is a slight difference in lithium-ion battery pack size: American models will feature a 74.7-kilowatt-hour pack, while Canadian examples will roll with a 77.0-kW setup. Canada’s lineup will also feature a budget, smaller-capacity battery option that America will do without.
With the single-motor setup sending 221 horsepower to the front wheels, the Uncharted is expected to provide over 305 miles or 480 kilometers of range. The FWD Premium, as it will be known in the US market, will be available in limited numbers. Meanwhile, the Sport and GT trims will feature a pair of motors (167 kW front, 88 kW rear) totalling 338 horsepower. These trims will feature Subaru’s typical symmetrical all-wheel drive along with X-Mode, and they’ll be speedy: Subaru is quoting a run to 62 mph (100 km/h) in under five seconds. The AWD model sees a slight ding to range, but is still expected to hit 290 miles (460 km). Like its siblings, the Uncharted will ship with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Maximum charge speed is capped at 150 kW, meaning the industry-standard 10-to-80 percent recharge should happen in around 30 minutes.
Low and Sporty Design
Subaru gave us a brief bit of time with the Uncharted and its siblings in a studio ahead of the debut. After we got all the PlayStation jokes out of our system, we found it’s fairly different from its Toyota sibling. All three Subaru EVs use the same headlight design, with subtly different tab-style faux-grilles and, in the Uncharted’s case, the badge lights up. The swept-back looks are more dramatic than any Subaru in recent memory, and the Uncharted ushers in a new trend for the brand: a spelled-out wordmark on the tail instead of the Pleiades badge. All the badging is black, and we see that color applied to the roof on the top-tier GT trim as well. While most models roll on 18-inch alloys, the GT has some seriously cool 20-inchers. The rear lighting treatment is noticeably different from that of the C-HR, with a varied-thickness full-width layout that brings to mind modern Porsches.
Overall, the Uncharted is 6.7 inches (170 millimeters) shorter than the Solterra. Despite the truncated footprint, it retains the same wheelbase and has a Subaru-appropriate 8.3 inches (212 mm) of ground clearance.
In the metal, it’s a good looking car, compact and purposeful. Subaru isn’t exactly a brand known for great-looking cars, but to these eyes, the Uncharted is one of its best designs in years.
Cabin Design and Tech
Step into the cabin of the Uncharted and you’ll find a space familiar from the Solterra and Trailseeker. It’s the same basic architecture, with the deep-set instrument cluster and large 14.0-inch touchscreen sitting in the center of the clean dashboard. There are flashes of orange metallic trim to give the Uncharted its own personality, and the Sport and GT trims gain Subaru’s StarTex seat upholstery. A redesigned center console houses twin wireless chargers, while those out back benefit from two USB-C ports and available outboard seat heating.
Naturally, Subaru EyeSight is present here, bringing with it a large lineup of driver assists including blind spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alerts, and full-range adaptive cruise control.
While the pessimist will see the Uncharted as more badge engineering, Subaru has crafted a unique offering with a broader range of performance and price than its Toyota C-HR sibling. The 2026 Uncharted will arrive in dealerships early next year.
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Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.
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