Much of the Subaru Uncharted makes very little sense. The “new” EV clearly resembles the Solterra, upon which Toyota and Subaru jointly developed the Uncharted and the bZ Woodland as a continuation of a partnership that stretches back to 2012 with the FR-S/BRZ/86. This time, a fifth sibling joins the platform: the Subaru Trailseeker, which arrives simultaneously with slightly more power, capability, and a larger rear canopy (but you have to wait until March 2 to read more about that one).
Most surprisingly, the Uncharted is the first front-wheel-drive Subaru sold in the United States since the Impreza switched to all-wheel-drive for model year 1997. The base FWD Uncharted will therefore offer a class-leading range estimate of 308 miles (496 km), while the Sport AWD trim can do 287 miles (462 km). Subaru has reportedly partnered with Panasonic to develop solid-state batteries for a Solterra replacement, but that project is still in development.
Does the above make the Uncharted a bad car? Not at all. Instead of throwing money and resources at more kWh during this liminal phase of EV adoption, sticking with the Solterra’s 104-cell 74.7 kWh battery helps keep the starting price for a FWD Uncharted at $34,995 while also avoiding the vicious cycle of compounding mass by reducing the curb weight. A Premium FWD weighs just 4,145 lbs (1,880 kg), and stepping up to AWD adds fewer than 300 lbs (136 kg). And as with the Solterra for 2026, the Uncharted features a NACS charging port to allow access to more than 25,000 Tesla Superchargers—revealing that, at the very least, Subaru and Toyota can accept the reality of the situation.
Michael Teo Van Runkle We tested the all-wheel-drive Uncharted, but the FWD version might be the one to get. We tested the all-wheel-drive Uncharted, but the FWD version might be the one to get. Michael Teo Van Runkle Michael Teo Van Runkle Yes, it looks just like a Toyota bZ. Yes, it looks just like a Toyota bZ. Michael Teo Van Runkle We tested the all-wheel-drive Uncharted, but the FWD version might be the one to get. Michael Teo Van Runkle Yes, it looks just like a Toyota bZ. Michael Teo Van Runkle
That relative lack of mass compared to many other EVs comes into play on the road, where the Uncharted drives less like a typical bloated EV and more like a hybrid. The steering and suspension make driving easy, and, as expected, acceleration far exceeds any internal combustion engine or hybrid model in the rest of the Subaru lineup. An official estimate pegs the 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) time at 4.7 seconds, so this little crossover manages to provide pep without ever getting truly punchy.