► Subaru’s new Uncharted driven
► Very good off-road, feels solid
► Launches in the UK in the spring of 2026
We have a new Subaru performance champion, folks, and those who have a soft spot for the brand’s rally history might wince a bit. The new Uncharted SUV is not only the brand’s latest electric car, but also now it’s quickest.
But is it still as handy, durable and good with the rough stuff as a Forester, Crosstrek or Outback?
At a glance
Pros: Useful power; smooth to drive; built well, good off road
Cons: Piddly boot; prices are TBC; we’ve not driven it on public roads yet
What’s new?
Technically, the whole car is. It’s the next battery-electric model after the Solterra and is seen as an electric alternative to the Crosstrek (formerly named XV). It’s generally a little smaller in all directions than the Solterra and is designed to be a little sportier, while remaining as capable as it can be in all environments.
Subaru doesn’t shy away from the fact that this is also a Toyota C-HR+, with senior folk within the brand assuring us that the development work with Toyota was 50/50 on this – just like it was for Solterra. Masahiko Inoue, Subaru’s product head, brought more than 100 ‘of his best engineers’ to work with Toyota, says David Dello Stritto, general manager of Subaru Europe.
‘It really is a brilliant, friendly co-operation with those guys – we love working with them,’ says Stritto. But he does add that the Subaru gets some small differentiating details or extra tech to separate it slightly from the C-HR+.
In reality, though, this is basically a coupe-ish version of the Solterra in the same way the C-HR+ is a coupe-ish version of the bZ4X. Subaru sees the Uncharted as a car that will help draw in new buyers to the brand more than most of its other cars – in the same way the Crosstrek has done.
Subaru’s next electric car after this one is the E-Outback that launches in the summer of 2026; Toyota’s equivalent is the bZ4X Touring.
What are the specs?
Three variants will launch: a standard range front-wheel drive model, a long-range front-wheel drive model and an all-wheel drive flagship. All models feature 22kW AC charging – still a rarity these days – as well as 150kW DC charging.
The base model uses a 57.7kWh and a single 163bhp electric motor on the front axle. That model sprints to 62mph in 8.4 seconds and tops out at 87mph. Subaru clams a 283-mile e-range. All very pedestrian.
What will likely be the best-seller is the long-range front-wheel drive model, which comes with a bigger 77kWh battery pack and a 218bhp e-motor – as well as a claimed 373-mile maximum range.
The flagship is the one that comes with all the bells and whistles, as well as an extra electric motor on the rear axle for proper old-school Subaru all-wheel drive grip. This one has 333bhp and manages to sprint to 62mph in five seconds – 0.2sec quicker than the WRX STi Final Edition, the last performance model we got in Europe. We witnessed it happen, as Subaru let us drag race an all-wheel drive Uncharted against a pro driver in one of those WRXs… and we won.
The all-wheel drive version comes with much of the same ‘X-Mode’ off-road tech as the all-wheel drive bZ4X does, and both motors are permanently active. But the Unhcarted has better ground clearance – 210mm – and features Grip Control that acts as a ‘cruise control for off-road driving.’ Also available on the all-wheel drive version is a very handy ‘multi terrain monitor’ that uses cameras to give you a clear view forward and allow you to place the wheels accurately.
We’ll have to hang on for proper UK trim and equipment stages, but they’ll likely be similar to cars like the latest Forester, so expect Limited and Touring versions.
At the test event, there was also an ‘XT’ edition – complete with a livery that dips into Subaru’s heritage – that the design team said was ‘at the concept stage.’ Stritto also dangled the idea to us that Subaru was pondering an even quicker Uncharted in the future, as the brand begins to lean into the fact it used to be famous for performance cars in its rally-filled past. We could see the return of STi in Europe…
How does it drive?
Full disclosure: our time with the Uncharted, frustratingly, didn’t come with any actual on-road driving. We had plenty of opportunities to test the car, yes, but they were all relatively fixed and tightly controlled via routes and hands-on demonstrations all within the grounds of the Jerez race circuit in Spain. That said, we got to test acceleration and ADAS, chuck it around a handling course a few times and went off-road via a pretty impressive and tough route. We also managed to test both the long-range front-wheel drive version and the all-wheel drive model.
From our experience, the Uncharted feels like a neat handling crossover with accurate steering and good body control. It’s neat and tidy, grips well on the tarmac and feels smooth to drive.
There are handling differences between the FWD and AWD models, with the front-driven option feeling slightly more agile and being lighter in turn-in. The performance increase in the AWD version is stark, going from leisurely to punchy – justifying that five-second 0-62mph time.
What really impresses is how good this thing is off-road. We took it up steep inclines and declines that would have baffled lesser crossovers, using the clever camera system to manoeuvre across tight, sandy trails. X-Mode’s flexibility is impressive, while the Grip Control that acts like an off-road cruise control is adjustable on the fly and clever.
What’s the interior like?
Unsurprisingly, it’s very much like the latest bZ4X and the C-HR. Functional, neat and tidy with pretty durable materials used and a welcome selection of physical switches. The steering wheel is quirky, befuddled with an endless selection of buttons and designed to sit below the instrument display that’s rather distant in front of you.
The central infotainment is large and glossy – Stritto says it’s the biggest ever fitted to a Subaru – and it runs the same infotainment as most Toyota and Lexus models. That means rather sparse graphics and a little menu-heavy in how to operate it, but it responds quickly and comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Physical climate controls are a nice touch, too. Twin wireless chargers can be had, while other useful bits and pieces include two centre console storage areas and good door bins.
Rear legroom is good for adults, but headroom won’t be great for the tallest among us – that sloping roofline makes things a little cosy up there. As for boot space, Subaru says there’s 404 litres (403 for higher-spec models with Harman audio upgrades) to play with. Perfectly fine, but it’s not as large as most of the Uncharted’s competitors.
Before you buy
This bit will be a bit limited for now, as we don’t have fully clarified UK prices and trim levels at the moment. Expect an entry price of around £47k, though, given the Uncharted’s aim to sit below the Solterra in terms of positioning.
Naturally, the biggest problem for the Uncharted will be the C-HR+, given Toyota offers exactly the same thing via a wider dealer network and arguably a more familiar brand. But, outside of that, those looking at an Uncharted will also likely look at a Q4 Sportback or Enyaq Coupe – maybe even a Ford Capri.
Verdict: Subaru Uncharted
Neat to drive, decent range, well-built and looks decent – the Uncharted offers a lot. It also has a solid amount of off-road ability that similar cars in its class just won’t, which keeps it in tune with the fact that it’s a Subaru.
While we need more time with the Uncharted on public roads, it’s setting up to be a car that is – unsurprisingly – a lot like the latest bZ4X: solid, dependable, efficient and practical enough – if a little anonymous.
Specs are for a Subaru Uncharted AWD