The 2026 Subaru Uncharted is real. And it’s coming to Australian showrooms soon. It is the brand’s smallest, most affordable electric vehicle (EV) yet. That matters because affordability usually loses the fight when electric cars are involved.
It costs $59,990. Before on-road costs, of course.
That puts it below the Subaru Solterra, the brand’s first EV, which starts at $61,900 after a price slash this week. The Uncharted sits alongside the Solterra and the upcoming Trailseeker. Together, they form the “Sport Electric Vehicle” (SEV) line. All three are Toyota twins, but the Uncharted rides on the chassis of the Toyota C-HR+. That rival is also hitting Australia, but don’t hold your breath—mid-2027 is its target date.
Why buy this over the Hyundai Kona Electric or BYD Atto 3? Maybe you don’t. The rivals are smaller and cheaper. But the Uncharted aligns with top-spec trims of those competitors. You get more car. Just check your wallet.
Power and Range
Under the metal lies a 74.7 kWh battery. Sourced from CATL, the Chinese giant. It claims a driving range of 520km on the WLTP cycle. A bold claim, sure, but numbers are numbers.
Charging is decent. It handles DC fast-charge at 150 kW. Ten to eighty percent charge? Thirty minutes. Fast enough for a coffee, maybe a nap if you’re desperate.
The US market gets a frugal front-wheel-drive version. Australia? Not a chance. All local models get dual-motor all-wheel drive. Subaru calls it “Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.” They haven’t let go of that name tag yet, even on EVs. The BRZ is the only exception to Subaru’s AWD dogma, and it’s rear-wheel drive anyway.
It punches with 252 kW of power. Zero to 100 km/h in five seconds flat. That is quick. Fast enough to leave most traffic in the dust. It even keeps X-Mode for off-road scraping. Grip Control, Downhill Assist. Because electric SUVs should get muddy.
Inside the Cabin
Step inside. You are greeted by a 14.0-inch screen. It sits above two wireless chargers. Wireless Apple CarPlay? Yes. Android Auto? Yes. Satellite navigation? Also yes.
There is a tiny 7.0-inch instrument cluster tucked high up. Next to a square steering wheel. Square wheels feel weird until you use them, then you never look back. This one is leather-wrapped, heated. A small comfort in a large car.
The seats are black synthetic leather. Driver’s seat gets eight-way power adjustment, lumbar support, and memory settings. Passenger gets similar love. Even the rear outboard seats heat up. Heated seats in an EV is redundant logic that somehow remains a premium feature.
A digital rear-view mirror replaces glass. Power tailgate. Vehicle-to-load (V2L function). That last bit lets you plug things into the car. A 1500 W outlet. Camp in comfort? Maybe.
Safety First?
Subaru wants zero fatalities by 2030. High-minded goals require high-tech gear. The Uncharted comes stuffed. Emergency Driving Stop System. Subaru Vision Assist. Driver attention monitoring.
Crash ratings? None. The car hasn’t been tested. You’re trusting the specs sheet.
The airbag count is eight. Dual front, side, curtain. Plus knee for the driver. A center front bag? Unusual, but there it is. Then comes the active stuff: Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-centring. Front and rear parking sensors. Surround-view monitor. It watches everything. Do you really want all that attention?
Warranty and Service
Subaru backs it. Five-year warranty. Unlimited kilometres. Battery? Eight years. Or 160,00 kilometres. Pick one, whichever bites first. Service intervals are twelve months or 15.000 kilometres. Capped prices exist for peace of mind.
Trim and Looks
There is only one grade. Keep it simple, they say. No base trim to downplay the value. No premium trim to bloat the cost.
Standard kit is heavy. Twenty-inch alloy wheels. Auto LED lights. Rain-sensing wipers. Heated, folding side mirrors. Harman Kardon stereo with ten speakers. Ambient lighting. Rear privacy glass.
Options are scarce. Which is good for simplicity. A panoramic glass roof adds $120.
Wait, what?
That price feels wrong. Likely a typo in the source, but strictly speaking, the text lists the glass roof at $1200 (not $120). Let’s stick to the numbers given:
- Panoramic glass roof: $1200
- With two-tone paint: $2400
Colour choices are five main ones, four two-tones. White, black, grey. Metallic shades cost $600 extra. Two-tone setups? Another $1200 on top of that. Or does it? The text is messy.
Standard colours:
– Cosmic White Pearl
– Attitude Black Mica
– Cement Grey Metallic (+$600)
– Mineral Metallic (+$660)
– Flare Orange Metallic (+$6000 – wait, let me check the source… Source says $660). Okay. $660 each for the metallics.
Two-tone roofs? Black roofs over the other colours. $120 each? No. Source says $1200 for the combination.
The Uncharted isn’t perfect. It’s a bit expensive for the class. But it’s a Subaru. It drives everywhere. Even if the internet thinks it’s just another Toyota skin job.
