Preview: 2026 Subaru Uncharted is an Oddly Named EV Backed by Toyota
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Subaru has revealed the latest — and littlest — electric vehicle (EV) in its revamped lineup, and it goes by something of a strange name.
The 2026 Subaru Uncharted is weird. Not as a crossover, mind you; in that way, it makes an awful lot of sense. But it’s the name that stands out as odd. Because while monikers in the auto industry are often nouns or verbs that convey whatever personality is trying to be expressed — like Subaru’s own Trailseeker — Uncharted is an adjective.
Then there’s the issue of the other EV this one is closely related to: the recently announced Toyota C-HR that’s coming back to Canada after an absence of a few years. That makes the path this Subaru is on pretty clearly marked, considering the C-HR was revealed first.
All-Electric
Moving past the grammar-nerd stuff, the Uncharted is mechanically and electrically identical to the C-HR, right down to the availability of both front- and all-wheel-drive powertrains. That’s right: this EV bucks a decades-long trend for Subaru by skipping the standard four-wheel traction that’s become a staple of the brand’s crossovers.
Of course, that single-motor version means more range, with upwards of a Subaru-estimated 480 km on a full charge thanks to the same 77-kWh battery pack that underpins the updated Solterra. Interestingly, Toyota touted slightly more range when it announced the C-HR, with around 500 km expected from the 221-hp single-motor model.
Beyond the battery itself, the Uncharted can hit a maximum DC fast-charging speed of 150 kW. That’s the same as its siblings, which means it should make the benchmark 10-to-80 per cent charge in 30 minutes in ideal conditions. There’s also a Tesla-style charge port for access to that brand’s network of so-called Superchargers.
Subaru said two front-wheel-drive trims will be joined by a pair of sportier versions with dual electric motors and traction at all four corners. The Uncharted Sport and Uncharted GT will both make 338 hp, while range is expected to be as much as 460 km, likely depending on wheel size. Subaru was also sure to point out that the suspension was tuned in-house to set it apart.
“Subaru engineers developed the Uncharted’s impressive straight-line stability, handling, and grip on loose surfaces such as gravel, dirt, or snow through extensive chassis development,” the automaker said in a statement announcing its newest EV.
“Thanks to lightweight and rigid high-strength steel used in its construction, structural support from its underfloor batteries, aerodynamic enhancements, and specifically tuned suspension components, the Subaru Uncharted offers dynamic performance on- and off-road.”
Small-Electric
Dimensionally, the Uncharted will be slightly larger than the gas-powered Crosstrek. Subaru pegged its new electric subcompact crossover at roughly 170 mm (6.7 in) shorter than the Solterra, putting it somewhere in the neighbourhood of 4,520 mm (178.0 in) from bumper to bumper. For reference, the Crosstrek stretches 4,480 mm (176.4 in).
In terms of interior space, the rear-seat legroom is described as “comparable” to what’s in the Crosstrek. That popular little crossover has 926 mm (36.5 in) of space to stretch out in the back. (Subaru said the rear seats are heated in the Uncharted GT.) But since this EV is wider it boasts considerably more cargo room, with more than 700 L behind the back seats versus 564 L.
The front half of the cabin is all but identical to that of the C-HR, with simple horizontal lines that help emphasize the space. There’s a pop of colour inside, too, with a bright orange bar that spans the dash, and 64-colour ambient lighting. Meanwhile, sitting front and centre is a 14-inch touchscreen mounted high on the dash and twin wireless smartphone chargers below.
Another Toyota Twin
As with the Solterra, which shares its general shape and styling with the newly named Toyota bZ, and the wagon-like Trailseeker and its Toyota twin, the bZ Woodland, there are a lot of aesthetic parallels between the Uncharted and a product with a Toyota badge on the back. But even then it’s got some distinct Subaru styling cues to set it apart from the C-HR.
The front end, for example, has a rather Solterra-like treatment, with lots of painted plastic punctuated by an emblem that’s illuminated on all but the base trim. That’s flanked by the same squinting daytime running lights, with the projector-style headlights nestled just beneath them.
Setting the all-wheel-drive trims apart from the rest is the contrast-finished black roof, as well as stylish five-spoke wheels that almost have a modern muscle car quality to them. Both the Sport and GT trims ride on 20-inch wheels, while 18-inch alloys are standard lower in the lineup.
A Unique Strategy
For all Subaru’s EVs have in common with their jointly developed counterparts from Toyota — the latter owns about 20 per cent of the former — the strategies behind them are entirely different, especially in Canada. That’s true not only of this latest model, but the two that came before it as well.
In the case of the Uncharted, there are two front-wheel-drive trims compared to just one for the C-HR. More than that, the Uncharted’s base trim will use a smaller battery than the 77-kWh unit shared with the Solterra, which is likely to be the same as the 57.7-kWh pack used in the cheapest bZ — a battery that isn’t offered in the Solterra.
Similarly, Subaru is planning to offer three versions of the Trailseeker versus Toyota’s two bZ Woodland trims. And while this part’s speculative, there’s more likelihood of some pricing overlap across Subaru’s three-EV lineup, with the two most expensive versions of the Uncharted closing in on the cheapest all-wheel-drive-only Solterra and Trailseeker trims.
Final Thoughts
OK, the name’s weird, and the way it drives remains a mystery for now, but the 2026 Subaru Uncharted itself makes a lot of sense. Its dimensions are sensible both inside and out, its range is reasonable for its size, and it has a unique offer structure in Canada that sets it apart from its closely related corporate cousin from Toyota.
Expect more details, including pricing, closer to its launch in early 2026.
