It's almost a station wagon: The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker, driven
Published: (March 2, 2026 at 09:00 AM EST)
5 min read
Source: Ars Technica
Source: Ars Technica
# ok, I found a trail—now what?
> Despite the Toyota platform, there’s plenty of Subaru DNA in this one.
*Credit: Subaru*
Subaru has yet another new EV that uses Toyota's shared e‑TNGA platform. This one is the **$39,995 Trailseeker**.
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A new pair of EV siblings joins the Subaru lineup this year, each using a shared skateboard chassis developed in partnership with Toyota. Compared to the original Solterra and the smaller **[Uncharted](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/02/2026-subaru-uncharted-first-drive-fwd-might-be-the-biggest-selling-point/)**, the new Trailseeker bears more Subaru DNA despite riding on the same electric platform. Unlike the Solterra and Uncharted, the Trailseeker will be built for the American market alongside the **[Forester](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/12/ugly-infotainment-mars-the-2025-subaru-forester-hybrid-experience/)** at the company’s Lafayette, Indiana, assembly line.
Styling alone helps the Trailseeker look the most Subaru‑ish of the expanding electric lineup, with plenty of the plastic cladding you’d find on the Forester and **[Crosstrek](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/09/the-most-efficient-crosstrek-ever-subarus-hybrid-gets-a-bit-rugged/)**. An optional two‑tone paint job accentuates the more traditional station‑wagon profile, which is the most important part of the Trailseeker’s brief: providing a longer and higher rear canopy that Subaru purposefully stretched to hold a full‑size dog crate.
- **Powertrain:** Standard dual‑motor all‑wheel‑drive (no front‑wheel‑drive option).
- **Ground clearance:** Class‑leading 8.5 in (216 mm).
- **Range:** 281 mi (452 km) from a 74.7 kWh battery.
- **Starting price:** $39,995.
The Trailseeker loses a few miles of range compared to the Uncharted because the latter’s design is slightly more streamlined and futuristic. The Trailseeker more closely resembles the Solterra, as the two models share everything from the nose to the C‑pillar.
Subaru managed to increase the adventurous credibility by expanding the roofline without adding too much mass, resulting in a curb weight just shy of **4,400 lb (1,995 kg)**—about **300 lb (136 kg) less** than a **[Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/02/our-favorite-ev-goes-mad-max-the-2025-ioniq-5-xrt/)** (which gets 259 mi/416 km from an 84 kWh battery) and **1,000 lb (453 kg) lighter** than a **Honda Prologue AWD Touring** (294 mi/473 km from an 85 kWh battery).
### Charging
The Trailseeker can only accept **150 kW** of charging power. Subaru claims that “the area under the curve matters more” and that battery pre‑conditioning lets the Trailseeker hold a higher charge rate longer than the competition. (During the media drive program in Southern California, the advertised **10–80 % charge time of 28 minutes** never materialized.)
### Off‑Road Testing
Subaru built a small off‑road course to test the Trailseeker alongside a fleet of Uncharteds. The Trailseeker felt more at home there than on a smaller urban runabout. The extra fractions of an inch of ground clearance may have mattered less than the more responsive all‑wheel‑drive system, which Subaru tuned independently of its chassis‑mates to account for:
- Accelerator pedal inputs
- Steering angle
- Front‑to‑rear and left‑right torque vectoring
- Variable regenerative braking
On wet, steep, and slippery obstacles, the Trailseeker needed less time to deliver power, spinning the all‑season Bridgestone tires less frequently despite a few hundred extra pounds of mass compared to the Uncharted. Activating **X‑Mode** via the familiar center‑console switch provided slightly more aggressive driving, though the tuning clearly prioritizes competency over rally‑car antics.
### On‑Road Performance
- **Peak output:** 375 hp (280 kW)
- **0–60 mph:** ~4.4 seconds
These figures may make the Trailseeker the quickest Subaru ever, not just because of its straight‑line speed but also due to its responsiveness to any slight press of the accelerator pedal.
Winding roads revealed slightly more body roll than we saw in the Uncharted, despite both models feeling significantly lighter than the average electric crossover. Easy steering effort enhances a sense of nimbleness despite the added cargo volume in the back, though no true Subie fan will ever mistake a Trailseeker for an STI.
### Interior & Toyota Influence
The center touchscreen, minimalist gauge cluster positioned forward on the dash, dual smartphone‑charging pads, and gear‑selector knob all contrast with the rest of Subaru’s internal‑combustion and hybrid lineup. Nevertheless, among the EVs, the Trailseeker most clearly embodies the Subaru ethos—even if the name itself feels a bit… **[to be continued]**.Cleaned Markdown
lf suffers from a bit of Baja Fresh syndrome. If you have to tell me the food is fresh…
Simply put, a max range estimate of **281 miles** leaves anyone trying to get off the beaten path at the mercy of charging infrastructure. Any serious adventure will require plenty of planning. The standard NACS port, which allows access to all those Tesla Superchargers, should help assuage some range anxiety, but the idea of truly leaving the world behind in this EV seems somewhat unlikely.
*The Trailseeker also comes in Stormtrooper spec.*
**Credit:** Subaru
The Trailseeker also comes in Stormtrooper spec.
**Credit:** Subaru
Instead of seeking out off‑road trails, this EV seems best suited to parking at trailheads or paved campsites and then serving as a basecamp. You can pack up the trunk with gear, or better yet, load up the roof rails—a must‑have for many Subaru owners. An optional plug in the trunk provides **1,500 W** of vehicle‑to‑load output, and a “My Room” mode lets occupants stay in the car for extended periods with the power on while camping or charging.
At the very least, the Trailseeker can handle that level of escapism with a calm capability. Will the additional cargo capacity and power bump make up for the slightly higher price over an Uncharted? Subaru customers seem likely to accept that trade‑off.
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