2026 Subaru Uncharted First Look: Yes, That's the Name

Motor Trend

20 hours ago

It's a little unusual when you first notice it, but the entirety of the EVs Toyota and Subaru sell are the same vehicles. The Toyota bZ4X compact electric SUV—which for 2026 undergoes a name change to "bZ" along with welcome updates—is a Subaru Solterra with different badges and brand-specific final tuning; ditto the more dirt-road-friendly Subaru Trailseeker and the Toyota bZ Woodland. Now, Toyota's new C-HR EV is being joined by a Subaru-badged counterpart, the Uncharted.
The 2026 Subaru Uncharted is a compact electric SUV developed with Toyota, sharing the C-HR's platform. It features fastback styling, offers up to 338 hp, and includes Subaru-specific touches such as X-Mode for off-roading. Standard features include heated seats and Subaru's EyeSight safety tech.
This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next
As far as strategies go, this sharing of platforms is looking smarter by the day—as EV-related tax incentives fall away, automakers are looking for anything to drive scale up and costs down. The six Toyotas and Subarus listed here all use virtually identical motors, batteries, and vehicle architectures. The Trailseeker and bZ Woodland are larger than the bZ and Solterra, which are themselves slightly bigger than the C-HR and this new 2026 Subaru Uncharted. The latter pair aim for a sportier vibe with a more rakish roofline and an available dual-motor powertrain packing 338 hp. Looks More Subaru Than Toyota
Though the Solterra and bZ remain twins, at least visually, and every 2026-model-year Toyota and Subaru EV gets essentially the same dashboard and 14-inch touchscreen and new hoodless digital gauge cluster, the new Uncharted and its C-HR sibling are fairly well differentiated, at least externally.
Subaru has given the Uncharted daytime running lamps with six LED elements that look quite different from the C-HR's C-shaped pieces. (On both, the primary headlights are smaller, square-ish units mounted lower in the bumper.) The Subie's entire nose is unique, in fact, with a more plastic-clad bumper that channels the brand's more adventurous vibes, and the (illuminated!) Subaru badge is located on the front fascia's flat, vertical face instead of up on the hood as on the C-HR.
The sides of the Uncharted are basically identical to the Toyota's, with chunky black plastic cladding protecting the lower body area; "hidden" rear door handles in the roof pillars; and a coupe-like fastback roof painted a contrasting black color on certain trim levels. Moving to the rear, the Uncharted once again charts new styling ground, with more contoured full-width taillights and its own, more off-road-y bumper and reflector designs. Subaru also outfits the Uncharted with unique 18- and 20-inch wheels; the 20s on the example pictured outside are a much cooler design than any wheel option we've seen for the C-HR.
Changes to the Uncharted's cabin are minimal yet effective in giving it at least a passing distinction from the C-HR. The squircle-shaped steering wheel does most of the heavy lifting here, as does the Subaru's unique upholstery and dashboard trim (pictured here with light gray seats and orange trim). Otherwise, the 14-inch touchscreen with its integrated physical climate control and volume knobs, air vent layout, dual front wireless phone chargers, and center console with rotary shift selector are identical to the Toyota's. Mostly Toyobaru Underneath
Underneath the Uncharted's chunky body is a by now familiar component set. Just like the 2026 C-HR, the Subaru Uncharted gets a 74.7-kWh battery pack and available dual motors churning out 338 hp on mid- and top-tier Uncharted Sport and GT models. There is an entry-level Uncharted Premium FWD model that, as its name implies, is front-wheel drive with a single electric motor up front delivering 221 hp (another power figure you'll find looking across the mechanically related Toyota and Subaru EVs). The dual-motor Uncharted models are claimed to reach 60 mph in under five seconds.
All versions' batteries are replenished via a NACS charging port on the front passenger-side fender, which enables Tesla Supercharger access. Max charging speeds are, as on every Toyota and Subaru EV, a modest 150 kW, which Subaru says is good enough to juice up from 10 percent battery charge to 80 percent in about 30 minutes. The onboard AC charger for Level 2 fill-ups is a quick 11-kW unit, so charging the Subaru at home should be an overnight affair with the right wall charger.
Range estimates are quite good, as they are on the updated-for-2026 Toyota bZ and Subaru Solterra that use versions of this same battery and motor setup. As you might expect, the single-motor Uncharted Premium model delivers the most range, at over 300 miles per Subaru's estimates. The dual-motor examples are good for up to 290 miles of claimed range—also good considering the power on tap.
Subaru notes some tuning differences between the Uncharted and its Toyota counterpart, namely a suspension set up for fun dynamics on-road and off, along with specific powertrain tuning unique to the Subie. The Uncharted also has an X-Mode (on dual-motor Sport and GT models), which optimizes the powertrain for different off-road scenarios to maximize traction and performance. Drivers can mess with X-Mode—tech also offered on other all-wheel-drive Subarus—using a console-mounted switch (on C-HRs, that space is covered by blank plastic plate). Solid Standard Subaru Specific Stuff
Besides X-Mode, the Subaru Uncharted gets Subie-standard features such as heated front seats, heated door mirrors, and a windshield wiper de-icer. Those are standard on every Uncharted, including the base Premium model, as is a power tailgate, ambient interior lighting, and Subaru's EyeSight active safety tech (automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and DriverFocus "distraction mitigation system").
The Subaru Uncharted Sport model adds to that roster a heated steering wheel, StarTex water-resistant seat covers, and a 360-degree parking camera. Opt for the top-dog Uncharted GT, and Subaru throws in a panoramic glass roof with a power shade, 20-inch wheels, a digital rearview mirror, ventilation for the front seats, heated outboard rear seats, and a Harman Kardon audio system.
We'll get more details on the Subaru Uncharted, including its specific dimensions, pricing, and EPA-estimated range, closer to its on-sale date in early 2026. Yes, the "new" Uncharted's lineage is definitely well, um, charted (C-HR!), but it breaks decisively in a distinctly Subaru direction. Spreading the Subaru-Toyota EV component set one model further, the Uncharted gets enough differentiation that we're looking forward to sampling the electric SUV for ourselves and seeing just how different it is to drive—and whether it gets some Subaru-appropriate dirt performance, too.