2026 Subaru Uncharted Review: 300-Mile EV with AWD and Value Pricing

Subaru’s smallest electric crossover undercuts the Solterra on price, stretches its range past 300 miles in base form, and still finds room for big power and big screens.

Subaru finally has more than one answer to the question, “So, do you make an EV?” For a while it was Solterra or nothing. Now there’s a new name on the board: Uncharted. And if nothing else, it proves Subaru has been paying attention to what EV shoppers actually care about—range, price, and whether it still feels like a Subaru and not just another anonymous battery on wheels.

This is the 2026 Subaru Uncharted, a compact electric SUV that sneaks in under the Solterra on size and sticker but matches it on power when you spec it right. It’s the kind of car that feels aimed squarely at people who like the idea of going electric but don’t want to give up the slightly scruffy, outdoors-ready Subaru vibe to do it.

2026 Subaru Uncharted EV (21)

What Subaru Just Rolled Out

On paper, the Uncharted is the new entry point into Subaru’s EV world. The lineup starts with a front-wheel-drive Premium model and then steps up to dual-motor all-wheel-drive Sport and GT trims, all sharing a familiar crossover silhouette and the usual pseudo-adventurous stance Subaru buyers expect.

The big headline: the starting price lands at $36,445 for the FWD Premium, which is notably lower than the Solterra’s opening ask. That’s not “budget EV” money, but in a segment where prices have quietly drifted skyward, it counts as relatively approachable. At the opposite end, a fully loaded GT breaks the $45K barrier, which, if we’re being real, is about where nicely equipped gas crossovers live now anyway.

Subaru’s pitch is simple: if you want maximum range and minimum cost, you buy the front-drive Uncharted. If you want more shove and the full Subaru all-wheel-drive story, you move up to Sport or GT and accept a little range trade-off.

Power, Range, and the Numbers That Actually Matter

The Premium FWD is the one that will get the most attention from spec-sheet shoppers. It uses a single electric motor rated at 221 horsepower, feeding just the front wheels. That’s not headline-grabbing performance, but it’s more than enough for daily duty in a compact SUV. Think brisk, not brutal.

Energy comes from an estimated 67-kWh battery, and Subaru says you can go from 10 to 80 percent in about 28 minutes on a DC fast charger—solid, if not record-breaking. The real hook is range: Subaru is estimating over 300 miles on a full charge for the front-drive model. That’s the longest claimed range in the Uncharted lineup and a very big deal for anyone worried about road trips, cold weather, or forgetting to plug in one night.

Step up to the Sport and GT, and the character changes. Both trims swap in a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup good for 338 horsepower, matching the Solterra’s output. Suddenly this small crossover starts to look genuinely quick on paper, especially for a Subaru. You give up a bit of distance, though: Subaru is estimating up to around 285 miles for the Sport and about 270 miles for the GT. Still respectable, just not the 300-plus bragging-rights number of the base car.

The price walk tracks with that shift. The Sport starts at $41,245, roughly $4800 more than the Premium. You’re not just buying traction and an extra 117 horsepower; Subaru also bundles in more kit: a 360-degree camera, digital rearview mirror, heated steering wheel, power passenger seat, faux leather upholstery, and roof rails so you can pretend you’re always five minutes from a trailhead.

Then there’s the GT, at $45,245, which is the “I want it all” version. It layers on 20-inch wheels, a Harman Kardon audio system, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats. You can even spec a two-tone paint scheme, which goes a long way toward making it look less like a generic EV blob and more like something you’d actually notice in a parking lot.

Design, Cabin, and the Tech Situation

At a glance, the Uncharted looks like a shrunken cousin of the Solterra—same general posture, slightly tighter proportions, plenty of cladding, and that “I own hiking boots even if I mostly go to Costco” aesthetic. It’s not wild or polarizing, and that’s probably intentional. Subaru buyers tend to prefer “solid and honest” over “spaceship.”

Inside, things get more modern. Even the base Premium trim comes with a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is big enough to make older Subaru interiors feel like they’re from another decade. There’s a 10-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a power liftgate, so the cheaper EV doesn’t feel stripped just to hit a headline price. To be fair, it’s a lot of screen for a relatively compact cabin; some drivers are going to love it, and others will miss their old knobs and buttons.

The AWD trims just layer on more comfort and tech, but the overall vibe stays familiar Subaru: practical layout, decent visibility, materials aimed at daily use rather than delicate white-glove ownership. It feels more like a progression of the brand’s existing cabins than a jarring leap into tablet-on-wheels territory, which is probably smart for a brand whose fans tend to keep cars for a long time.

What This Says About Subaru’s EV Strategy

Zoom out a bit and the Uncharted looks less like a one-off and more like a sign Subaru is finally taking its EV lineup seriously. Adding a smaller, cheaper, longer-range EV under the Solterra suggests the company knows it can’t live on a single electric crossover forever.

Putting the longest range in the front-wheel-drive base model is a clever move. It gives Subaru something easy to market—“over 300 miles” is a simple, sticky number—and it quietly encourages some buyers to accept FWD instead of defaulting to AWD, which helps with efficiency and cost. Meanwhile, keeping 338-hp dual-motor AWD on the menu for Sport and GT lets Subaru stay true to its “all-weather, all-road” identity.

In the broader EV market, the Uncharted is walking into a crowded room. Compact electric crossovers are everywhere now, from mainstream players to premium badges. Its advantage is that it feels very much like a Subaru first and an EV second: familiar format, honest numbers, a straightforward trim walk, and pricing that doesn’t immediately send you into sticker shock.

Is it the most advanced, most futuristic EV out there? No. But that’s not really the point.

Where This All Might Be Heading

The 2026 Subaru Uncharted comes off as a car built for people who are EV-curious but not trying to make a lifestyle statement every time they plug in. It’s basically saying: here’s an electric Subaru that looks like a Subaru, drives like a Subaru (on paper at least), and doesn’t force you into a $50K sticker or a 200-mile range compromise.

If Subaru delivers on the range claims and the driving experience doesn’t feel like an afterthought, this could easily become the default EV for existing Subaru owners who are finally ready to ditch gasoline. And if we’re being real, that group is big enough to matter.

It’s not the EV that will dominate Instagram or launch drag-race YouTube channels. But it might be the one that quietly fills apartment garages, suburban driveways, and ski-town parking lots over the next few years—which, for a brand like Subaru, might be exactly the kind of “uncharted” territory it needs.