The New Subaru Uncharted EV Is Cheap And FWD?!

Subaru’s new EV is cheaper and better than other options, but there’s a catch. It’s not AWD.

The new Subaru Uncharted EV is turning heads, and the reasons are good and bad (but mostly good). Let’s admit it: we don’t usually associate Subaru with electric vehicles. Instead, the Japanese automaker offered rugged but elegant SUVs with excellent performance.

So, when the company released the Solterra (its first EV), prospective buyers were curious. What could Subaru come up with? Well, not much. The Subaru Solterra is a Toyota bZ4X with a Subaru bagde. It offers a limited range, its performance isn’t extraordinary, and it looks okay. (It’s ugly, it looks ugly).

Automotive journalists didn’t like it. However, the 2026 Subaru Solterra has surprised many.

Now, Subaru has launched a new EV SUV, the Subaru Uncharted. So far, reactions are surprisingly positive.

The first aspect that catches our attention is the price. The 2026 Subaru Uncharted starts at $34,995 and has up to 338 horsepower, which is the same as the Solterra.

On the surface, this is a very appealing proposal. However, there’s a catch. Besides, the big elephant in the room is that EVs are losing strength.

With that being said, Subaru has a solid reputation. It has earned several awards for dependability and reliability. Translating that into the EV sector could play a huge advantage for the Japanese automaker.

What’s Different Between The Subaru Solterra And The Subaru Uncharted?

If both the Solterra and Uncharted have the same power, then what’s the difference? Well, it’s one that breaks with decades of tradition. The Subaru Solterra is FWD, a first after years of bringing AWD vehicles to the market.

The FWD Subaru Uncharted comes with 221 horsepower. While this power might not wow audiences, the front-wheel-drive Subaru Uncharted also comes with 300 miles of range.

That’s what Subaru hopes will appeal to audiences. Cheap electric SUVs are not easy to come by, as this list highlights. There’s only a handful of them in the mid-$30,000 range. The Subaru Uncharted offers a decent range for the price, plus the reputation of a reliable brand.

One crucial aspect that stands out is that the Uncharted is seven inches shorter than the Solterra. However, it has 25 cubic feet of cargo space more than its larger sibling.

Here’s what Kelley Blue Book has to say about the new Uncharted.

The Subaru Uncharted AWD Is Expensive

While the Subaru Uncharted starts at $34,995, the dollars pile up once you start adding features to it. The AWD version jumps to $41,245, placing it in the middle of the competition for AWD EV SUVs.

There’s an added bonus of having 338 hp of total power, but your range will drop to 285 miles. If you go for the top-of-the-line GT, you’ll have 270 miles of range. Is that something that you want? The Uncharted GT will likely become a niche vehicle as we don’t see many buying it.

Subaru EVs Don’t Look Great

Subaru has never been at the forefront of aesthetics. Let’s face it, the Forester is as pretty as a microwave, but it works. That’s Subaru’s point.

We can safely say that Uncharted is no different. Granted, it doesn’t look bad. At least, it’s not as bad-looking as the first Solterra, but it won’t turn heads. To its favor, its sleek lines and angular rear end offer something different, and what appeals the most is the two-tone coloring, which you can only get in the GT option, for a premium of $970.

You can read all the specs here. The Subaru Uncharted isn’t mindblowing, and it raises another question: what’s the point of the Solterra?