Subaru Trailseeker 2026 News

The recent Everything Electric show in Sydney provided an unintentional visual metaphor for the Australian car industry - and one brand in particular. Tucked away behind two towering, no-expense-spared Zeekr and Geely stands was a much more modest Subaru showcase. The Japanese brand had its electric range on display, the Trailseeker, Solterra and the new Uncharted, but many people I spoke to at the show didn’t even know that Subaru was there. And that feels very much like what is going on with the brand itself, the former favourite of so many Australians is now at risk of fading into the crowd and if that happens there is no guarantee for its long-term future here. Which would be sad not only for fans of the Forester, Outback and co. but also anyone who enjoys good cars. It had been a long-time since I had last driven a Subaru, but recent time in the Trailseeker and Uncharted has me scratching my head why more people aren’t considering them as electric vehicles (EV) sales soar. The Trailseeker starts at $63,990 plus on-road costs, which I concede does not make it an EV bargain by today’s standards. But the high-grade Touring is priced from $69,990, which is just $1090 more than the Tesla Model Y AWD Premium Long Range. The Trailseeker makes 280kW of power, takes just 4.5 seconds to run 0-100km and has 533km of range. By comparison the Model Y has 220kW, takes 5.9 seconds and has 551km of range. So, on paper, the two are closely matched in the key areas. However, the Subaru has a far more functional and intuitive cabin, thanks to its button-filled, traditional car design ethos. To be fair, the Tesla is a much younger, more tech-savvy company, but it takes its cost-saving-disguised-as-minimalism design approach to a level that just looks cheap to me. Maybe this is a sign I’m getting old, but the Trailseeker is a much more user-friendly car to drive, and for older buyers, those with $70k to spend on an EV, it makes a lot of sense. It also just drives nicer than the Model Y. The Trailseeker is a joint-venture between Subaru and Toyota, two companies with decades of experience developing, engineering and fine-tuning cars. The Model Y is only the fifth car Tesla has made - ever. That is painfully obvious when you drive the two on the road. The Subaru is quieter, with better insulation from both the outside world and the mechanical sounds of the car. It is also more composed and pleasant to drive, with nicely tuned steering and a comfortable, controlled ride than the Model Y simply doesn’t match, in my opinion. The problem for Subaru (and so many other legacy brands) is Tesla is the ‘Esky of EVs’, with the brand seemingly the default choice for so many buyers when they go looking for an electric car. Sales of the Model Y have been huge this year, and while it has many good attributes and I’m not suggesting people shouldn’t buy them, it’s surprising just how far away the Trailseeker is in terms of sales. Subaru has sold 517 Trailseeker since it went on sale in June, which is an average of 129 per month, while Tesla is selling an average of 3166 Model Y per month. So while they may be similar on paper and the Subaru has an edge on the road, where it really counts - sales - the Model Y is leaving the Trailseeker eating its dust. This is very-much indicative of the wider challenge Subaru is facing, as it is getting overwhelmed not only by Tesla but also the influx of Chinese brands that can offer either something equivalent or something for even less money. Subaru sales are down 29 per cent, despite having a relatively fresh line-up, with the new Forester arriving just last year and the Outback earlier this year. The Forester, Crosstrek and Outback remain the brand’s three most popular models, but all three are down dramatically in 2026. As I have written previously, Subaru’s decision to evolve the Outback from a more-conventional wagon to a line-blurring wagon/SUV is a calculated risk. Unfortunately it appears to be a risk that it is not paying off, with Outback sales down 42 per cent in 2026. The compounding problem is, while these traditional petrol and hybrid models are struggling, the brand’s new electric options aren’t filling the gaps. The Solterra, Trailseeker and the Uncharted are all appealing cars in their own way, but obviously Subaru has not made a compelling case to Australian buyers yet. The challenge for the brand is to turn this around and get the attention onto its EV options to try and, if not compete against the likes of Tesla in pure volume, not get overshadowed by Geely and Zeekr like it did at the Everything Electric show. Subaru still sells more cars than Zeekr and is only a few thousand sales behind Geely, at the time of publication, so it’s not too late to turn it around. But getting more attention for its appealing electric options should be a priority if Subaru doesn’t want to fade into obscurity.

Subaru has done what no other carmaker has and fixed one of the biggest problems facing electric car owners in the process.  Subaru has revealed a new accessory that will allow you to fit a spare tyre under the floor. The majority of electric cars currently come with a tyre repair kit, which is fiddly to use and worthless on serious punctures, resulting in customers usually needing a tow. Subaru has revealed a new accessory for the Trailseeker electric SUV. The genuine spare tyre accessory kit will fit a space saver spare underneath the boot floor, maintaining the low floor height without taking away the standard cargo space. Subaru said it can be fitted to new orders or existing vehicles and is priced at $1145. No other carmaker has a similar accessory. Boss of Inchcape, Subaru’s Australian importer, Blair Read said the new accessory will help Australians use their vehicles as they really want to. "What we're hearing from customers is that Trailseeker offers something genuinely different. "They love the idea of an EV that still feels ready for a weekend away, a road trip or an adventure beyond the city limits,” said Read. The Trailseeker is a big five-seat SUV, and is related to the Toyota bZ4X Touring. Being a Subaru it lives up to its outdoorsy theme, with all-wheel drive grip thanks to two electric motors combining for 280kW and 537Nm. It has Subaru’s X-Mode that improves grip in various road surfaces and inclines and declines. It also has 211mm of ground clearance to help it hop over the rough stuff. The Trailseeker is priced from $63,990, before on-road costs, and rises to $69,990 for the Touring grade. At its heart is a circa-75kWh battery that delivers 533km of driving range in the base version and 488km in the Touring. There is plenty of standard kit included, such as heated, power adjustable synthetic leather-wrapped seats, a heated steering wheel, power tailgate, 14-inch multimedia screen and plenty of safety tech. When it comes to electric cars that come with a spare tyre the list is a short one. The Chery E5 is the only EV that comes with a full-size spare. GWM’s new Ora 5 comes with a space-saver spare, as does the Hyundai Kona Electric. Toyota has fitted a full-size spare tyre to its HiLux BEV ute. There are a number of commercial electric vans that have a full-size spare, including several Farizon vans, Ford E-Transit, LDV eDeliver 5 and 7 and the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter and eVito.

The Subaru Trailseeker is the Japanese carmaker’s newest electric vehicle (EV) in Australia, but in other markets it has a different, more familiar name. In Europe and the United Kingdom this model is called the E-Outback, building off the all-terrain wagon legacy the nameplate has become known for. Subaru Australia General Manager Scott Lawrence explained to CarsGuide why the brand opted for the Trailseeker name instead. “The Outback nameplate stands for something, particularly in Australia, and those that have seen the new-generation Outback, it really has the presence of Outback,” said Lawrence. “Trailseeker, the character of Trailseeker will lend itself to the name. “We love the name Trailseeker and … the models live side by side, not compete, so we thought it was the best call to separate them and have their own lives within a model range.” Despite being an SUV, there are clear indicators the Trailseeker has lifted all-terrain wagon design cues, which the Outback has historically been known for. These include the elongated and boxy roof line, as well as the pronounced roof rails. The new-generation Outback is much more upright and SUV-like, despite having the aforementioned design cues. The Trailseeker now brings Subaru’s local EV line-up to three in Australia. It shares the showroom floor with the Solterra and Uncharted EVs. They are all based on the same e-SGP dedicated electric architecture, plus they were co-developed with Toyota, meaning there are Toyota-badged equivalents of every model. The Trailseeker is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with a total system output of 280kW. This is enough to send it from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds, making it Subaru’s fastest production car ever in Australia. Locally there are two trim levels offered, the AWD and AWD Touring. Pricing was slashed last month ahead of its arrival by $4000, meaning the line-up now starts at $63,990 before on-road costs. Despite being roughly the same size as the Kia Sorento, the Trailseeker is only offered with five seats. Subaru hasn’t offered a seven-seat vehicle in Australia since the Tribeca was axed in 2013.

The expanding electric car price war has a new entrant. Subaru has just announced it has slashed thousands off the price of its Solterra and Trailseeker electric SUVs. The Solterra range now kicks off at $61,990 (before on-road costs) for the base variant, a reduction of $2000. The range-topping Touring grade gets a similar price cut to $67,990. Subaru already cut the price of the Solterra by $6000 late last year, while adding improvements. The regular Solterra has a driving range of 566km and the Touring 517km.  Both use a dual-motor setup that delivers all-wheel-drive grip and pumps out 252kW and 337Nm. Subaru’s big five-seat all-wheel-drive Trailseeker EV has had $4000 ripped off the price tag before it has even gone on sale. Subaru’s website is still asking for expressions of interest for the Trailseeker. The Trailseeker now starts at $63,990, and rises to $69,990 for the Touring grade. It brings dual-motor grunt, which delivers Subaru’s trademark all-wheel-drive grip.  The two electric motors combine for 280kW and 537Nm (according to US versions), which allow it to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in about 4.5 seconds. At its heart is a circa-75kWh battery that delivers 533km of driving range in the base version and 488km in the Touring. The prices are effective from May 14th and Subaru urges customers who have already placed an order to contact their dealer to see if the update applies to them. Subaru also announced the arrival of its Uncharted compact electric SUV, which is its cheapest EV at $59,990. All three SUVs have been co-developed with Toyota, with the bZ4X the equivalent of the Solterra and the Trailseeker and Uncharted are the twin to the bZ4X Touring and C-HR+ EV. The latter is not on sale in Australia yet, but has been confirmed for launch here in 2027. Subaru isn’t alone in rushing to sell EVs, with Hyundai, Cadillac, Volvo and Zeekr all cutting the price of some of their electric cars in recent months. A wave of new Chinese models, such as the GWM Ora 5, MG4 Urban and BYD Atto 1, are all lowering the entry price to electric motoring, which is forcing other makers to be more competitive. Subaru's electric vehicle sales are flat compared to rivals, with the Solterra moving just 324 units through the first four months of the year. Tesla's Model Y is the best-selling EV so far this year with more than 6700 finding a new home.  

Japan’s next big thing is here. Subaru has detailed pricing and specs for the 2026 Trailseeker electric SUV, which will sit above the current Solterra EV. The Trailseeker is a big SUV, measuring about the same size as a Kia Sorento, but it only has five seats. It brings dual motor grunt, which delivers Subaru’s trademark all-wheel drive grip.  The two electric motors combine for 280kW and 537Nm (according to US versions), which allow it to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in about 4.5 seconds. At its heart is a circa-75kWh battery that delivers 533km of driving range in the base version and 488km in the Touring version. The battery can accept up to 150kW of DC power, and up to 22kW when hooked up to an AC charger. Prices for the two-tier range start at $67,990 (before on-road costs) and jump to $73,990 for the better equipped Touring version. 2026 Subaru Trailseeker price Australia   2026 Subaru Trailseeker engine/powertrain and efficiency   2026 Subru Trailseeker standard features Subaru Trailseeker AWD comes with: 18-inch alloy wheels LED headlights with DRLs Puddle lights Roof rails Satnav 14-inch infotainment high-definition touchscreen 7-inch digital information driver display Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Dual wireless phone chargers Multi-colour ambient lighting Digital rear-view mirror Synthetic leather seat trim 8-way power-adjustable front seats Leather wrapped steering wheel Heated steering wheel Subaru Trailseeker Touring AWD adds: 20-inch alloy wheels Panoramic glass roof with electric retractable sunshade Blue & black leather accented seat trim Ventilated front seats Driver seat and door mirror memory function Advanced Park Assist Vehicle-to-load (V2L) 220V/1500W power outlet 2026 Subaru Trailseeker colours Crystal white peal Daybreak blue pearl (Optional extra) Sapphire blue pearl (Optional extra) Brilliant Bronze metallic (Optional extra) Magnetite grey metallic (Optional extra) Crystal black silica Two-tone crystal white pearl and black silica (Touring AWD only, $1200 extra) Two-tone brilliant bronze metallic, crystal black silica (Touring AWD only, $1200 extra) 2026 Subaru Trailseeker safety The Subaru Trailseeker has not been tested by ANCAP yet. All Trailseeker variants have: 8 airbags Auto emergency braking Blind spot monitoring Rear cross traffic alert Lane keep assist 360 degree camera Parking sensors front and back Multi terrain monitor Driver distraction warning Drowsy driver warning Tyre pressure monitoring Safe exit warning Radar cruise control 2026 Subaru Trailseeker warranty and servicing Subaru covers its vehicles with a five year/unlimited km warranty. The battery is backed by an eight year/160,000km guarantee. It also comes with 12 months roadside assistance and a five year/75,000km capped price servicing program that only costs $984 for the first five visits. Intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km. 2026 Subaru Trailseeker dimensions    

Subaru has launched a completely redesigned Outback in Australia this month, and it is already copping flak over an unexpected shortfall – rising fuel consumption. With the company refusing to confirm the arrival of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option to help remedy that, buyers prioritising top fuel economy are left out in the cold. According to Subaru Australia General Manager, Scott Lawrence, it's all down to a matter of priorities. “Our priority was Forester with a strong hybrid, which we obviously announced and launched last year,” he told CarsGuide at the BU-series Outback launch in Bathurst last week. “And the Wilderness was the priority in launching Outback. It is not a ‘no’ for hybrid in Outback. (But) it's not in our short-term term plans.” Lawrence believes Subaru now provides a good balance of powertrain options for consumers across all its SUVs, meaning buyers seeking electrification are catered for. “We're confident in the broader model line-up of Forester, Forester Hybrid, Outback, Outback (Wilderness) turbo, and (recently-confirmed Solterra electric vehicle-based) Trailseeker coming in with different powertrains,” he added. “At a portfolio level, we have an option for consumers. But Outback hybrid is not off the table (although) Wilderness was absolutely the priority.” So, how much thirstier is the 2026 Outback’s fuel consumption compared to its predecessor? Using ADR 81/02 figures, the standard 2.5-litre naturally aspirated (NA) boxer engine models average 8.1 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, while the heavier and more off-road biased Wilderness with its 2.4-litre turbo boxer unit ups that to 9.7L/100km. These represent hikes of 11 per cent and 7.7 per cent, respectively. Both engines are said to be updated versions of those offered in the previous Outback, yet their corresponding combined average consumption figures are 7.3L/100km and 9.0L/100km. But, out in the real world, during the launch driving with two-to-three people in the car out from Sydney to Bathurst and back (taking the scenic routes) over two days, the trip computer in both grades displayed around 10L/100km and 11.5L/100km for NA and turbo respectively. These types of fuel-consumption numbers tend to be optimistic in most cases. Given that the new NA model only weigh about 50kg more than its substantially smaller BT-series Outback predecessor, inferior aerodynamics is the likely cause (no drag co-efficiency figures are available at this time), particularly when factoring in the boxier shape, wider body, higher body and larger front area compared to before. What’s doubly disappointing is that the company’s two other popular SUVs, the mid-sized Forester and smaller Crosstrek crossover that share the same basic Subaru Global Platform components, already offer a hybrid option. Overseas reports suggest that a variation of the latest Forester’s 2.5-litre ‘e-Boxer’ four-cylinder naturally aspirated hybrid engine is the likely candidate for the Outback hybrid. In the smaller SUV’s current application, it combines a 121kW/212Nm petrol engine with a 90kW/276Nm electric motor and 1.1kWh battery, for a power total of 145kW. While that’s 9kW ahead of the 136kW/247Nm Forester 2.5-litre NA (and up on torque too, though Subaru does not disclose combined torque figures for hybrids – perhaps because they use a Toyota system and Toyota doesn’t either?) the fuel figure saving is 21.5 per cent, or 6.2L/100km (down from 7.9L/100km). If you apply that percentage figure to the Outback 2.5 NA model’s 8.1L/100km, in theory, an Outback hybrid using the same ‘Strong Hybrid’ (ex-Toyota) system could see that combined-average figure tumble to under 6.4L/100km. When that is likely to occur is anybody’s guess, with some speculation suggesting that Subaru may roll out the hybrid option as early as the end of this year, while others speculate that it could come as late as mid-life refresh/facelift time, which could be 2028 or later for Australia. It’s not all bad news for Outback buyers, however. The seventh generation progresses in a number of key areas, including interior packaging, dashboard operation, safety tech, ride comfort, seat support and steering control. Our first driving impressions suggest this is the best Outback since the series debuted in Australia in 1996 as part of the second-generation (but now defunct) Liberty wagon range.

Subaru Australia has finally announced it’s launching the Trailseeker electric SUV in Australia in the second quarter of 2026. This will be the Japanese carmaker’s second electric vehicle (EV) in Australia, following the related and slightly smaller Solterra electric SUV. You can now register your interest for a 2026 Subaru Trailseeker on the carmaker’s local website. Pricing and specifications will be announced closer to its launch. The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker was first revealed in 2025 alongside the updated Solterra at the New York International Auto Show. It’s being offered in Europe as the E-Outback. With a total system output of up to 280kW, the Trailseeker is set to be Subaru’s fastest accelerating production vehicle offered to date. It’s claimed to be able to do the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.4 seconds. Additionally it offers 211mm of ground clearance and a 1500kg braked towing capacity. The dual electric motors are fed by a 74.7kWh CATL-sourced lithium-ion battery, which Subaru claims allows for up to 533km of range, according to ADR testing. AC charging is available at rates up to 22kW and DC charging is available at rates up to 150kW. Using the latter a 10 to 80 per cent charge will take around 30 minutes. The Trailseeker also offers 1500W vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability. “Trailseeker is the EV with personality. As the name suggests, this is the vehicle for drivers seeking adventure, who want to enjoy an engaging performance drive, all while remaining grounded in the confidence, safety and all-terrain capability that defines Subaru’s DNA,” said Subaru Australia General Manager Scott Lawrence. “It shows that electric performance doesn’t have to come at the expense of confidence, control or real-world capability – the qualities our customers expect from a Subaru. And being the quickest Subaru production vehicle ever it’s a fun and engaging drive in all conditions “Trailseeker stays true to Subaru’s DNA, while opening a new chapter through electric power, offering even greater choice for our customers.” The Subaru Trailseeker is virtually a twin under the skin with the forthcoming Toyota bZ4X Touring which is set to arrive in Australia around a similar time. Toyota and Subaru collaboratively developed the bZ4X and Solterra, as well as the bZ4X Touring and Trailseeker. As noted above, local pricing and specifications for the 2026 Subaru Trailseeker will be announced closer to its launch.