Subaru Uncharted Reviews

Any hopes of seeing a much wider range of electric Subarus appears to be dashed with the Japanese car manufacturer becoming the latest brand to step back from plans to invest heavily in electric vehicles.

The 2026 Subaru Forester Touring petrol is here. The sixth-generation of Subaru’s Forester has landed – replete with hybrid versions aplenty – but the petrol-only variants are still well and truly in the race for buyers' attention. The five-seat mid-size SUV has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder 'boxer' engine, Subaru’s 'symmetrical all-wheel drive' system and some new changes inside and out.

Subaru’s first electric car has been updated for 2026 as it struggles to find buyers in an increasingly competitive EV market.The 2026 Subaru Solterra, which shares the majority of its make-up with the Toyota bZ4X, comes with more power and range, as well as other tech updates.Importantly, it’s also the recipient of a significant price drop, despite the increased capability. It now starts from $63,990 before on-roads, which represents a $6000 price cut over the pre-update car.The higher-grade Solterra Touring now starts from $69,990 before on-roads, where it was previously a $76,990 ask - that’s a $7000 drop.It’s also significantly more powerful, with its total power output now 252kW as opposed to the 160kW its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system used to offer.With a larger 74.7kWh battery, its WLTP-tested driving range is also up from 414km to 566km in the base model, or 517km in the Touring. Slightly more weight and bigger wheels (20-inch compared to the base’s 18-inch wheels) likely contribute to the shorter range.The Solterra has also been visually redesigned, with new bumpers, headlights, a new ‘grille’ shape, and new wheel designs giving it a significantly different look.Subaru is likely hoping offering more for a lower price will boost the Solterra’s sales somewhat. The electric car has sold just 142 units in 2025 so far, while the near-identical Toyota bZ4X is on 797.Solterra AWD:Dual Mode X-Mode with Grip Control Function18-inch alloy wheelsAutomatic, self-levelling LED headlightsLED tail-lightsPower mirrorsPuddle lampsPowered tailgate with new kick-sensorRoof railsNew synthetic leather seat trimHeated, eight-way power-adjustable front seatsHeated leather steering wheelDual-zone climate control14-inch multimedia touchscreen7.0-inch driver displayWireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlayDual wireless phone chargersUSB-C portsSix-speaker sound systemSolterra AWD Touring adds:20-inch alloy wheelsAuto-dipping door mirrorsPanoramic sunroofVentilated front seatsVehicle-to-load (V2L) 220V/1500W power outlet10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system *new features in bold2026 Subaru Solterra optional features Touring only - $1500Two-tone exterior paintNatural leather accented seat trim in blue and black theme2026 Subaru Solterra coloursAltitude Black Mica (NEW)Cosmic White PearlDark Blue Mica*Elemental Red Pearl*Smoked Carbon*Harbour Mist Grey Pearl**$660 cost-optional paintSRS airbags – dual front, dual front side, dual curtain and front seat centre plus new driver’s knee airbags3-point ELR rear seat belts Subaru Safety Sense featuring: Dynamic Radar Cruise ControlEmergency Driving Stop SystemEmergency Steering AssistLane Departure AlertLane Tracing AssistLow-speed Acceleration SuppressionPre-Collision SystemRoad Sign AssistSpeed Limiter Subaru Vision Assist featuring: Adaptive High-Beam SystemBlind Sport Monitor (BSM)Front Parking SensorsFront View MonitorPanoramic 360 Degree View MonitorParking Support BrakeRear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)Rear parking sensorsSafe Exit AssistMulti-Terrain Monitor Driver Monitoring System – featuring: Distraction warningDrowsiness warning Subaru offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with 12 months of roadside assist. Electric car batteries are covered for eight years or 160,000km, whichever comes first.Servicing is every 12-months or 15,000km, and Subaru offers capped price servicing with costs able to be confirmed at Subaru’s website.

The chances of these top vehicles from Tokyo making it to Australia.

With Subaru having shown off its new Performance-E and Performance-B STI concepts at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, its five-model showcase appears to now represent something of a future outlook for the brand.

Subaru has unveiled two STI-badged performance concept cars at the Japan Mobility Show.

Yet another warning that long wait times for new cars could be back

Subaru to reveal performance duo in Tokyo

The previous Subaru Forester hybrid copped heat for not being hybrid enough, but this new-generation rights those wrongs, debuting a new "Strong Hybrid" powertrain that, on paper, puts it on a collision course with the Toyota RAV4. We put the flagship Forester Hybrid Touring to the long-term test to see how it measures up.

Sales slide for once popular brands: Mainstream Japanese brands Nissan, Mazda and Suzuki dip in popularity as demand for Chinese brands like BYD, Chery & GWM skyrockets.