Volkswagen Id.4 vs Subaru Uncharted

What's the difference?

It’s been a long wait for the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro, but it’s one that’s paid off. It's an electric SUV that delivers on the essentials - comfort, smart features, and an effortless driving experience. But it also keeps charging times, range, and running costs firmly in the 'very liveable' camp. The ID.4 Pro manages to feel polished and personable, which is a great combination.

The Uncharted follows the Subaru promise of offering compelling all-wheel drive and a capable driving experience at a reasonable price, but only if you compare it to its traditional rivals.

The trouble for Subaru is that this part of the market has moved on, and EV buyers now have a different set of expectations relative to its usual point-of-difference.

In that sense, this is a good electric Subaru - but is it objectively a good electric car? With the circa-$60K pricing, that’s a harder argument to make.

The ID.4 Pro leans toward the pillowy end when it comes to exterior shape but it’s as cute as a button. Soft curves aren’t uncommon in this segment, and the overall effect is friendly yet grown-up.

A chrome accent strip running from the roof to the C-pillars adds interest, as do the matrix headlights, which look a bit like Transformer eyes. They’re adaptive too, so they put on a little light show when you start the car - a fun party trick.

Around the back, customisable rear light profiles will earn nods from the cooler kids.

Step inside and the cabin shines. Space is generous, and any 'cute' impressions fade fast as it’s clear this cabin means business.

Visually, it’s slick and considered, with premium materials like leather, suede, and synthetic trims setting the tone. There’s still a touch of Volkswagen fun, though. Look out for the Pause and Play icons on the brake and accelerator pedals.

It feels airy and open, especially with the panoramic sunroof option, and both displays are impressively sharp. You might expect a larger digital cluster, but the 5.3-inch instrument screen does a surprisingly good job, keeping things tidy and focused on the drive.

I'm also quite fond of the adjustable front armrests, which can be folded up and out of the way when not needed. A small touch, but it adds to the car’s flexible, family-friendly feel.

The Uncharted continues to shift Subaru into new styling territory, sharing its panelled, grille-free face and two-line light signatures with the other two Subaru EVs, the Solterra and Trailseeker.

It is notable that Subaru has chosen a distinct design language for its electric cars, which is a change from the blocky and busy designs adorning its familiar combustion nameplates like Forester or Outback.

For what it’s worth, I think the Uncharted is a striking car with its wide stance, huge wheels and coupe-style tailgate. The burnt orange colour of our car also helps it to stand out from the crowd. Hard to do in a world of new wacky designs from rivals unafraid to push the envelope.

Inside will be familiar if you’ve been in any car on this e-TNGA platform which Subaru co-opts from Toyota.

There’s a squircle steering wheel, modern layered dash, screens which fill the space, and a lot of hardware which will feel familiar to Toyota owners, but not so much Subaru drivers.

This includes the rotary shifter in the centre console, indicator stalks and even the screens and software. It feels a bit less Subaru than some repeat buyers might expect, but I don’t think it’s foreign enough to scare people off.

The front row offers plenty of room for two co-pilots to settle in without bumping elbows. The seat padding is softer than you’d usually expect from Volkswagen, and with the extendable under-thigh supports and added seat functions, the ID.4 Pro proves itself a seriously comfortable road-tripper.

In the back, space is generous, and my eight-year old appreciated the wide door openings and cushy seating. It’s best thought of as a very comfy space for two adults, with room for a third in a pinch.

That flat floor makes a noticeable difference for the middle passenger, giving them more legroom than usual. The 'two is best' idea also applies to child seats and while there are three top-tether anchor points, realistically, using more than two at once would be a squeeze. I had no trouble installing my booster this week, though it did block visibility out the back window.

Storage up front is a strong point, with a glove box, cupholders, bottle holders, and a generous centre console. The console houses the wireless charging pad, two USB-C ports, and a large cubby that swallowed gloves, snacks, and two pairs of glasses with cases which is perfect for keeping the cabin clutter-free.

Rear passengers are well looked after, too, with climate control, directional air vents, two USB-C ports, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, bottle holders in each door and map pockets. It’s all very family-friendly.

The 543L boot handled everything we threw at it this week. I like the adjustable floor height; set it higher to create a handy space for your charging cables, or lower it to maximise room. There’s also a hidden pocket under the floor for the tyre repair kit (no spare of any description).

You miss out on a frunk, but the powered tailgate and stretchy luggage net help keep things secure and easy to manage.

Tech-wise, it’s mostly intuitive. While my husband isn’t a fan of the touchpad climate and steering wheel controls, I find them pretty straightforward to use.

What does bug me, though, is the lack of built-in sat nav and wireless Apple CarPlay. I don’t like leaving my phone charging all the time, and even when you reconnect the cable, you have to manually restart CarPlay every time you get in. Hopefully that’s something Volkswagen irons out in a future update.

The Uncharted is a comfortable place to be, with nicely bolstered seats, and Subaru has nailed the basics of ergonomics with dials for the climate and volume controls, some shortcut buttons and consistent labelling for the array of steering wheel controls.

The digital instrument cluster, perched atop the dash, might not be to everyone’s taste. It leads to a slightly odd situation where if you’re a certain height, the top of the steering wheel might obstruct your view. It was okay for me, but felt a bit like the steering wheel was sitting in my lap.

The software, while functional, doesn’t offer the depth or innovation of many of this car’s rivals. Some of these things are gimmicks, others, like pet modes and deeper efficiency analysis screens are quite useful.

As it is, it offers an uninspired interface with built in navigation and some basic sub-menus. Hardly a stand-out in an era of fun, customisable software not just from Chinese rivals, but from others, too.

The trade-off is a modern-feeling interior which is also easy to use, surprisingly rare in this segment.

In terms of cabin space and storage, the front doors have two large bottle holders each, and there are two cupholders with spring-loaded ridges in the centre console.

The console features dual wireless chargers, although they could do with a more rubberised surface, as your phone may move in the corners, particularly if you have a hard-finish case. An annoying oversight.

Beneath the bridge-style console, there is a carpeted storage area which is also home to your power outlets, and the centre console, while not very deep, offers a trick lid which can tilt-open in both directions.

Visibility is good for the driver, too.

The back seat offers a good amount of space for adults in the outboard positions. I fit behind my own driving position at 182cm tall with a few inches of knee room, and a little bit of headroom, although there’s an intrusion into the space for the sunroof’s roller cover, so it’s worth considering if you need that as an option if you’re regularly going to have taller passengers.

While the synthetic leather-clad seat trim continues, the centre position feels less useful, because the distance between the end of the seat base and the centre console severely limits legroom.

On the amenity front, the stand-out is the rear heated seats. Other than that there’s the expected array of adjustable air vents, dual USB-C ports, pockets on the backs of the front seats, and large bottle holders in each door.

My main criticism of the Uncharted’s interior is that it doesn’t feel anywhere near as large on the inside as the car looks and feels from the outside. This is not helped by dark headliner, chunky door cards, and heavy window tinting in the rear.

The boot is also not enormous at 403 litres. With some trickery, I could fit the full three-piece CarsGuide luggage set, with the floor set to its lowest of two positions. Underneath there is a small additional storage space where you can fit some charging cables alongside the inflator kit.

There’s no spare wheel, which is a strike against this EV’s Subaru go-anywhere credentials, and there’s also no frunk with the under-bonnet space taken up by high-voltage and battery cooling hardware.

Like any car entering such a tightly contested segment, the Uncharted needs to impress on price. This is something Japanese brands have struggled to do in the face of an array of more affordable rivals, particularly from China.

The Uncharted comes in one highly-specified variant, which starts from $59,990, before on-road costs.

It sounds expensive and compared to some potential rivals, like the BYD Atto 3, Jaecoo J5 and Leapmotor B10 it is. If you just want an electric car, you can certainly have one up to $15,000 cheaper.

Dig into the details, though, and Subaru has played strategy with the pricing. It makes the Uncharted one of the most cleverly priced Japanese electric cars yet.

You see, not only does this car offer all-wheel drive, as per the Subaru brand promise, it also offers over 500km of driving range, which is a rare combination.

This makes it a more affordable way into all-wheel drive when you compare it to the Kia EV3 GT-Line, but it also offers more driving range than contemporaries from Europe, like the Volvo EX30.

The problem for Subaru is that it has ignored the wider market, hoping buyers will only be cross-shopping the most established nameplates.

For around this sixty-grand mark, you can get into some notable players like the strong-selling BYD Sealion 7, new MG S6 and smash-hit Zeekr 7X, all of which are a size up.

At least the single trim level on offer is pretty impressive, with spec highlights including LED light signatures, big 20-inch alloy wheels and full synthetic leather interior trim.

It even gets electrically-adjustable front seats with heating, a heated steering wheel and heated outboard rear seats.

The multimedia suite includes a 14-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, matching dual wireless phone chargers (very trendy) and a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster.

The only option, for now, is the panoramic sunroof with electrically closing cover, which comes in at an additional $1200.

The ID.4 Pro is fully electric and rear-wheel drive with a single motor on the rear axle producing 210kW and 545Nm. That supports a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 6.7 seconds, which feels satisfyingly swift for a mid-size SUV.

There’s instant torque for easy overtakes and the RWD keeps things balanced and composed. You also get a choice of drive modes to suit your style, and regenerative braking helps recover energy smoothly. It’s subtle, but effective enough to make city driving feel more efficient.

Power output is impressive from this car’s dual-motor all-wheel drive system. The Uncharted is front-biased, featuring a 167kW/286Nm motor on the front axle, and an 88kW/169Nm motor on the rear axle. The two combine for a 252kW total output, which makes this one of the most powerful Subarus you can buy.

As a point of difference from its Toyota brethren, the Uncharted features a software-emulated version of Subaru’s signature X-Mode for a little bit of extra off-road ability. It also has slightly less ground clearance compared to the Crosstrek, at 211mm as opposed to 220mm.

The ID.4 Pro is fitted with an 82kWh lithium-ion battery and offers a WLTP driving range of up to 544km, which is impressive for the segment.

Official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) energy consumption is rated at 16.7kWh/100km, and around town, where regenerative braking works harder, you’re unlikely to feel any range anxiety.

If, like me, you do a lot of regional driving or longer trips, you might find yourself keeping a closer eye on the gauge. My real-world consumption sat closer to 20kWh/100km, which still leaves you with solid usable range, but it’s something to factor in.

Charging is straightforward, with a Type 2 CCS port that accepts up to 175kW on a DC fast charger and 11kW on AC.

Both figures are useful and on a fast charger you can expect a 10-80 per cent top-up in around 30 minutes which is quick enough to squeeze in a coffee break or snack stop, even with a kid in tow.

The Uncharted has a 74.7kWh battery pack which grants it a WLTP-certified 522km of driving range.

The car I sampled was predicting around 500km of range in the real world according to the trip computer, which is impressive for an EV with all-wheel drive and a battery capacity of less than 80kWh, speaking to solid energy efficiency.

Officially, this is 16kWh/100km, but my car, which was primarily driven around town with some small freeway stints, performed even better, showing 14.1kWh/100km on the dash.

Owing to its e-TNGA platform, the Uncharted doesn’t have the most impressive charging specs. On a fast DC charger it is limited to 150kW. This should deliver a 10-80 per cent charge in a little over half an hour, but it’s still a lot slower than some competitors, which slash that charge time, in some instances, in half.

The slower AC charging is impressive at 22kW although an AC charger with an output above 11kW is rare in Australia.

The Uncharted also features a vehicle-to-load system, allowing you to use its large battery to power household appliances.

The ID.4 Pro is simple to operate, and aside from the instant power delivery and lack of a traditional start/stop button, it behaves much like a combustion-powered car.

That makes it a great entry-point for anyone new to EVs because it's familiar, but has just enough electric quirk to keep things interesting.

I miss a true one-pedal driving experience in city traffic, but the set-up still works well. Regenerative braking isn’t particularly strong, but you can toggle between 'Drive' and 'B' mode, with the latter offering a bit more resistance. I’ve kept it in B mode most of the week as the extra feedback just feels nicer underfoot.

This week’s testing included winding mountain roads, regional backroads, as well as freeway stretches and the ID.4 handled it all with confidence. There’s enough precision in the corners to keep things fun, and it always feels well planted.

The suspension strikes a middle ground - not ultra-soft, but still comfortable. You’ll feel some of the sharper bumps, but most surfaces are smoothed out well, and the cabin stays quiet even at higher speeds. Ride comfort has clearly been a priority and it pays off.

From the driver’s seat, visibility could be better. The rear window is narrow, and the thick pillars don’t help, so I found myself relying quite a bit on the camera system when parking or manoeuvring.

That said, the ID.4’s size and clear 360-degree camera system make it incredibly user-friendly in tight spaces. Whether parallel parking or squeezing into small car parks, it isn't stressful to park.

To drive, the Uncharted proves where Japanese automakers still maintain an advantage over many of their rivals.

The overwhelming feeling in this car is one of balance. Weight is managed very nicely by the suspension, which isn’t too soft like a lot of Chinese cars, and not too hard like some Korean cars or the Tesla Model Y.

The steering feels organic and direct, as opposed to overly software-assisted, and feedback from the pedals and road feels more like a traditional combustion car than a new-age EV.

There’s also a focus on the touchpoints being familiar, leading to a car which won’t be too much of a leap into the future for many.

It comes with some drawbacks. There’s no true single pedal driving mode despite several levels of regenerative braking. If you’ve driven an EV with single pedal mode this might be disappointing as it is quite easy to get used to.

The giant 20-inch wheels also feel a bit at odds with this EV’s supposed go-anywhere attitude. It feels like any rutted tracks are best avoided, limiting your off-road ambitions to just gravel trails and the sheer size of them is perhaps the only blemish on ride quality.

In addition, the slim rubber has an effect on cabin ambiance. This isn’t the quietest EV I’ve driven when it comes to road noise.

All that said, once you get the uncharted on some twisty roads it leaps out and shines. It’s alarmingly rapid when you stomp on the accelerator, making its power outputs feel the part, and its capable Dunlop tyre package and well-calibrated all-wheel drive system give the power-down a civilised silence as opposed to some of the wheelspin wackiness of some of this car’s Chinese rivals.

It is deeply capable in the corners, attacking them with poise and grip, with the traction system also keeping the power at sane levels.

It’s not quite as athletic or quick as its premium cousin, the Lexus RZ which I also drove recently, but still one of the more impressive EVs in this small SUV segment as an overall package.

The other impressive thing about the drive experience is how well calibrated the safety systems are, yet another advantage of buying Japanese.

Despite the Uncharted having the full array of active safety kit (albeit, with Toyota software as opposed to Subaru’s usual EyeSight system) including high-speed auto braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and even extras like traffic sign recognition, none of it interferes with the rather good driving experience.

Even routine offenders in rivals, like lane keep and driver monitoring are well-tuned.

The Uncharted wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to the 2025 standards. It has eight airbags including a knee and front cabin centre airbag.

The ID.4 Pro comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is standard across the Volkswagen range, while the battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km, giving buyers a little extra peace of mind when it comes to long-term EV ownership.

Volkswagen also offers a 10-year capped-price servicing program, which is excellent for the segment.

The total cost comes to $2890 over the full term, and the service intervals are spaced every two years or 30,000km, whichever comes first.

Subaru covers the Uncharted with the usual, but now behind-the-pace five year and unlimited kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery is covered by a separate eight-year and 160,000km promise.

Servicing is required once a year or 15,000km which is annoyingly frequent for an EV, but it is relatively cheap, especially for a Subaru, averaging just $196.84 for the first five visits, covering the life of the warranty.

Subaru has around 140 dealers across Australia, covering every state and territory including capital cities as well as key regional and rural centres.