The Subaru Trailseeker right after being unveiled at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Subaru introduced its second all-electric vehicle, the 2026 Trailseeker SUV, at the New York International Auto show on Wednesday. Alongside it, the Japanese automaker also unveiled a refreshed 2026 Solterra EV with more power and range.
The Trailseeker follows in the footsteps of the Solterra, Subaru’s first battery electric vehicle which first launched in 2022; it was a collaboration between Subaru and Toyota. Similar to the new Solterra, which shares its underpinnings with the Toyota bZ4X, the Subaru Trailseeker is also jointly developed with Toyota and built on a stretched platform of the bZ4X. Both EVs are made in Japan.
Subaru revealed the new Trailseeker SUV, its second EV, at the 2025 New York International Auto Show on Wednesday.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
While both vehicles share similarities inside and out and the name Trailseeker is intended to highlight the SUV’s go-anywhere capabilities.
At first sight, the Trailseeker has more presence and style than the Solterra – it has a more rugged look and is longer with more space in the cabin and cargo area. More than 15 centimetres longer and nearly 25 millimetres taller, it also has raised roof rails for carrying extra gear.
Subaru revealed a refreshed Solterra EV with more range and power at the 2025 New York International Auto Show on Wednesday.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Both vehicles have Subaru’s new EV design language, which includes a six-star illuminated Subaru logo at the front end, redesigned headlamps with a six-LED pattern, a new front bumper design and newly designed 20- and 18- inch wheels. The Trailseeker adds rugged cladding on the front and rear bumpers, side sills and fenders and a new rear horizontal taillight with the Subaru name spelled out as well as ladder-type roof rails for carrying more items.
Powered by a 74.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, the Trailseeker has dual electric motors on the front and rear axles, which produce about 375 horsepower and an estimated range of about 420 kilometres. It also comes with an onboard battery preconditioning system so it can be ready to charge quickly in warm or cold temperatures. And it comes with a North American Charging Standard, or NACS, charging port connector system developed by Tesla, so it’s faster and easier to charge at more than 15,000 Tesla Superchargers across North America.
Likewise, the refreshed 2026 Solterra is equipped with a NACS port. Using a fast charger, it can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 35 minutes, owing to improved battery preconditioning and increased charging speeds of up to 150 kilowatts. Cold weather charging times have improved by 65 per cent, according to Brad Evans, the car line manager for Subaru Canada Inc.
The 2026 Solterra is powered by a 77-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery and has an 11-kilowatt onboard charger versus the outgoing 6.6-kilowatt one. Another welcome figure is the power and range. The Solterra has 25 per cent more range and a more powerful front and rear motor that produce 338 horsepower – a whopping 57 per cent increase compared to the first Solterra. It can also hit 100 kilometres an hour in less than five seconds. The original Solterra had dual electric motors, which only produced a meagre 215 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque and had a range of up to 360 kilometres. The 2026 Solterra EV also shares its platform with the new 2026 Toyota bZ4X.
The interior of the new Trailseeker is similar to the new Solterra.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Inside, both vehicles look similar with a contemporary 14-inch centre touchscreen – the largest ever in a Subaru – wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, two wireless smartphone chargers amd a pair of USB-C chargers. Both also come with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a suite of EyeSight driver-assistance technologies, which includes pre-collision braking, front cross traffic alert, blind spot monitors, lane departure alert, a panoramic view monitor, emergency stop assist, traffic jam assist, lane change assist and advanced adaptive cruise control.
They both have 21 centimetres of ground clearance, multiple driving modes such as Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud, Grip Control and Downhill Assist Control and can tow up to 1,500 kilograms (3,300 pounds).
Which begs the question, will the Trailseeker steal sales from the Solterra? The electric vehicles are similar, but pricing might be a factor in what consumers buy when prices are revealed closer to the sale dates.
The all-new 2026 Trailseeker goes on sale in Canada in early 2026; while the refreshed 2026 Solterra will be available later this year.
Subaru revealed a refreshed Solterra EV with more range and power at the 2025 New York International Auto Show on Wednesday.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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