2026 Subaru Uncharted First Drive Review: A Smaller, More Compromised Solterra

• Pricing for Subaru's new small electric SUV starts at $36,445.
• It's the little sibling of the Subaru Solterra and a stunt double for the Toyota C-HR, with one major but odd difference.
• This is the only current Subaru model available with front-wheel drive.

You can't spell UnCHaRted without C-HR

The Uncharted is essentially a Solterra with a shorter wheelbase, a tighter back seat and sleeker, sportier styling. In addition to being a shorter Solterra, which itself is a near-twin to the Toyota bZ, Subaru's Baby Bear EV is the Toyota C-HR's sibling with another badging.

Strangely, the main difference between these two Japanese EVs is the choice of what powers them. While the Uncharted is offered with either a single-motor front-wheel-drive powertrain making 221 horsepower or one with two motors and all-wheel drive that puts out 338 hp, the C-HR is available only with the 338-hp dual-motor setup.

Yes, you read that right. The Subaru — a company that made a huge name for itself with standard all-wheel drive — is available with FWD, while the Toyota is AWD-only. Subaru says this decision was made with California in mind, as buyers in that most established EV market are more price-conscious. To me, it seems like someone made a clerical error during the joint planning process. You can tell the FWD model apart from the others because it lacks roof rails.

Every Uncharted (and C-HR, Solterra, bZ, Trailseeker and bZ Woodland ...) uses a 74.7-kWh (gross capacity) battery pack. With less weight to move around and fewer driven wheels, the front-wheel-drive Uncharted is the range leader of the group; that model breaks the psychologically important 300-mile barrier with an EPA range estimate of 308 miles. All-wheel-drive Uncharted models with 18-inch wheels come in at 287 miles of range, while the trim with 20-inch wheels has a 273-mile estimate.

Subaru quotes a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.7 seconds for the all-wheel-drive Uncharted, which is curiously 0.2 second better than Toyota's C-HR claim. There wasn't a front-drive Uncharted available during this first drive, nor did Subaru provide an acceleration estimate for that version.

More and less of the same

Instead, I drove the top-spec Uncharted GT. This being a Subaru — make that an all-wheel-drive Subaru — it offers X-Mode to tailor powertrain settings for either snow/dirt or deep snow/mud and some other off-pavement-oriented assists, things the Toyota doesn't get but neither model really needs. Subaru also adds a Power drive mode in addition to the Normal and Eco settings included on the C-HR — these just change the accelerator pedal's sensitivity, and I'd leave mine in Normal all the time.

There are four levels of regenerative braking, selectable via steering-wheel paddles. The most aggressive won't satisfy one-pedal-driving devotees, but the feature is sufficient to mimic engine braking in a gas-powered vehicle.

Its shorter wheelbase and lighter weight give the Uncharted a little more spunk, as does its seemingly stiffer suspension tune. All of this makes it feel more responsive and tossable on a curvy road, but the shorter wheelbase highlights expansion joints more than in, say, the Solterra.

The bigger trade-offs, however, are in cabin space. Up front, the controls and hard points are shared among all three Subaru EVs, so you have about the same room, plus or minus some headroom. Those sitting in the back seat of the Uncharted get 3.1 fewer inches of legroom than in a Solterra or Trailseeker.

The Uncharted's cargo area is capped by a more rakish hatch than the Solterra's, and its opening is also narrower, but the smaller model has a tad more volume for stuff behind its second row thanks to an adjustable load floor. Fold the seats down, though, and the Solterra has the advantage. 

I came to largely the same conclusion as Clint Simone did about the C-HR in his recent review: While the Uncharted is undoubtedly the more fun and attractive option, it gives up too much in practicality to make a solid case for itself. The only real point in its favor is the longer-range front-wheel-drive version, but if that's what you want, the new Nissan Leaf has a similar shape and won't restrict you to the base-model-level features.

Price stuff

By virtue of its front-drive Premium base model, the Uncharted comes in $2,005 less than the least expensive C-HR, at $36,445 including a $1,450 destination fee. Go for all-wheel drive, and the prices are more comparable — the midtier Sport runs $41,245, the GT, $45,245.

But, as with the C-HR, there are better options for most buyers. If you want a small hatch with big space, consider the back-for-a-limited-time Chevy Bolt. The aforementioned Nissan Leaf will suit those who don't need all-wheel drive. And then there's Subaru's own Solterra; it's not as quick, but the packaging is better.