The Subaru Trailseeker is larger and more SUV-like than the Solterra, with more power than the standard Solterra and a 3,500-pound towing capacity.
Subaru is doubling down on its electrification efforts. Less than four years after debuting the Solterra in 2023, the Japanese automaker is launching a new EV, the Subaru Trailseeker, for 2026. A mid-size, all-electric SUV that’s jointly developed with the Toyota bZ Woodland, the Trailseeker is heavily based on the compact Subaru Solterra (itself a rebadged Toyota bZ4X), and runs on the same e-Subaru Global Platform as the brand’s first electric SUV. In addition, both Subaru electric SUVs boast 8.3 inches of ground clearance, hill-descent control, and a symmetrical all-wheel drive system that offers Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud drive modes for decent off-road capability. Also common to the two EVs is a 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment screen as well as a 74.7-kWh battery pack that can charge at rates up to 150 kW.
Despite the similarities, the Trailseeker is pleasantly different to the extent that we considered it a better EV and the car the Solterra should have always been during our first drive. The Trailseeker’s SUV-like design makes it feel more like a proper Subaru than the Solterra’s hatchback styling, for a start. It is also longer and taller than its Solterra sibling, which results in more cargo space than the Solterra. Then there’s the matter of performance.
