2026 Subaru Trailseeker review

Our verdict

The Trailseeker shares plenty with Toyota's bZ4X Touring, but I'd take the Subaru. It rides better, feels lighter on its feet and looks more like a proper Subaru wagon. It's also roomy enough for the family and capable of handling the odd trip down a dirt road. The catch is price. Skip the Touring and buy the $63,990 base AWD, which has the same performance and more range.

What does the Trailseeker cost in Australia?

There are two grades. The AWD is $63,990 before on-roads and the AWD Touring is $69,990, both $4000 below the prices Subaru first announced. Every Trailseeker has the same 280kW dual-motor drivetrain and 74.7kWh battery, so the extra $6000 buys equipment, not speed.

The base car is far from bare. It gets synthetic leather, heated front and outboard rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a 14-inch touchscreen, dual wireless chargers, a 360-degree camera and a hands-free tailgate.

The Touring adds 20-inch wheels in place of 18s, blue and black leather-accented seats with ventilation and driver memory, a panoramic glass roof and 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio. It also gets Advanced Park Assist and a 1500W vehicle-to-load outlet in the boot, which I'd like to see on both grades at this money.

The problem is that the Trailseeker isn't cheap. The Touring costs exactly the same as the Toyota bZ4X Touring, a petrol Outback starts $15,000 lower, and a Tesla Model Y undercuts even the base car. Premium paint adds $660 and the Touring's two-tone option is $1200.

View Subaru Trailseeker driveaway pricing and specifications →

What does the Trailseeker look like?

If it looks like a bZ4X from some angles, that's because it is one under the skin. Subaru has stretched the familiar face into a long, low wagon on a 2850mm wheelbase, and with no engine up front the bonnet is short and the cabin pushed forward.

Oddly, it looks more like the Outback Subaru fans grew up with than the boxy new Outback does. Europe sells it as the e-Outback, and from side on you can see why.

The nose has no conventional grille, just slim LED lights and thick black cladding that wraps from the bumper over the wheel arches. Darker colours hide the plastic better. The full-width light bar and illuminated Subaru badge look good too.

The Touring's 20-inch alloys fill the arches properly, while the base car's 18s look a size too small. Roof rails are standard on both and ground clearance is 211mm.

What is the Trailseeker like inside?

Up front, it's essentially the Solterra cabin, and that's a decent place to spend time. The 14-inch touchscreen is shared with Lexus, responds quickly and runs wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It's a big step up from the portrait screens in the Forester and WRX.

The driving position is the thing to test before you sign. The 7.0-inch driver display sits high on the dash, so you read it over the steering wheel rather than through it. Subaru's squared-off wheel helps, but like the bZ4X, it won't suit everyone.

Materials are a mix. The armrests and the things you touch most are soft and solid, but the dash layers several textures and finishes, and the big centre console is hard plastic. There's no glovebox, so loose items end up in the console bin or the open tray beneath it.

Climate is partly on the screen, with physical dials for temperature either side. Two wireless chargers and two USB-C ports up front cover the phones, and four heated seats plus a heated wheel are standard on both grades.

The Touring's blue and black leather looks smart, and ventilated seats are welcome in an Australian summer. Its Harman Kardon system is a clear upgrade on the base car's six speakers. Neither grade gets over-the-air updates or a connected app, which feels behind at this price.

How practical is the Trailseeker?

It's roomy back there. Legroom and headroom are generous, and the flat floor means the middle passenger isn't straddling a tunnel. Rear vents, two USB-C ports and heated outboard seats come in both grades.

The only problem in the back is the high floor. Your feet sit higher than in a petrol wagon and toe room under the front seats is tight, so taller adults get less thigh support on a long run. Kids won't notice.

The boot is enormous. The AWD offers 609L, and the Touring has 595L because its subwoofer takes a bite. It's long and flat, and the hands-free tailgate is standard on both.

The Touring also gets a 1500W vehicle-to-load outlet in the boot, which is handy for running a camp fridge or lights at the campsite.

Both grades leave the factory with a tyre repair kit, but Subaru is finally offering a $1145 accessory kit that fits a space-saver spare under the boot floor. You lose the underfloor storage, but I'd much rather have a spare tyre, especially if I was regularly driving on dirt roads. It can be fitted to new orders or cars already on the road.

With Subaru's genuine towbar, the Trailseeker is rated to tow 1500kg braked. That's enough for a box trailer or a small camper, though a petrol Outback will pull more.

What is the Trailseeker like to drive?

This is where it pulls ahead of the Toyota. Subaru builds the Trailseeker and did its own suspension tuning, and you notice within a few kilometres. For a two-tonne EV, the ride is excellent. It handles potholes and sharp bumps really well without bouncing around afterwards.

It also feels surprisingly light on its feet. The steering is quick and well weighted, and the small wheel makes it feel nimble in town. It handles corners surprisingly well too. There's not much body roll and it feels secure on a winding road, even if it's not particularly exciting to drive.

Then there's the speed. Two motors make 280kW, and 0-100km/h takes 4.5 seconds, which makes this the fastest production Subaru ever sold in Australia. It isn't violent off the line, it just keeps pulling, and the all-wheel drive puts the power down without a chirp.

Overtaking takes no planning at all. Most owners will never use more than half the throttle, which is fine, because half is plenty.

The Touring rides well, but I'd expect the base AWD to be even more comfortable thanks to its smaller 18-inch wheels and taller tyres.

Regen is adjusted with paddles behind the wheel, though even the strongest setting stops short of true one-pedal driving. The brake pedal feels natural, which isn't a given in EVs. Wind and road noise are well hushed at highway speed.

X-Mode with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud settings comes standard, along with hill descent control. With 211mm of clearance, it'll handle a corrugated road to a campsite with ease. It isn't an Outback Wilderness, but it'll go further than most electric SUVs.

How efficient is the Trailseeker?

Subaru claims 533km of range for the AWD and 488km for the Touring, from energy use of 15.4kWh/100km and 16.8kWh/100km. The Touring's bigger wheels cost you 45km.

In real-world mixed driving, expect the Touring to use around 16kWh/100km, close to Subaru's claim. That's efficient for a dual-motor wagon this size, and works out to roughly 450km on a full charge.

DC fast charging tops out at 150kW, enough for 10-80% in about 30 minutes. Thirty minutes isn't terrible, but plenty of newer EVs can charge much faster. On AC it takes up to 22kW on three-phase power, or 7kW on a typical home wallbox, which refills it overnight.

At least servicing is cheap. It costs a fraction of a petrol Outback over five years and undercuts EV rivals like the Zeekr 7X and Kia EV6. Subaru's dealer network is broad too, which counts if you live outside the capitals. The five-year warranty is only average now that BYD offers six, and roadside assistance runs for 12 months.

Servicing costs

Servicing and Warranty

Is the Trailseeker safe?

The Trailseeker has a five-star ANCAP rating from 2025, based on Euro NCAP testing of the closely related e-Outback and bZ4X. It scored 89% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupants, 80% for vulnerable road users and 82% for safety assist.

There are eight airbags, including a front-centre bag and a driver's knee bag. Both grades get AEB, adaptive cruise with lane centring, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, a driver monitor, front and rear sensors and a 360-degree camera.

The Touring adds Advanced Park Assist. On the highway, the lane centring and adaptive cruise work smoothly without fighting you.

What are the main competitors to the Trailseeker?

The Toyota bZ4X Touring starts at around $69,990 before on-roads, the same as the Trailseeker Touring. It shares the battery, motors, boot and screen, and comes in a single grade. The Subaru gets its own suspension tune and the squared-off wheel, and the base Trailseeker undercuts the Toyota by $6000.

The Subaru Outback starts at around $48,990 before on-roads and runs to $62,690 for the Wilderness Apex. It's cheaper, tows more and refuels in minutes anywhere in the country. The Trailseeker is far quicker, roomier in the boot and much cheaper to service.

The Tesla Model Y starts at around $58,900 before on-roads for the RWD. It has the Supercharger network, over-the-air updates and slick software. The Subaru has standard all-wheel drive, more ground clearance and X-Mode. It's also more comfortable on rough roads.

The BYD Sealion 7 starts at around $54,990 before on-roads, with the dual-motor Performance at $63,990, the same as the base Trailseeker. The Performance has more power and a six-year warranty. The Subaru has a bigger boot, rides better and is the one I'd rather take down a rough dirt road.

If it were my money and I needed a functional and rugged EV, I’d have the Trailseeker. If I lived a long way from a fast charger, the Outback still makes sense.

Should I buy the Trailseeker?

Yes. If you're after a roomy electric wagon that's comfortable, quick and capable on rough roads, the Trailseeker is worth a look.

It's still too expensive and the driving position needs a proper test drive before you sign anything. I'd also spend the extra $1145 on the spare wheel kit, particularly if you plan on taking it off the bitumen.

Skip the Touring. The base AWD has the same performance and 533km of range, and leaves $6000 in your pocket.

It might share plenty with Toyota, but Subaru has made the version I'd rather own.