Fast Facts | 2026 Subaru Trailseeker
⚡ Powertrain: Dual-motor electric AWD with 375 horsepower
🚀 Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph in approximately 4.4 seconds
🔋 Battery: 74.7-kWh lithium-ion pack
🛣️ EPA Range: 281 miles Premium | 274 miles Limited, Touring, and Touring Leather
🔌 DC Fast Charging: 150-kW maximum | 10% to 80% in approximately 28 minutes
🛻 Utility: 3,500-pound towing capacity | 176-pound dynamic and 700-pound static roof load
📦 Cargo Space: 30.4 to 31.3 cubic feet behind the rear seat | 71.8 to 74 cubic feet folded
💰 Starting Price: $41,445 including the stated $1,450 destination charge
Into the Mud With Subaru’s 375-HP Family EV
Perched atop a hill on an off-road course at the Road America racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, I’m looking down at a daunting mud puddle that’s probably a foot and a half deep. I’m not in an established off-roader like a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco. I’m in the 2026 Subaru Trailseeker, the most off-road oriented model in the Japanese brand’s growing EV lineup. I let off the brake and take the plunge. Literally.
The Trailseeker’s nose hits the puddle, and a wave of brown water washes over the hood and onto the windshield. With X-Mode set to Deep Snow/Mud, the all-season Bridgestone Turanza EL 450 tires find enough grip to keep my momentum going and pull me out the other side.
This isn’t the type of driving you'd expect from the average EV, especially one that can double as a family hauler. But Subaru gives the Trailseeker some off-road ability without losing sight of everyday drivability.
Off-Road Smarts
The Trailseeker is part of a joint effort by Subaru and Toyota to expand their electric vehicle offerings. It’s built on the same platform as Subaru’s Solterra, but it’s six inches longer and sits slightly higher off the ground for better off-roading. Its equivalent at Toyota is the bZ Woodland.
In addition to its 8.5 inches of ground clearance and X-Mode (which also has a Snow/Dirt setting), the Trailseeker has Grip Control, which is effectively off-road cruise control, and Downhill Assist Control to limit speed on steep off-road grades. A Multi-Terrain Monitor uses the surround-view camera system to help place the vehicle off-road by providing a clear hood view to see any ruts or boulders. It also displays pitch and roll and projects the path of the wheels on the screen.
The all-wheel-drive system excels in off-road conditions because it sends torque where it's needed, front to rear and side to side, based on which wheels have grip. It also has front and rear acceleration sensors that adjust power when accelerating, turning, or braking to send it to the wheels that offer the best traction and stability.
The Trailseeker doesn’t have heavier-duty off-road tools, such as locking differentials, disconnecting anti-roll bars, or low-range gearing. That’s fine, though, because most Trailseekers will spend more time on grocery store runs and school pickup lines.
Smooth About Town
It’s pretty good at those everyday tasks, too. The Trailseeker rides well on the available 20-inch wheels, and the light steering is quick and direct with good turn-in response. The extra ground clearance causes more body lean than you’d find in a typical midsize crossover but less than a body-on-frame SUV. Hit the brakes hard and the nose dives. It feels like it would handle better if it sat two inches lower, but instead, it’s a little floppier than I’d prefer.
Otherwise, the Trailseeker feels rather light on its feet for an EV, especially an EV off-roader. Part of that comes down to a modestly-sized battery, which keeps curb weight to 4,565 pounds in top spec. The 74.7-kilowatt-hour battery delivers an EPA-estimated 281 miles of range in the base Premium model, dropping slightly to 274 miles in the Limited and Touring trims.
Hitting that efficiency rating is easy to achieve. Over 152 miles of driving with quite a few highway miles, I average 3.5 miles per kWh, which is even better than the EPA rating of 3.3 mi/kWh.
With its standard NACS port, the Trailseeker can use Tesla Superchargers to charge up to 80 percent in 28 minutes at speeds of up to 150 kilowatts. You can precondition the battery by setting a charging station as your navigation destination. You can also recapture energy through four regenerative braking modes.
Plenty of Power
The beauty of electric propulsion is that it’s easy to make big power without sacrificing efficiency. The Trailseeker’s dual-motor powertrain uses permanent-magnet synchronous motors front and rear that combine to produce a very healthy 375 horsepower (Subaru hasn't released a torque figure).
You wouldn’t necessarily know it’s that powerful unless you hit the right button, literally. A button on the center console cycles through Normal, Eco, and Power drive modes. In Normal and especially Eco, throttle response is muted. It feels like a typical gas-powered crossover SUV unless you floor it.
For a broader look at how the Trailseeker fits among family-focused and adventure-ready EVs, our guide to the best electric crossovers and SUVs compares the segment’s strongest options. ➜
Choose Power mode, though, and the throttle response wakes up. The power hits hard, and the Trailseeker can conquer a 0-60 mph run in just 4.4 seconds — in the ballpark of the V8-powered Ford Mustang GT, which vaults to 60 mph in about four seconds flat. That smooth rush of power can be addictive, but remember to keep an eye on your speedometer.
The Trailseeker can also tow up to 3,500 pounds, and its roof rails can withstand a 700-pound load.
Room for the Family
The cabin offers solid space for use as a family hauler. It seats five across two rows. The back seat has good headroom and legroom, but its short seat bottoms lack thigh support to make long trips comfortable. Cargo space is quite useful at 32.2 cubic feet behind the second row and a generous 74 cubic feet with the second row folded flat. All but the base trim add a 120-volt power outlet in the rear cargo area for tailgating or any power needs you may have.
Up front, the driver sits behind a squircle-shaped steering wheel with a flat top and bottom, designed to keep the digital instrument cluster, located near the base of the windshield, in view. A large 14-inch touchscreen sits closer to the driver for easy reach. It reacts quickly to driver inputs and is easier to use and quicker to react than those in other Subarus. That’s because it’s a Toyota system.
No matter the trim level, and even with the leather, the Trailseeker’s cabin never feels upscale. It’s more utilitarian, with quite a bit of hard plastic, but it’s quite serviceable.
Which Trailseeker Is for You?
The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker starts at $41,445 MSRP, including a mandatory $1,450 destination fee. That’s for the base Premium model, which comes with synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual wireless smartphone chargers, a power rear liftgate, and 18-inch alloy wheels with wheel covers. All Trailseekers also get the EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features that includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, front cross-traffic alert, active lane-change assist, traffic-jam assist, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.
The step-up Limited runs $45,445 MSRP and adds a heated steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats, a Harman Kardon audio system, a hands-free liftgate, a digital key, a surround-view camera system, and 20-inch wheels.
My tester was the top Touring trim, which runs $48,005 MSRP. It adds such features as ventilated front seats, radiant leg warmers, a gloss-black hood accent, and a panoramic glass roof. My test vehicle also has the optional blue and black leather upholstery, which adds a modest $300.
The Trailseeker has a large cabin for family needs while offering more off-road capability than the typical EV or family crossover. So if you find yourself staring down a mud puddle, go for it. The Trailseeker can handle it.
Compare More Adventure-Ready EVs
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2026 Toyota bZ Woodland First Drive
The Trailseeker’s Toyota counterpart shares its underlying platform, power, range, and adventure-focused mission while presenting a different brand personality.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT Review: Trail-Ready Without the Trade-Offs
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