This cracking new EV should be on your list

For a vehicle that Subaru has touted as a Sport Electric Vehicle, promising the all-terrain adventuring the brand is known for, the Trailseeker AWD looks like it should be stepping up to the plate with plenty of confidence.. It has all the ingredients on paper:. electric power, decent driving range, all-wheel drive and the sort of go-anywhere credentials Subaru buyers have come to expect..

But is an electric wagon-SUV-crossover really the product Aussies have been screaming out for?. Will you happily point this towards Alpine country and strap your skis to the roof, or has Subaru swung a little too hard here?. Because the electric vehicle market is getting crowded, with what seems like a new brand arriving every other week..

The Trailseeker has some serious competition from the likes of the Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X and they're all vying for attention.. I've spent the week finding out what makes the Trailseeker AWD stand out..   Subaru is offering two trim levels of the Trailseeker:.

the mid-spec AWD, which is what we're reviewing, and the slightly higher-specced AWD Touring.. Before on-road costs, they're priced at $63,990 and $69,990 respectively, making our test vehicle competitive against its nearest rivals.. The Skoda Enyaq Sportline 85 starts at $66,990 MSRP, while the Tesla Model Y Premium Long Range comes in at $68,990 and the Zeekr 7X RWD starts at $57,900..

That makes the Trailseeker AWD the more affordable option than two of its key rivals, while also offering something you'll need to level up for, both grade- and price wise, with its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system.. Standard features include:. This is not a pillowy or small wagon-SUV (can we make WUV a thing?!) crossover..

At 4845mm long, 1860mm wide and with 211mm of ground clearance, the Trailseeker isn't compromising on size just to slot neatly into the EV category.. This is very much an EV-styled Outback, which should delight fans looking for that familiar Subaru ruggedness and impressive on-road presence.. The biggest tell-tale sign that this is, in fact, an EV is the front end, which gets smooth panelling and a more streamlined silhouette..

However, you still get plastic moulding around easy-to-hit areas.. Full LED lighting, 18-inch alloys with aerodynamic caps and familiar paintwork colours round out the handsome offering.. Head inside and the cabin is plush and well styled, with a stepped dashboard and display design creating some interesting focal points..

It absolutely scores goals with its tactile functionality, too.. Buttons, steering wheel stalks and door-mounted side mirror controls keep the Trailseeker feeling very car-like, which is a welcome relief in an increasingly screen-heavy EV world.. The synthetic leather upholstery on the seats, dash and doors feels nice underhand and even the slightly odd hexagonal steering wheel soon becomes charming..

The cabin feels fresh but comfortingly familiar.. Subaru has nailed the available space in the Trailseeker.. The entire cabin is roomy where it counts and passengers will be all the happier because of it..

In the front, the heat function, side bolsters, and deep padding make the front seats feel super comfortable.. You'll get very little fatigue on a big road trip which is great for a WUV (it's happening) that's being positioned for family adventuring.. The rear row has legroom for days and there is a limo-like sense of space that taller adults will praise..

When I say limo-like, I mean it.. You'll easily be able to fit rearward-facing child seats behind a taller adult and make use of the three top-tether anchor points in general.. All of my passengers this week, including my parents, commented on how easy it is to get in and out of the car, and that's largely thanks to the 211mm ground clearance and wide door apertures..

Despite missing out on a glovebox, which makes the giant User's Manual essentially homeless, there are still quite a few storage options throughout the car.. Up front, there is a shallow but wide middle console with a dual-opening lid (very Lexus coded), a centre console that has dual wireless charging pads, two cupholders and a little shelf underneath for smaller items.. Each door (front and back) has bin storage and a drink bottle holder..

In the rear, there is a fold-down armrest with two cupholders and a couple of map pockets.. My nine-year old is particularly chuffed with the heated outboard seat function and the dual USB-C ports.. A handy addition here would have been sunblinds, like the Skoda Enyaq sports..

The boot rounds out the storage with its 609L of capacity, which is more than enough for luggage and kid paraphernalia.. It's handy having a retractable cargo cover and handsfree powered tailgate, but you only get a tyre repair kit, which isn't super practical for a car that might want to hit a gravel road or two.. You also miss out on vehicle to load (V2L) functionality, which the Trailseeker AWD Tourer gets, and that too would help weekend adventurers..

Let's talk tech.. The 14-inch media display shares the same operating system as Toyota and Lexus, which offers a straightforward layout and responsive touchscreen.. Note that this car is the mechanical twin of the recently released Toyota bZ4X Touring..

Climate controls are positioned in the screen but they're easy to operate.. There is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and CarPlay connected quickly and maintained a steady connection all week for me.. You get a standard six-speaker sound system but it proved to be more than enough to successfully belt out some tunes to..

All in all, the Trailseeker AWD has a straightforward and practical cabin for family use.. The Subaru Trailseeker is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel-drive set-up with a hefty 280kW of combined power.. Subaru doesn't quote a combined torque figure, but it can sprint 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, making this feel very performance coded compared to some of its single-motor rivals..

The Trailseeker AWD has a large 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery and a WLTP driving range of up to 533km.. I got pretty close to the claimed energy consumption of 15.4kWh/100km, with my 15.7kWh average this week.. Given I've done some serious highway trips, that's an impressive result..

It sports a Type 2/CCS charging port which accepts up to 22kW on an AC charger and up to 150kW on a fast DC charger.. I would have liked to see a higher DC charging capacity, but on a compatible fast charger, you can go from 10 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes, which is reasonable.. No one will claim that the Trailseeker is underwhelming when it comes to power..

It's quick, with no bucking through the body when you have to plant it, and it's a perfect companion on the open road.. The suspension and steering are nicely balanced to deliver a dynamic and engaging driving experience, and I'm really enjoying how stable it feels through corners.. It's easy to choose between the four levels of regenerative braking thanks to the steering wheel-mounted paddles..

But you don't get one-pedal driving, which seems like an important omission for an EV.. The cabin is quiet around town and on the open road, and it's easy to chat across the cabin without raising your voice.. Visibility is quite good out the front and sides from my driving position, and I like that the A-pillar has a glass insert to break up its width..

And it doesn't matter if you have a car full of gear or people, because you have a digital rear-view mirror.. Even with the regen on its strongest level, you can still 'creep' at lower speeds and, coupled with a really clear 360-degree camera, the Trailseeker is downright easy to park.. The Subaru Trailseeker has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing conducted in 2025 and features eight airbags..

It didn't manage an individual assessment score in the nineties, but still performed well, scoring 89 per cent for adult occupant protection, 86 per cent for child occupant protection, 80 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 82 per cent for its safety assist systems.. The biggest callout here is that the new Trailseeker misses out on emergency call capability, but it is good that none of its safety equipment intrudes too much on everyday driving.. Standard equipment includes:.

The Trailseeker is offered with Subaru's five-year/unlimited km warranty.. While some of its rivals have the same term, it's now a below-average offering for the class in general.. Servicing, however, is downright cheap, with a three-year pre-purchased plan costing just $584.29 and the five-year plan set at $984.18..

Servicing intervals are also well-spaced at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.. It's also fairly easy to get your Trailseeker serviced, with around 120 Subaru service centres across Australia.. The Subaru Trailseeker AWD really hits it out of the park when it comes to its comfort, practicality and all-round solid family features..

It's one of the nicest EVs I've sampled of late when it comes to handling and power delivery.. There's no doubt that it's a capable car being a dual-motor AWD and sporting a great ground clearance .... but it's still an EV..

And the general rule of thumb is that it's best to avoid off-roading in most EVs (potential battery damage yadda yadda), you also can't plug it into a gumtree to charge.. Is it a comfortable family wagon-SUV crossover?. Absolutely..

Will you actually be driving ALL of those trails it's promising to seek out?. We'll see..