What is the New Subaru Uncharted EV? How It Compares Against Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia

What is the New Subaru Uncharted EV? How It Compares Against Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia originally appeared on Autoblog.

Subaru launched a new electric SUV — is it worth checking out?

Even in the face of disappearing tax rebates and other roadblocks, the EV SUV landscape is getting just a bit more crowded. The latest addition comes in the way of the Subaru Uncharted, a small SUV that shares a platform with the upcoming 2026 Toyota C-HR. It will be sold alongside the larger and presumably more expensive Subaru Solterra beginning in early 2026. It’s a surprising move from a brand that isn’t doing so hot in the EV marketplace, but maybe we’re missing something. How does the Subaru Uncharted set itself apart from a host of very competent rivals?

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First things first: let’s review exactly what the Subaru Uncharted is. Subaru claims the small SUV will be seven inches shorter than the Solterra EV, measuring approximately 177 inches in length. Subaru also quotes 25 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seats, which is around the same as the Solterra. Flavors are limited to the standard model, which comes with 300 miles of range, 221 horsepower, and front-wheel drive, as well as the Sport and GT trim levels, which offer all-wheel drive, up to 290 miles of range, and 338 horsepower. The automaker is mum on pricing, but we’re expecting a base MSRP in the low to mid $30,000s, since the Solterra starts at $39,495.

In early communications, Subaru has given us a few hints at where exactly the Uncharted fits into the market. They claim the SUV will have a similar turning radius as the Crosstrek, and considering its nearly identical length (177 inches vs. 176.4 inches), it seems safe to say the Uncharted will effectively be an electric Crosstrek. Furthermore, press materials call out the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro EVs by name, claiming to offer more horsepower and range (both true). But how does the Uncharted fare against the models Subaru didn’t name?

Subaru Uncharted vs. Hyundai Kona EV and IONIQ 5

We already know the Kona is down on performance compared to the Subaru Uncharted. Max range is limited to 261 miles, there’s no all-wheel drive option, and maximum horsepower is a measly 201 horsepower. The Kona EV is slightly shorter overall than the Uncharted, but it also offers around 25 cubic feet behind the second row. Whether or not the six inches of additional length that the Subaru Uncharted touts will pay dividends in passenger space is yet to be determined.

So, the Uncharted might be more powerful and larger than the Kona EV, but how does it compare to the larger and more expensive IONIQ 5? The IONIQ 5 comes in all- and rear-wheel drive guises, with the most powerful variant touting 320 horsepower. This is aside from the IONIQ 5 N, which isn’t really comparable to the Uncharted in any way. Max range is an EPA-estimated 318 miles. The SUV is around six inches longer than the Uncharted, but interestingly, it only offers a single cubic foot more of cargo space (26.3).

Pricing for the IONIQ 5 starts at around $44,000, which is likely around $10,000 more than the Subaru Uncharted. Meanwhile, the Kona EV starts at $32,975, much closer to where we expect the Uncharted to find itself. Overall, it looks like the Subaru Uncharted can make a solid case for itself against either of the Hyundai competitors.

Subaru Uncharted vs. Kia Niro EV and EV6

The Kia EV SUVs share much with their Hyundai counterparts, but there are small differences. The Kia Niro EV offers similar range and power specs, maxing out at around 261 miles and 201 horsepower, respectively. Like the Hyundai, it’s front-wheel drive only, but it’s a bit longer — around three inches shy of the Uncharted’s length. The Uncharted tops the Niro EV’s 22.8 cubic feet of cargo space, too.

2025 Kia Niro EV

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The larger Kia EV, the EV6, offers all- or rear-wheel drive, a maximum of 319 miles per full charge, and a whopping 641 horsepower in the top-tier GT trim line. More in line with Subaru cross-shoppers might be the 320-horsepower all-wheel drive GT-Line model. Cargo space, surprisingly, is down compared to the Uncharted (24.4 cubic feet) despite measuring around seven inches longer. The Kia EV6’s base price of $42,900 and the Niro EV’s base price of $39,600 mean both are likely a bit more expensive than the Subaru Uncharted. Frankly, we aren’t sure where the value is, with the Subaru giving both models a run for their money.

Subaru Uncharted vs. Volkswagen ID.4

A marque Subaru didn’t explicitly mention in their press release surrounding the Subaru Uncharted, Volkswagen’s ID.4 is a bit of a sleeper. Performance is very similar to the Uncharted, maxing out at 291 miles and a superior 335 horsepower, though not both at the same time. The latter is only available with the all-wheel drive model that also grants 263 miles of range, which we doubt will be a dealbreaker for anyone considering a Subaru Uncharted. Comparing cargo capacity, the VW remains in the lead. It offers 30.3 cubic feet of space behind the second row, despite only measuring three inches longer than the Uncharted.

2025 Volkswagen ID.4

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It's starting to feel like there might have been a good reason for Subaru to omit mention of the ID.4 in its initial release, but the one place the Uncharted might really threaten the ID.4 is a critical one: price. The ID.4 starts at $45,095, which is likely to be much higher than the base price of the Uncharted. The ID.4 is also due for a significant update in the coming year or so. While price likely won’t change much, it’s already got a lot going for it. Some newfound performance and updated styling might be enough to snag a buyer or two away from the Uncharted, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Final thoughts

The new Subaru Uncharted, in many ways, is a big step forward for the small electric SUV segment. Unfortunately, as with many electric vehicles, pricing will likely determine whether the Uncharted takes Subaru into new territory or becomes, like the Solterra, a dubious value proposition. We’ll conclude with this: if Subaru can deliver on these early promises, the Uncharted seems well-positioned to take on its competitors. More importantly, it might be good enough to weather the ensuing drought of government-backed EV incentives.

What is the New Subaru Uncharted EV? How It Compares Against Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 25, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.