There were two 2026 models that I really, really wanted to get my hands on. 1st one was the Prelude, where my hopes got destroyed by a tanker truck. Second one is this, hoping my wife won't destroy my hopes as the first 48 hrs confirmed my hunch that this is my prime family car replacement option.
Sitting at 15.9 l/100km so far, was in the 13's before highway drives. Elevated driving position, yet feels like a car. Squircle steering wheel offers view of instrument screen, unlike BZ Woodland. Great front seats, Limo-like room in the back. Good stereo. Fast.
Dislikes so far - automatic rear braking provoked by my driveway's infamous bush-of-death. Turning it off gets you a big warning in the dash. Managed to reduce sensitivity - I think, menu not clear - we'll see.
My very first NACS car I take home. Thankully, it came with an oem adaptor kit, one for CCS Combo and the other one for the plain J1772 Level 2 plug. Oddly, when an EV's charging port has CCS Combo, there is a rubber flap over the DC part that you just ignore when charging at home. Using the CCS Combo adaptor won't work on a domestic AC EVSE - you have to use the separate smaller J1772 gizmo. Not sure if that's common in the aftermarket adaptor world or just a design choice here.
One reason I can see is that when the CCS Combo portal is built in the car, the car knows what it's plugged to, while with the adaptor the "handshake" is with the EVSE and not the car.
I had to google this thing, I've never heard of it, let alone seen one. How did Subaru go from plain but practical vehicle for the granola/vegan hiking boots type to these horrid looking things?!?!?!
Quote from: Fobroader on Sep 16, 2026, 12:47 PMI had to google this thing, I've never heard of it, let alone seen one. How did Subaru go from plain but practical vehicle for the granola/vegan hiking boots type to these horrid looking things?!?!?!
Add 0-60 mph in 3.9s to your opinions, put that in a blender and you'll be even more confused ;D
Yes, this is the quickest factory Subaru ever. Apart from the black plastics, it's actually pretty good-looking. It looks even better if you park a new Outback next to it.
(https://www.usnews.com/cmsmedia/bc/ca/4466309b4d1f995ab3c684784872/2026-subaru-outback-and-trailseeker-front-angle-view-b-ak.jpg)
That's no victory. The new Outback might be the ugliest new vehicle being sold today. I have no idea how the design was approved.
Yeah, but that's just fast ev things, that doesn't excite me. If they could get rid of that craptastic CVT and maybe make the Outback look like it wasn't made under a bet of who could make the ugliest design on the market, they would be interesting again.
Quote from: Tortoise on Sep 16, 2026, 03:42 PMThat's no victory. The new Outback might be the ugliest new vehicle being sold today. I have no idea how the design was approved.
Well, ...
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSZWpnJIqiEZBgHaS7HD9o1LXU0JsUaltJnhcLDLNidwH7_rjrl_9SHjdQ&s=10)
If I'm remembering correctly, this is the larger version of the Solterra? Is this really much smaller than your CX-90? I would think the downside would be to a Solterra, not this.
I haven't really seen any of these in the wild, but I saw a bZ Woodland at Toyota a few weeks ago when I was there to have the ventilated seats on the bZ4x checked out (there were weird noises coming from the driver's side motor when the ventilator was on, turned out that both the driver and passenger motors were at different stages of failure). The thing is a behemoth and not the most attractive ;D The bZ4x with the 20" wheels and shiny black fenders has grown on me over time, but this thing is to a whole other level.
The Trailseeker is a bit shorter than the current Outback, and yes it's a wagonized Solterra, but the roof is also higher - plenty of room up there, and I don't hit my noggin on the open hatch as with the Mazda. We don't do a lot of km's but we carry stuff a lot, so the huge trunk is a plus. I see it as a one-size up long roof electric Crosstrek. It's about 5½" longer than a CR-V, but a solid 10 inches less than the CX-90. Then there's volume. The bulbous Mazda is just plain huge, while the Subayota is slim with a more car-like presence. In any case, I often saw the previous Outback as the ideal "step down", size-wise, and this is pretty close to that. WAF still needs to be established though...
Quote from: Blueprint on Sep 16, 2026, 01:47 PMApart from the black plastics, it's actually pretty good-looking.
Not sure how you got there, but I'm with the other camp on this one.
Also like Fobroader, I had never heard of this unit until just now..
Quote from: Bridgecity on Sep 17, 2026, 10:14 AMQuote from: Blueprint on Sep 16, 2026, 01:47 PMApart from the black plastics, it's actually pretty good-looking.
Not sure how you got there, but I'm with the other camp on this one.
Also like Fobroader, I had never heard of this unit until just now..
The Toyota version (bz Woodland) retains the black plastic but has a different front end:
(https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/90336260-3754-4386-82c6-2e319917eb57.jpg?crop=0.614xw:0.518xh;0.179xw,0.273xh&resize=1200:*)
^ above pic borrowed from Car and Driver. Like the Trailseeker, base models have 18" wheels with fatter sidewalls. Subaru is a lot more aggressive on pricing, its version starting right below $50k and eligible to $7k total in incentives here in QC. The base Subie does without a heated steering wheel though, and only the Premier has the radiant heating like Ron's bz4x.
The Solterra's top trims offer painted fenders, not available at any price on the Trailseeker: (https://hips.hearstapps.com/mtg-prod/67fef0a646829f0008d66813/2026-subaru-solterra-5.jpg?w=768&width=768&q=75&format=webp)
Total WAF failure. She hates the look of the dash (I expected that), but for reasons I did not see coming, the main one being the front passenger can't see the speed indicator, being blocked by "the computer screen" floating up front. It would have stood a chance if it had the IP of a 2019 Outback :( . As usual, the fantastic front seats have bolsters that are too aggressive for her shorter stature, a recurring but valid issue for people below, say, 5'6" in higher up vehicles.
You can see how the position of the screens effectively blocks view of the driver's screen for the passenger - not a bad thing IMHO ;D
(https://static.tcimg.net/vehicles/oem/bb568fc82f8886a8/2026-Subaru-Trailseeker.jpg?auto=format&fit=crop&h=400&w=560)
^I'm not sure why that's an issue, unless you have a control freak in the passenger seat. Maybe if you have a new driver and you want to monitor their speed closer while instructing? But then just put the nav on the center screen. Most apps say the speed these days. Or just ask them how fast they are going.
I think back to my old Tundra. I don't think you could see any of the gauges from the passenger seat.
Quote from: Bridgecity on Sep 18, 2026, 10:08 AM^I'm not sure why that's an issue, unless you have a control freak in the passenger seat. Maybe if you have a new driver and you want to monitor their speed closer while instructing? But then just put the nav on the center screen. Most apps say the speed these days. Or just ask them how fast they are going.
I think back to my old Tundra. I don't think you could see any of the gauges from the passenger seat.
Non-car people have the weirdest beefs...
That for me would be a positive especially when I am ferrying the MIL around who things doing 115 on the highway is toying with death and prison haha
Quote from: Blueprint on Sep 17, 2026, 02:59 PMThe Solterra's top trims offer painted fenders, not available at any price on the Trailseeker: (https://hips.hearstapps.com/mtg-prod/67fef0a646829f0008d66813/2026-subaru-solterra-5.jpg?w=768&width=768&q=75&format=webp)
That front is brutal. I much prefer the fascia on the 2023-2025 Solterras. The weird creases and cut-outs in the front bumper look terrible.
Quote from: Blueprint on Sep 18, 2026, 08:35 AMTotal WAF failure. She hates the look of the dash (I expected that), but for reasons I did not see coming, the main one being the front passenger can't see the speed indicator, being blocked by "the computer screen" floating up front. It would have stood a chance if it had the IP of a 2019 Outback :( . As usual, the fantastic front seats have bolsters that are too aggressive for her shorter stature, a recurring but valid issue for people below, say, 5'6" in higher up vehicles.
Why does it matter if the passenger can't see the speedo? Unless it impedes on her "back seat driver" impulses? LOL 😆
On a break for a few weeks now. I was supposed to drive a 911 Targa this week, but the car got pulled from fleet at the end of last week - 3rd time this has happened to me with P-cars.
As always, starting October 1st of every year, Trader has us moving to the new model year, which makes sense as it allows time to publish the current model year reviews right up to the Holidays. So there's always a little gap until newer tests subjects land in the press fleets. But there are soooo many new 2026 units that just arrived, it feels like leaving the restaurant still hungry while new plates land on your table.
Next up for me is the 2027 Bolt in 4 weeks.
Quote from: Blueprint on Sep 18, 2026, 08:35 AMTotal WAF failure. She hates the look of the dash (I expected that), but for reasons I did not see coming, the main one being the front passenger can't see the speed indicator, being blocked by "the computer screen" floating up front. It would have stood a chance if it had the IP of a 2019 Outback :( . As usual, the fantastic front seats have bolsters that are too aggressive for her shorter stature, a recurring but valid issue for people below, say, 5'6" in higher up vehicles.
This morning I got a ride from home to the public transit terminal, and in the name of science, I sat in the passenger seat. I'm not sure of your wife's stature or seating position, but I was able to see the speedometer very clearly. Or it's possible that in the pre-refresh bZ4X, the center screen is mounted a bit lower. Either way, I'm pretty sure I'd find myself on the side of the road if I started making comments about speed ;D
Review is finally live this morning: https://www.autohebdo.net/editorial/essai-routier/subaru/trailseeker/subaru-trailseeker-premier-2026-essai-routier/ (https://www.autohebdo.net/editorial/essai-routier/subaru/trailseeker/subaru-trailseeker-premier-2026-essai-routier/)
(https://cms-assets.autoscout24.com/uaddx06iwzdz/6AEG6kUrqMLOBgdOVyaROX/46da994df2c6cb067424385e67d0d1b0/2027_Subaru_Trailseeker_-_TD_-_DB_-_261006_-_4.jpg?fm=webp&w=1100)
(https://cms-assets.autoscout24.com/uaddx06iwzdz/2G4yviSUiDUwL2WKm1PZ0h/4aeead440725e6a0781be939fa78d68e/2027_Subaru_Trailseeker_-_TD_-_DB_-_261006_-_50.jpg?fm=webp&w=1100)
Subaru's latest design language is just brutal...All of them, Outback, Forester, this thing, just butt ugly.
Quote from: Blizzard on Sep 18, 2026, 10:02 PMQuote from: Blueprint on Sep 17, 2026, 02:59 PMThe Solterra's top trims offer painted fenders, not available at any price on the Trailseeker: (https://hips.hearstapps.com/mtg-prod/67fef0a646829f0008d66813/2026-subaru-solterra-5.jpg?w=768&width=768&q=75&format=webp)
That front is brutal. I much prefer the fascia on the 2023-2025 Solterras. The weird creases and cut-outs in the front bumper look terrible.
It looks like someone tried to Photoshop two cars together and failed.
Quote from: Firm on Oct 29, 2026, 04:31 PMSubaru's latest design language is just brutal...All of them, Outback, Forester, this thing, just butt ugly.
Oh yeah, theres a green new Outback in our neighborhood and the thing just look terrible, I don't know who decided this is the direction that they should have gone with.
It's like they threw a bunch of styling elements at it to see what stuck and just left them all attached.
Yes, Subaru has the worst exterior design in our market. The Outback Wilderness in the parking lot at work looks awful.
Mind you, Kiundai isn't far behind.
^^^and yet, Subaru fans like the styling. Above got a couple friend who have long been asubaru people. They drive a Crosstrek and a Forester. We had a conversation today about him wanting to replace his Crosstrek with a Trail seeker. I pointed out that the styling is quite fugly, and both of them said it looked fine.
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Subaru people must be blind lol