Tested: 2026 Uncharted Puts Subaru on a New Course

First glance: Is this product really not owned by aliens?

Okay, I must admit that when I first saw the official drawings of the 2026 Subaru Uncharted, my first reaction was: Are Subaru designers taking drugs collectively? Where has the former honest Subaru who only knew how to build Fangzheng Box SUVs? The guy in front of me is covered in sharp fold lines, the huge hexagonal grille on the front face is like a shark laughing, and the LED daytime running light is as thin as a blade-well, it is really amazing. The real car is more exaggerated than the photo. Parking on the roadside is like an off-road interstellar chariot driven out of a science fiction movie. And you know what? The door handle is actually hidden and will pop up slowly when unlocked, giving a full sense of ceremony! The rate of passers-by turning around is definitely exploding. I even heard an uncle ask his wife: "Which new force made this car?" Haha, Subaru is really going to turn over this time.

Pulling open the car door: Eh? Is this still the stingy Subaru?

The moment I sat in the driver's seat, I almost thought I was on the wrong set. In the past, when driving Subaru, the interior always had the simplicity of a "tool car"-plastic, plastic, plastic. But Uncharted directly threw me a 14-inch vertical central control screen with a screen border as narrow as an iPhone, and the smoothness of operation matched that of an iPad. The instrument panel is a 12.3-inch full LCD, with colorful UI animations, and even has a "planet mode". During navigation, a satellite image of the earth will be displayed in the background. The seats are made of breathable perforated leather, the stitching is orange, and the door panels have carbon fiber patterns (it doesn't matter if they are real or fake, as long as they look good). The only thing I want to complain about is that the air conditioning control is completely integrated into the screen, and blind exercise while driving is a bit difficult-but voice recognition can finally understand the saying of "turn the air conditioner to 22 degrees"! Progress, brothers, Subaru has finally learned to feel luxurious.

Turn it on: The horizontally opposed engine is still there, but the soul has changed?

Press the start button, and the vibration of the familiar "Boxer" horizontally opposed engine is transmitted-yes, Subaru fans don't panic, Uncharted still insists on using the low-center-of-gravity magic machine. But the top gear I tested was a 2.4T turbocharged, with a maximum horsepower of 260 horsepower, and a CVT gearbox (yes, it was still a CVT, but it simulated 8 gears, and the manual paddles didn't respond as fast as a CVT). The starting kick, oh, this feeling of pushing back! Although it won't make you dizzy like Tesla, the linearity of the speed rise and the "grunt" sound of the engine are so compatible. What surprised me the most was the chassis. Uncharted uses a newly designed double wishbone rear suspension. The roll is controlled like a car when going through corners, but the bumps can be filtered out cleanly. The standard full-time four-wheel drive system has an electronic slip limit faster. I deliberately swung it on the gravel road, and the body was as stable as if it was sucked on the ground-Subaru's housekeeping skills were not lost, but the balance of comfort and handling was not like Subaru's style this time.

Technology function: Can it turn corners on its own?

I tried the new generation EyeSight system at high speed, and this time I got an extra lidar. The adaptive cruising following distance can be adjusted very close, making the anti-jamming logic much smarter. The most outrageous thing is that it has an "automatic deceleration on corners" function-the navigation detects a sharp turn ahead, and the car will automatically drop from 120 to 80 without having to turn the direction, just like an old driver helping you control the car. But don't get me wrong, it is still L2 level assisted driving and does not have the kind of "sleep well" level of automatic driving. But one small feature made me laugh: Press a button on the steering wheel, and it will display a 3D vehicle model around it on the central control screen, so that even motorcycles can be recognized. The HUD head-up display also has AR arrows, and turning tips are projected directly on the road-five years ago, I had only seen this on million-class luxury cars. Subaru, you have changed, and I am a little uncomfortable with the changes.

but... Wait, does this car really have flaws?

Well, I have to be honest, there is no perfect car in the world. Uncharted's fuel consumption... Alas, I have been running on the air conditioner in the urban area for two days, and it shows 11.2L/100km, which is not particularly high for a 2.4T four-wheel drive SUV, but competitors 'hybrid models can run up to 6 oil. The trunk space is not as big as expected. There is a small step after the back row is lowered, making it uncomfortable for people to sleep on. There is also that skylight-the panoramic skylight cannot be opened! I can only see but not breathe. In summer, the sun shines directly on my forehead, and my back is still wet when the air conditioner is turned on at full speed. In addition, although the car is smooth, occasionally CarPlay will be disconnected and the system needs to be restarted (the salesperson said that it will be repaired by subsequent OTA). But then again, in the face of a selling price starting at 260,000, these shortcomings seem to be tolerable-after all, you are buying the most unique horizontal opposed + full-time four-wheel drive in your class, and the turning rate of "no one knows when it goes out." Subaru made the right bet this time, and Uncharted really dragged them from the past into the future.

The last comment: Uncharted is so appropriate

When I returned the car after the test drive, I was a little reluctant. In the past, Subaru impressed me like the nerd in class-with solid grades but no taste in dressing. Uncharted is like this nerd suddenly put on a fashion brand, cut a handsome haircut, and learned to dance hip-hop. It still retains its core mechanical qualities (horizontally opposed, full-time four-wheel drive, reliable and durable), but adds a stylish appearance, technologically inspired interiors, and smarter assisted driving. Some people may miss the "pure" Subaru of the past, but the market will prove that it will either change or die. 2026 Uncharted is the beginning of that change. If you want an SUV that doesn't beat down the street, can light cross-country, and can comfortably sit on the whole family, go for a test drive-you may be like me, so surprised that you forget to complain about the unopenable skylight.