Solterra’s new mud mate delivers as an electric Outback.

SOME of the same DNA as the Solterra, yet not set to have a Toyota twin - that’s why Subaru is confident in calling the Trailseeker its first standalone electric model.

Unveiled at the New York Motor Show alongside a refreshed Solterra, the Trailseeker is not wholly divorced from Japan’s (and New Zealand’s) most powerful car brand. It utilises batteries and motors with some upcoming EVs that Toyota (which has owned substantial slice of Subaru for some time) will put into circulation over the next two years.

But the styling story has been written entirely by Fuji, and though it has the same 210mm ground clearance as the Solterra (and that car’s Toyota bZ4X twin) Trailseeker is more of a station wagon in its shape. If and when it can be sized up with the current Outback, you might considered Trailseeker as the electric adjunct.

What plans Subaru NZ has for Trailseeker have yet to be shared; it will likely want to keep the Solterra in circulation, and conceivably the update to that car might be seen within the year.

And, of course, it will also have eyes on the new generation Outback, which has also just revealed in the United States and has taken a wholly new styling direction. After generations of presenting as an elevated station wagon, Subaru’s largest car is now a blocky sports utility.

Trailblazer is intended to present as the name suggests; a more robust and off-seal themed alternate to Solterra, which in itself has surprisingly nuggety attributes.

As presented for the US, which is Subaru’s primary market (hence why global launches always occur there, and why it has up to a year’s head start for availability) the Trailseeker uses a 74.4kWh battery - also shared with latest Solterra - and has 280kW spread across two electric motors, for four-wheel drive.

On the US EPA electric range test, Subaru quotes a range of 420km. The EPA test is generally seen as stricter than the our WLTP test, raising thought that Subaru might predict around to 500km of official range in this market.

Like Solterra, Trailseeker has gets Subaru's excellent X-Mode off-roading assist with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud driving modes, plus 'Grip Control' traction control and 'Downhill Assist Control'.

Trailseeker is also rated to tow up to 1588kg braked and has has an impressive package of safety features based around make’s camera-and-sensor 'EyeSight' system. This system includes pre-collision braking, front cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitors, lane departure alert, a panoramic view camera system, emergency stop assist, traffic jam assist, lane change assist, and advanced adaptive cruise control.

The cabin adopts a lot from the facelift Solterra (below), with a high-set instrument panel, a small, squared-off wheel, and a 14-inch touchscreen. There are 15-watt wireless phone charging pads and USB-C sockets.

Solterra’s mid-life update is also major; like the recently facelift bZ4X it achieves radically different front styling and new 18- and 20-inch alloy wheels.

Fair to middling range has been a Solterra bugbear. The new battery, together with an improved battery management system, is said to lend 25 percent more range on one charge.

New Solterra also benefits from a new battery pre-conditioning system, which allows DC charging at up to 150kW, giving it a 10-80 percent charge in 'less than 35 minutes'.