- Subaru New Zealand has revealed local pricing for the electric Trailseeker SUV.
- The company has now added an entry-spec model to the range.
- The entry model undercuts Toyota's pricing of the mechanically-related bZ4X Touring.
Subaru New Zealand has announced local pricing and specification details for the all-electric Trailseeker, which is scheduled to arrive in showrooms this October, along with a surprise new addition to the range that undercuts its closely-related Toyota bZ4X Touring rival.
The new electric SUV range starts with the Trailseeker AWD at $68,990, rising to the flagship Trailseeker AWD Touring at $72,490. Subaru New Zealand had previously indicated it would only bring the top-spec Touring model to our shores, but the last minute backtrack has allowed it to undercut Toyota's pricing of its single model bZ4X Touring offering. Priced at $71,990, the bZ4X Touring sits between the two Subaru models.
The Trailseeker is Subaru New Zealand's second fully electric vehicle, following the mechanically-related Solterra, which arrived locally in 2024, and both Trailseeker models share a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain that generates a combined 280kW for a zero to 100km/h acceleration time of approximately 4.5 seconds. This output makes the Trailseeker Subaru's fastest-accelerating production vehicle.
Power is drawn from a 74.7kWh CATL-sourced lithium-ion battery that supports DC fast-charging at up to 150kW, allowing a charge from 10 to 80 per cent in approximately 30 minutes.
Both variants are built on the e-Subaru Global Platform that was developed with Toyota (which calls its version eTNGA) and also sits under the Toyota bZ4X and bZ4X Touring.
The entry-level Trailseeker AWD offers a WLTP-rated driving range of up to 533km, and standard exterior features include 18-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing and self-levelling LED headlights, synthetic black leather seat trim, eight-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, heated rear outboard seats and a heated steering wheel.
The dashboard houses a 14-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a seven-inch digital instrument display, a digital rear-view mirror and dual wireless smartphone chargers, while a six-speaker audio system, multi-colour LED ambient lighting and dual-zone climate control with rear vents are also standard.
For an additional $3500, the Trailseeker AWD Touring upgrades the wheels to 20-inch alloys, reducing the WLTP-rated driving range to 488km.
The Touring variant adds a panoramic glass roof with an electric sunshade, blue-and-black leather-accented seating, ventilated front seats, and a memory function for the driver's seat and door mirrors, while technological upgrades include a premium 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with a subwoofer, and Advanced Park Assist utilising four panoramic-view cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors.
It also features a 220-volt, 1500-watt Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) power outlet, allowing the high-voltage battery to power external electrical devices.
Practicality remains a focus for both Subaru variants, utilising the flat-floor architecture of the e-Subaru Global Platform to offer 609 litres of cargo space in the base AWD and 595 litres in the AWD Touring.
Both feature hands-free powered tailgates with kick sensors and integrated roof rails as standard equipment, and standard safety equipment across the range is extensive, featuring Subaru Safety Sense, which provides a pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, lane tracing assist, emergency steering assist and an emergency driving stop system.
Additionally, a camera-based Driver Monitoring System alerts the driver to distraction or drowsiness, while the Subaru Vision Assist suite adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, Safe Exit Assist and a panoramic 360-degree view monitor.
"Kiwis asked for more options and we listened, so we are delighted to be bringing in two Trailseeker variants to New Zealand," said Paul Mallard, general manager of Inchcape New Zealand, Subaru's local distributor.
"It is a real coup for us to be receiving the Trailseeker AWD, with up to 533 km of WLTP range and a strong price point, especially compared with competitor EVs."
