The Controls in the 2026 Subaru Uncharted’s Interior Sure Are Different
What Car Shoppers Need to Know
- The 2026 Uncharted is a new electric SUV coupe from Subaru.
- From its high-mounted digital instrument panel to its twist-knob gear selector, the Uncharted has a number of unconventional interfaces.
- That said, it doesn’t take long to acclimate to them.
There’s a learning curve when making the jump from a gas-powered car to an electric vehicle, and also new habits to consider, such as cabin preconditioning and scheduled charging. But there can also be a learning curve when it comes to actually using the vehicle, as many EVs have interfaces and controls that differ significantly from what’s typically in gas-powered cars.
Related: The 2026 Subaru Uncharted Is the Weirdest Subaru, and That’s a Good Thing: Review
So it is with the 2026 Uncharted, Subaru’s new electric SUV coupe co-developed with Toyota and related to the 2026 Toyota C-HR. While it doesn’t take a lot of time to adjust to the Uncharted’s controls and interfaces, some of its interior space restrictions may be harder to adapt to.
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Digital Instrument Panel and Steering Wheel
- Takeaway: Located near the base of the windshield, the Uncharted’s digital instrument panel is easy to read at a glance and isn’t blocked by the car’s squared-off steering wheel.
The Uncharted’s digital instrument panel is one of its unique features. Positioned at the base of the windshield rather than under a conventional gauge hood, the screen is close to your line of sight, making it easy to see at a glance. You also don’t have to worry about the steering wheel blocking your view of the screen, which is an increasingly common problem in new cars that have a screen for the gauge cluster.
There’s also a squared-off steering wheel in place of a conventional round one. While it looks a little odd with its flattened upper and lower sections, the curved side sections are more traditional and feel familiar, and the wheel feels like the right size overall. While the steering wheel does look different, it wasn’t distracting for me to use.
Rotary Gear Selector
- Takeaway: The twist-knob gear selector works well enough, but it takes up space on the center console that could otherwise be used for storage.
There’s also a rotary gear selector. You push down when rotating the knob to go from Drive to Reverse, and Park is selected by a nearby button. It’s not difficult to use after some initial acclimation, but the spring-back nature of the knob doesn’t make it easy to tell at a glance what gear you’re in. The design also takes up a decent amount of space on the center console, something other cars with electronic gear selectors avoid by using steering-column-mounted stalk shifters. This type of shifter leaves more room for storage in the center console.
Speaking of storage, the Uncharted does have an interesting console storage bin lid. The lid opens from either the left or right side for easy driver or passenger access rather than being hinged at the back like most lids. It’s a nice detail you don’t see all that often.
Front- and Rear-Seat Comfort
- Takeaway: Taller passengers have good comfort in the front seats, but backseat comfort is compromised by a low seat cushion and not much extra headroom.
The Uncharted’s roofline drops at the rear of the SUV, giving it a sleeker look, but the front seating area is still roomy enough for taller adults. I’m 6-foot-1, and I had no trouble finding a comfortable driving position.
It’s a different story in the backseat. The seat cushion is close to the floor, so you sit with your legs bent at the hips at an uncomfortable angle with your knees up. And with that sloping roofline, there’s not much extra headroom, either.
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Shop the 2026 Subaru Uncharted near you
Should You Consider an Uncharted?
- Takeaway: The Uncharted could easily work as an EV runabout for daily shuttle duty and errand running. However, if you like what you see, just know that the related Toyota C-HR is nearly identical.
The Uncharted’s driving experience is similar to other mainstream EVs. It’s comfortable, quiet and more than quick enough for everyday driving. Compared with the related C-HR, there are some differences when it comes to features (the C-HR has a round steering wheel, for instance) and styling. The Uncharted is also available with front-wheel drive, which isn’t currently offered for the AWD-only C-HR (see a specs comparison of the two EVs). If I were you, I’d just get the one you can get a better deal on because underneath the badge, they’re largely the same.
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