It’s odd to attend the New York International Auto Show in the midst of an oil shock. It makes me wonder, with gas prices up a full dollar only a month into a war that feels like its damage will reverberate for years, what the 2027 show might feel like. My bet: There’ll be a lot more EVs on display. At this one, it’s like (almost) every carmaker shivers when you mention electrification. Just before the war they were all running toward gas, with GM and Stellantis bringing V-8s out of mothballs.
Yet with millions of SUV drivers enduring the pain of $100 fill-ups, two carmakers, Toyota and Subaru, look pretty smart for sticking to their guns and rolling out all their shiny new electric toys at just the right time. It’s too early to say if buyers that briefly feared switching to EVs will start to embrace them again. But both carmakers are sure betting they will.
Subaru vs Toyota: Two Very Different Approaches to the Same EV
This fall Toyota will debut its three-row Highlander EV. That will come as both a single- and dual-motor model, and the latter will deliver 338 horsepower and 323 ft lb of torque. But the Subaru version, unlike their plan for the Uncharted, will only have AWD. Also, it’ll be a rocket, boasting 0-60 MPH times under five seconds and 420 horsepower.
“The Getaway comes standard with Tesla-style NACS charging ports, which makes Tesla Supercharger charging station plugging and playing easier than using an adapter.”
Just as it was a curious move by Subaru to offer the Uncharted in front-wheel drive and AWD, it’s also interesting for the carmaker to bring a far more powerful version of the Getaway than Toyota’s twin. In this case, you’ll only be able to get a Getaway with Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, and all 2026 versions get the same 95.8-kWh battery, and a promised 300 miles of range.
Next year Subaru will bring a lower power, 77kWh battery model. Toyota already announced that their entry version of the Highlander EV will produce a relatively meek 221 hp and 198 ft lb of torque, with 270 miles of range. Subaru hasn’t shared its own numbers on the 77kWh model yet. But we do already know lots about the Getaway, and on paper, this feels like a big-time EV winner for Subaru.
Prettier Than Any Other Subaru?
It’s probably sacrilege to say this, but most Subaru buyers aren’t buying to win a beauty contest. Their cars are “cute” or “quirky,” but in the case of the Getaway, you can easily argue that it’s elegant, buttoned-up, and tautly designed. Some of that defaults to the Toyota bones underneath, and the Highlander and Getaway don’t look tremendously different. However, the face of the Subaru is friendlier and a tad more ornate as well, and there’s a slightly chunkier, tougher vibe to the Subaru, with meatier, protective sills that also make the Getaway look longer. And, yes, it’s considerably bigger than the Ascent, with a two-inch longer overall length and a seven-inch longer wheelbase.
Subaru’s Most Refined Cabin Yet
A More Upscale, Family-Focused Interior
The interior, as a result, looks mighty spacious. But it’s not, oh, Suburban acres of plastic chintzy inside. In fact, the digs are quite a bit more upscale than those of the typical Outback or Forester. Again, it almost looks elegant, and its controls are fairly spare and less blocky than the Subaru norm. Yes, Subaru is at long last “adulting,” and it wears the more refined garb darned well, at least if appearances are anything to go by.
Speaking of that, Subaru hasn’t spilled the full specification tree with the media, nor do we know the MSRP. But we can share that the Getaway features dual wireless phone chargers (and USB-Cs accessible to every seat), seating for up to seven, three climate zones with dedicated third-row vents, and a 14-inch center touchscreen plus standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Front seat heaters are stock, but you can get ventilated front perches, heated second- and third-row seating, and a full moonroof on some higher tiers.
Subaru also boasts that the Getaway tops the Kia EV9 for space behind the second row (which folds electrically), though that’s only by two cubic feet (43.5 for the Kia and 45.6 for the Subaru), and Subie hasn’t shared the Getaway’s maximum cargo capacity. That said, like the Highlander EV, which is nearly as large as the Grand Highlander, the Getaway is a very big vehicle, and interior cargo volume probably easily matches its rivals from Kia as well as the Hyundai Ioniq 9.
It Still Feels Like a Subaru
I do wonder if they’ll bring a lifted Wilderness edition of the Getaway, just because Wilderness has done so well for Subaru. Meanwhile, the standard-issue Getaway will offer 8.3 inches of ground clearance, which figures to be modestly lifted vs. the Highlander EV. Subaru says every version will get its X-MODE AWD system, with separate settings for snow, dirt, and deeper mud as well as deeper snow. And, true to thinking you may take your Getaway to muddy roads, they’re including headlight washers, gratis. Plus they’ll have their version of descent control (basically off-road cruise control to automatically brake on gnarly terrain), and towing is rated up to 3,500 pounds.
Should you decide to tow, since that dings range, you’ll be happy that the Getaway comes standard with Tesla-style NACS charging ports, which makes Tesla Supercharger charging station plugging and playing easier than using an adapter. Kia and Hyundai products that are built on 800-volt architecture vs. Subaru’s 400-volt architecture can refuel slightly faster, but Subaru says that at charging speeds up to 150kW, you can warp from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.
Subaru is also including a standard battery preconditioner, which hastens charging speeds in colder weather. Plus, cleverly, the Getaway’s running lights “fill up” like a tank indicator as you charge your car, so you can see the state of charge from a distance. That’s handy if you’re publicly charging and perched at a restaurant peering out the window at your Getaway.
Lots of Standard Goodies—But What’s It Cost?
Given all of these sweeteners, I can’t help but wonder about the sticker. One big hazard, even with high gas prices, is that Subaru thinks they can get $60,000 for the Getaway. We’ve seen VW falter trying to sell the ID.Buzz at that price—when an Atlas sells for way less, and with the Ascent starting in the low $40,000 range, Subaru could also be dinged by wanting too much cash for the Getaway. TBD, but any serious EV shopper will also eyeball the Highlander EV for a better deal vs. this new Subaru. It looks sweet on paper, but the proof will be in the payments.
