Why no Trailseeker/R2 comparisons?

[narmstrong79]

Everything is compared to the leader in it's category.

Legacy automakers especially Subaru / Toyota, don't deserve the attention. Of the Legacy brands Mach-E and Ioniq are the only ones that are viable options.

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[Thebandit]

Everything is compared to the leader in it's category.

Legacy Auto makers especially Subaru / Toyota, don't deserve the attention. Of the Legacy brands Mach-E and Ioniq are the only ones that are viable options.

Unless you want more than 6 inches of ground clearance.

 

[Thedude]

Not saying the Trailseeker isn't a decent vehicle, but depending on your definition of "off road" one of the vehicles has the chops for much more serious conditions.

The R2 is about as much of an off-roader as a Jeep Renegade. It has some ground clearance and can manage some rough forest service roads but you aren’t rock crawling or doing serious trails in it. It’s built to suit an image that sells not for serious work.

 

[narmstrong79]

Unless you want more than 6 inches of ground clearance.

Lets be honest - these will all be pavement princesses, The ground clearance is nice but not really really needed.

 

[Thebandit]

Lets be honest - these will all be pavement princesses, The ground clearance is nice but not really really needed.

I dunno where you live, but here in upstate NY the difference between 6 and 9 inches of clearance is huge.

 

[Great Gatsby]

It is a comparison you can make, but not as meaningful to most as you'd think.

The R2 is being marketed more as a Model Y alternative than the electric 4runner. The reason - Rivian is full on the EV and software, like Tesla, and off-road prowess second. So you can compare it to the Trailseeker, but at that point, I'd consider things in the ICE/hybrid world instead. The Trailseeker seems cool and all but what makes it special?

If someone really wants an EV, Subaru priced it where it can be recommended from someone coming from the ICE world. It is familiar. People in the Tesla and other EV ecosystem would find the Rivian way more appealing and likely not consider a Trailseeker as it just ok at the EV part.

Not saying the Trailseeker is bad, just from a different world than the R2 and Model Y. Only similarities to the R2 is that it is adventure focused.

My two cents. Please do report back on how the test drive goes though!

 

[Yamazaki]

I feel people don't give Subarus enough credit sometimes. Out on the trails though, people give me a thumbs up (along with an occasional surprised look).
I have 9.8" clearance on my Forester (modest aftermarket lift). As I've said already in this thread, that's enough to get me out where the Tacomas and stock/near stock Wranglers play...
I figure a larger Subaru aftermarket for the Trailseeker will get me to that pretty easily, and the R2 might not need a lift at all (although if somebody made a 1" spacer for the suspension, I'd get it).
And then they're more livable on the streets for the weekdays by far than the Tacoma or Wrangler.


Update: Looks like the test drive will be tomorrow morning. Of the two Subaru dealers in the area, only one has a Trailseeker available to drive, but they just got it in yesterday so they still have to do stuff before it's ready (according to the salesperson I spoke to).

That's a gripe I have about buying a car in the US - Dealerships. I hate that sales model. They are not incentivized to sell EVs, so they don't even try. When I took my Forester in for a recall service earlier this year, I asked for a Solterra as a loaner car. They said "sure, but why would you want that?" It's true it wasn't super amazing, but why would you talk crap about your own car?

 

[DuoRivian]

It is a comparison you can make, but not as meaningful to most as you'd think.

The R2 is being marketed more as a Model Y alternative than the electric 4runner. The reason - Rivian is full on the EV and software, like Tesla, and off-road prowess second. So you can compare it to the Trailseeker, but at that point, I'd consider things in the ICE/hybrid world instead. The Trailseeker seems cool and all but what makes it special?

If someone really wants an EV, Subaru priced it where it can be recommended from someone coming from the ICE world. It is familiar. People in the Tesla and other EV ecosystem would find the Rivian way more appealing and likely not consider a Trailseeker as it just ok at the EV part.

Not saying the Trailseeker is bad, just from a different world than the R2 and Model Y. Only similarities to the R2 is that it is adventure focused.

My two cents. Please do report back on how the test drive goes though!

Completely agree with you that they are two different worlds and audiences. I can appreciate a start stop button and no vampire drain but at the same time miss the just get in and select drive of the Rivian. I can appreciate the ease of changing the 12v battery under the hood but at the same time miss the large frunk.

The Trailseeker is for IcE drivers who are not cutting my edge and just want a vehicle that drives well and maybe experience the linear fast acceleration we take for normal as Rivian owners.

Both types of vehicle have their place and if we want people to switch to EVs then there is a need for both.

 

[Thebandit]

It is a comparison you can make, but not as meaningful to most as you'd think.

The R2 is being marketed more as a Model Y alternative than the electric 4runner. The reason - Rivian is full on the EV and software, like Tesla, and off-road prowess second. So you can compare it to the Trailseeker, but at that point, I'd consider things in the ICE/hybrid world instead. The Trailseeker seems cool and all but what makes it special?

If someone really wants an EV, Subaru priced it where it can be recommended from someone coming from the ICE world. It is familiar. People in the Tesla and other EV ecosystem would find the Rivian way more appealing and likely not consider a Trailseeker as it just ok at the EV part.

Not saying the Trailseeker is bad, just from a different world than the R2 and Model Y. Only similarities to the R2 is that it is adventure focused.

My two cents. Please do report back on how the test drive goes though!

Rivian is aggressively positioning the R2 as the Model Y for outdoor types. It wants to be the Subaru of EVs.

 

[jrmbadger]

Toyota and Suburu and other gas cars may be good quality when they are ICE cars, but, for the time being, I would avoid their EVs.

I was waiting for my order at a Culver's a couple weeks back in my R1S and a guy in a Solterra motioned for me to roll down my window. He asked me what my real world range was and we got to talking. His Solterra, which is just a rebranded bz4X, is advertised as 150kw charging, but he'd only seen like 30kw max in the real world! His eyes got really big when I told him that my R1S sustained well over 200 kw until like 40% SOC on most sessions and that my charging stops were like maximum of 40 minutes.

He told me it took him NINE HOURS to go from Minneapolis to Milwaukee in the winter. That's normally a 4.5-5 hour trip in an ICE car and 5 1/2 - 6 in the R1S. His charging stops were several hours long each!

Apparently this is a common problem with that platform and at one point Toyota was even limiting DC fast charging to a maximum of two sessions per day. Their forums are littered with charging speed complaints.

While there latest offerings are supposedly better, I'm a "NO" on any Toyota / Subaru product for at least the time being until they can prove that they aren't in the EV space just to make a crappy product and turn around and say "see? Nobody likes EVs" - so they can continue to churn out unit after unit of planet-destroying gas guzzling, high margin ICE SUVs.

And @UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan is right - Toyota is one of the worst offenders w/r/t climate lobbying and EV feet dragging.

I remember when they used to constantly release new press-releases telling everyone that the 500 mile range solid state battery was due "next year" to try and keep people from buying an EV by triggering people's FOMO.

 

[Great Gatsby]

That's a gripe I have about buying a car in the US - Dealerships. I hate that sales model. They are not incentivized to sell EVs, so they don't even try. When I took my Forester in for a recall service earlier this year, I asked for a Solterra as a loaner car. They said "sure, but why would you want that?" It's true it wasn't super amazing, but why would you talk crap about your own car?

The dealership model was enough to get me to abandon looking at any of the Volvo, Hyundai or Cadillac EVs. They don't carry much inventory on the EV side, and if they do, the sales people want 0 part of it. It is sad. I get that EVs aren't selling like hotcakes here in America, but dealerships are very much not helping. Probably another reason why the R2 and Trailerseeker aren't being compared.

 

[Thebandit]

Toyota and Suburu and other gas cars may be good quality when they are ICE cars, but, for the time being, I would avoid their EVs.

I was waiting for my order at a Culver's a couple weeks back in my R1S and a guy in a Solterra motioned for me to roll down my window. He asked me what my real world range was and we got to talking. His Solterra, which is just a rebranded bz4X, is advertised as 150kw charging, but he'd only seen like 30kw max in the real world! His eyes got really big when I told him that my R1S sustained well over 200 kw until like 40% SOC on most sessions and that my charging stops were like maximum of 40 minutes.

He told me it took him NINE HOURS to go from Minneapolis to Milwaukee in the winter. That's normally a 4.5-5 hour trip in an ICE car and 5 1/2 - 6 in the R1S. His charging stops were several hours long each!

Apparently this is a common problem with that platform and at one point Toyota was even limiting DC fast charging to a maximum of two sessions per day.

While there latest offerings are supposedly better, I'm a "NO" on any Toyota / Subaru product for at least the time being until they can prove that they aren't in the EV space just to make a crappy product and turn around and say "see? Nobody likes EVs" - so they can continue to churn out unit after unit of planet-destroying gas guzzling, high margin ICE SUVs.

And @UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan is right - Toyota is one of the worst offenders w/r/t climate lobbying and EV feet dragging.

I remember when they used to constantly release new press-releases telling everyone that the 500 mile range solid state battery was due "next year" to try and keep people from buying an EV by triggering people's FOMO.

The 2026 Subaru/Toyota EVs are markedly better than the previous year. They used to be trash, now they're entirely adequate.

 

[Great Gatsby]

Rivian is aggressively positioning the R2 as the Model Y for outdoor types. It wants to be the Subaru of EVs.

And it is working out for them. It is a strong brand identity.

Shame Subaru did not capitalize on this crowd.

 

[Thebandit]

And it is working out for them. It is a strong brand identity.

Shame Subaru did not capitalize on this crowd.

It really is. If they had released a viable Crosstrek or Forester equivalent, but as a quality EV, I would 100% already own one. The current crop of rebranded Toyota EVs isn't good enough for me to switch. I'm all in on Rivian now.

 

[narmstrong79]

I dunno where you live, but here in upstate NY the difference between 6 and 9 inches of clearance is huge.

and who's clearance? lol

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