And it’s all about EVs
Toyota and Subaru’s EV partnership presents an amusing parallel situation on both sides of the Atlantic. Toyota’s C-HR is doing exactly what Subaru’s Outback is going through here on the other side of the pond.
Let’s start across the ocean. The first generation of the Toyota C-HR was available in the US and Canada for a few years, but disappeared from the market in 2022. The current, second generation of the C-HR has never appeared in American trim, and yet the Americans and Canadians are now getting a Toyota C-HR again. This is the car that we call Toyota C-HR+ here. A fully electric compact SUV, which also exists as Subaru Uncharted and is little more than a shortened version of the bZ4X/Solterra.
The Toyota C-HR+ is simply called ‘C-HR’ in the US and Canada, due to the lack of a regular C-HR.
‘Very interesting’, we hear you think. After all, what do we care about what those Americans may or may not be presented with in terms of compact Toyotas? Please be patient, dear reader, because we are coming to that now. While Toyota in the US is replacing the C-HR with an electric car with that name, the aforementioned Subaru is two classes higher with the Outback in Europe. The all-new Subaru Outback will most likely be the first Outback that will not be available here. Instead we get the Subaru E-Outback. That car is called Trailseeker in the US, also exists as a bZ4X Touring and is in fact nothing more or less than a longer version of the bZ4X/Solterra.
The new Subaru Outback is reportedly not coming to Europe
Despite the striking similarity between the two events, the reasons for these decisions are of course very different. There is apparently no market in the US for a compact, hip-lined crossover with hybrid technology, while the petrol Outback has no future in Europe due to its relatively high consumption and CO2 emissions. That actually says everything you need to know about both car markets.
And it’s all about EVs
The collaboration between Toyota and Subaru in the field of EVs creates a funny parallel situation on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Toyota’s C-HR is doing exactly what Subaru’s Outback is going through here on the other side of the pond.
Let’s start on the other side of the ocean. The first generation of the Toyota C-HR was available in the US and Canada for a few years, but disappeared from the market in 2022. The current, second generation of the C-HR has therefore never appeared in American trim, and yet the Americans and Canadians are getting a Toyota C-HR again. It concerns the car that we here call Toyota C-HR+. So a fully electric compact SUV, which also exists as Subaru Uncharted and is little more than a shortened version of the bZ4X/Solterra.
The Toyota C-HR+ is simply called ‘C-HR’ in the US and Canada, in the absence of a regular C-HR.
‘Nice and fascinating’ [So interesting], we hear you thinking. After all, why should we care what Americans are presented with in terms of compact Toyotas? Just be patient, dear reader, because we are getting to that now. While Toyota in the US is having the C-HR succeeded by an electric car with that name, the aforementioned Subaru is doing so two classes higher with the Outback in Europe. The all-new Subaru Outback will in all likelihood be the first Outback that will not be available here. Instead, we will get the Subaru E-Outback. That car is called Trailseeker in the US, also exists as bZ4X Touring and is in fact nothing more or less than a longer version of the bZ4X/Solterra.
The new Subaru Outback is reportedly not coming to Europe.
Despite the striking similarity between the two events, the reasons for these decisions are of course very different. There is apparently no market in the US for a compact, hip-lined crossover with hybrid technology, while the petrol Outback has no future in Europe due to its relatively high consumption and CO2 emissions. That actually says everything you need to know about both car markets.