Oh, So That’s Who’s Buying All Those New Subaru Trailseeker EVs…
Subaru has racked up a fairly respectable EV sales record so far this year for its new Trailseeker SUV, with household pets playing a featured role in its overall marketing campaign (cropped, courtesy of Subuaru).
November 10, 20263 hours
Tina Casey
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After EV sales in the US crashed into a brick wall last year, the Subaru Trailseeker has been one of the few points of light. Newly introduced this year, Trailseeker has racked up a relatively decent sales track record in the crowded SUV field. As for whether or not Subaru can continue to grow its EV sales in the US, the automaker’s elaborate, multi-faceted “Subaru Loves Pets” campaign has emerged as the secret weapon…
Subaru And Pet Lovers
The Subaru Loves Pets campaign first appeared 18 years ago, back in 2008. A lot of demographic and cultural water has passed under the bridge since then. More so than in past generations, pets have taken on the role of family members equal to, if not superior to, anyone else in the household. And if that’s the case, shouldn’t pets have their own seatbelts, too?
Now Subaru’s longtime relationship with the pet-centered population is beginning to muscle into EV territory. One indication of a connection between pet and EV preferences surfaced in October, when Subaru released a new report indicating that pets wield a noticeable influence on purchasing preferences in the US auto market overall.
Commissioned from the firm Talker Research, the report is based on interviews with 2,000 and pet owners in the US. Of that cohort, a resounding majority of 73% said they are more likely to drive for the holidays, specifically in order to travel with their pet.
“As the holidays approach, more than two-thirds (68%) said their pet will affect their travel plans this year, and nearly half (45%) have turned down travel opportunities that couldn’t accommodate their pet,” Subaru adds.
Households with pets also have distinct priorities for a vehicle. “Plenty of room between pets, passengers, and luggage tops the list of features pet owners say matter when traveling with an animal,” Suburu reports.
“More than one in four (26%) prioritize cargo space for crates, carriers, beds, or gear. Among hybrid and EV drivers, that climbs to 35%,” the automaker further notes.
EV Sales And Driving With Pets
If you missed the money quote, it’s that thing about 35% of hybrid and EV drivers prioritizing space for pet gear, compared to just 26% of drivers overall. In addition to the traveling-with-pets angle, that generational difference also reflects a sharp generational divergence in attitudes towards EVs.
“Electric vehicles have become a political flashpoint in Washington. But new national polling finds the biggest divide among potential EV buyers isn’t political. It’s generational,” reports the advocacy organization ZETA (the Zero Emission Transportation Association) in September.
“Seventy-five percent of adults ages 18–34 and 72% of adults ages 35–49 say they are likely to purchase or lease a new EV within the next five years,” ZETA elaborates. “Among adults ages 50–64, that number falls to 50%. Among those 65 and older, it drops to just 23%, a striking 52-point gap between the youngest and oldest Americans.”
Now let’s take another look at the Subaru survey. Talker Research found that 75% of Gen Z and 70% of millennials traveled with a pet within the past five years, compared with just 58% of Gen X and only 40% of baby boomers (looking at you, Mitt Romney).
A similar generational difference surfaced in other areas of the survey:
Younger pet owners are also more likely to say they plan travel around their pet, with 42% of Gen Z and millennials doing so compared with 27% of Gen X and boomers.
Among pet owners who haven’t yet road-tripped with their pet, 74% of Gen Z and millennials would consider it, compared with 54% of Gen X and boomers.
The Trailseeker Is Selling
Subaru pulled back on its overall electrification plan for the US market after last year’s EV sales crash, but it did follow through on the new Trailseeker, offered for sale on a limited basis in January of this year. Volume deliveries to dealers began in April of this year, and in May the Trailseeker racked up 1,074 in sales. The number is vanishingly small compared to industry leader Tesla but a promising start in the challenging US market. By August, Trailseeker had a total of almost 5,000 in sales for the year to its credit, rising to 6,006 sold by the end of October.
All else being equal, recognition from Wards Auto may help keep the momentum going. On October 13, Subaru announced that the Trailseeker earned a slot in the 2026 Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems list.
“For 2026, Wards evaluated 26 powertrains from returning winners as well as all-new or significantly updated cars, trucks, or SUVs. They were evaluated on several criteria, including power, torque, refinement, efficiency, and innovation,” Subaru notes.
“Its 375 horsepower combined with immediate electric powertrain response always satisfies. Its range estimates also hold up well in real-world driving, interstate and all. Yet Subaru keeps the price completely reasonable given such capability,” said Robin Warner, who manages the 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems program.
By “completely reasonable,” Warner means the Trailseeker’s starting MSRP of $39,995 and its estimated range of 281 miles. According to Subaru, the Trailseeker can go from 10% to 80% charged in as little as 28 minutes, with up to 150 kW on a DC-fast charger.
“With an onboard battery preconditioning system, enabled either by navigating to a charging destination or by the driver via touchscreen controls, the Trailseeker can charge its battery in cold climates — as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit — at speeds comparable to those in normal weather conditions,” Subaru also advises.
Next Steps For EV Sales In The US
In addition to the seal of approval from Wards, on October 29 Subaru announced that Trailseeker earned the “Car of the Year” award in the 2027 TopGear.com US Car Awards program
The automaker cites Top Gear US Correspondent Alex Kalogiannis, who was particularly enthused about the vehicle’s off-road performance. ““Off the beaten path, the set-and-forget X-MODE figures out all the tricky terrain stuff as you trundle through the bush, and with about 8.5 inches of ground clearance, it can scale all but the scariest obstacles in your path,” Kalogiannis remarked, somwhat colorfully.
“People still carry a torch for the WRX and its many rally-inspired incarnations, but the heart of Subaru fandom now is its dutiful, rugged, useful wagon – the Trailseeker,” he added.
That remains to be seen. Trailseeker will have to compete for the hearts and minds of Subaru fans against other models in the automaker’s lineup, including gasmobiles. The SUV-styled Outback wagon, for example, clocked 118,470 in sales from January to the end of October this year, and that was not the only Subaru model to hit six figures.
Still, US President Donald Trump has provided Subaru and other automakers with a new opportunity grow their EV sales profile this year. On February 28 the President launched his war against Iran, sending global oil prices on an upwards trajectory and improving the affordability case for EVs regardless of the loss of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which Trump and his Republican majority in Congress axed last fall.
Ever since dropping the first bombs on Iran, Trump has repeatedly claimed that the war is over, or almost over, or over any minute. In the latest pronouncement, on Monday Trump said that multilateral negotiations over a peace settlement in Iran are in a state of “positive momentum toward an end.” And if you believe that…
Photo: Subaru has racked up a fairly respectable EV sales record so far this year for its new Trailseeker SUV (2026 Trailseeker cropped, courtesy of Subaru).
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Source: https://cleantechnica.com/2026/11/10/subaru-ev-sales-trailseeker-pet-friendly-households/
