Subaru Uncharted and E-Outback Earn Five-Star Euro NCAP Safety Ratings

Subaru’s two newest electric cars have both earned the maximum five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash testing, giving buyers a clear safety reason to put the Uncharted and the E-Outback on their shortlist. The results, published under the 2026 European New Car Assessment Programme, cover the two fully electric models that join Subaru’s existing hybrid range in the UK and Ireland.

The E-Outback recorded 89 per cent for adult occupant protection and 85 per cent for child occupant protection, while the Uncharted scored 88 per cent and 85 per cent in the same two areas. Both cars cleared the required threshold in all four categories Euro NCAP uses: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road Users and Safety Assist.

What the Five-Star Result Means for Buyers

Five stars is the highest overall award Euro NCAP gives, and the organisation has steadily raised the bar for earning it. A modern five-star score depends not only on how well a car’s structure shields people in a crash, but also on the active safety systems designed to prevent the collision in the first place. The 2026 testing protocols are among the toughest Euro NCAP has run, so a top result carries real weight rather than reading as a marketing line.

For families weighing up an electric SUV, the headline figures are a useful shortcut. The E-Outback’s 89 per cent adult score and the Uncharted’s 88 per cent place both cars among the stronger performers for occupant protection, and the matching 85 per cent child protection result will reassure anyone planning to carry young passengers every day. Plenty of rival electric SUVs reach five stars, so the value here is in the detail of where each Subaru scored its points.

Inside the E-Outback’s Crash Performance

Euro NCAP found that the E-Outback’s passenger compartment stayed stable in the frontal offset test, with dummy readings showing good protection for the knees and femurs of both the driver and front passenger. The assessors said a similar level of protection would be available to occupants of different sizes and to those sitting in different positions, and that protection was good for all critical body areas of the front passenger.

In the side barrier test the car protected all critical areas of the body and scored maximum points, and the airbags performed well throughout. Tests on the front seats and head restraints showed good protection against whiplash in a rear-end collision, a finding backed up by a geometric analysis of the rear seats. The E-Outback also earned maximum marks for the adult rear impact test and for crash protection based on six and ten-year-old children.

Parents get a practical detail too. The front passenger airbag can be switched off so a rearward-facing child seat can be fitted in that position. The autonomous emergency braking system reacted well to other vehicles in testing, and a direct driver monitoring system that watches for signs of fatigue is fitted as standard. A lane support system gently corrects the car’s path if it starts to drift out of its lane, and steps in during some more critical situations.

How the Uncharted Guards Pedestrians and Cyclists

The Uncharted produced a similar set of results. Its passenger compartment stayed stable in the frontal offset test, knee and femur protection was good for both front occupants, and the side barrier test again returned maximum points for protection of all critical body areas. The airbags performed well, and front seat and head restraint tests pointed to good whiplash protection.

Child protection followed the same pattern, with good results for both the six and ten-year-old dummies in the side barrier impact and the same option to disable the front passenger airbag for a rear-facing child restraint. In the frontal offset test, protection of the six-year-old dummy was good across all critical areas, and good or adequate for the ten-year-old. The Uncharted earned full marks for the adult rear impact test and the child seat installation check.

Where the Uncharted stands apart is its autonomous emergency braking. The system responds not just to other vehicles but to vulnerable road users including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, the people most at risk in a collision and a growing focus of Euro NCAP’s standards. For a car likely to spend much of its life in town, that breadth of detection is worth having.

Two Electric Subarus for UK Buyers

The Uncharted and E-Outback arrive as UK versions, adding two fully electric choices to a Subaru range that until now has leaned on hybrid power. For a brand long associated with all-wheel-drive estates and dependable family SUVs, a pair of five-star EVs shows how quickly the line-up is shifting towards battery power.

Subaru has not yet confirmed UK pricing or on-sale dates for either model, so buyers will want to watch for those details before committing. What the Euro NCAP results settle early is the safety case, which is already strong for both cars. Electric ownership brings its own running-cost questions, from home charging to tax, and drivers can read more about how recent road tax changes affect electric car owners before they buy.

For anyone shopping the crowded field of electric family SUVs, two cars that protect adults, children and people outside the vehicle to this standard make a persuasive starting point. The next piece of the puzzle will be how Subaru prices them against established electric rivals when UK order books open.