Subaru Uncharted's Steering Wheel Wins Over a Skeptic

When the Subaru Uncharted's pseudo-hexagonal steering wheel first appeared, the reaction was heavy skepticism. But after a week of testing the 4,500-pound EV, that skepticism faded. The wheel's shape wasn't the selling point, it was the layout and controls that made the difference.

The writer found the wheel's corners offered a strange sense of pinpoint accuracy, helped by a tight steering ratio and light effort. The physical buttons flanking the center were described as almost comically huge, with a rocker for volume, arrows for track skipping, and a spacious directional pad for the digital instrument cluster.

There was no learning curve, which was a pleasant surprise.

Regenerative braking paddles also stood out. They let the driver step through four levels of regen strength without digging through menus, though the car always defaults to the lowest level rather than remembering the last setting. That was the only real gripe.

Overall, the wheel felt less like a futuristic gimmick and more like common-sense design. The writer argues too many EVs overcomplicate controls, and the Uncharted proves that familiar, straightforward ergonomics work just as well in battery-powered vehicles. A full review is promised in the coming weeks.