Could Subaru be planning an off-road trim level above Wilderness?
Nothing sells crossovers and SUVs in America like outdoorsy-sounding names, even if the vehicle itself isn’t great off-road. Trailhawk, Trail Boss, Pathfinder, Badlands—they’re all kickass, adventurous-sounding names. Sure, most of us work in office buildings but our ruggedly named crossovers and Stanley water bottles tell the world that we really belong in the wild. Good news for all of you adventure-chasers because Subaru just trademarked 12 new outdoorsy names that could hint at either some new rugged trims or even entirely new models.
These 12 trademarks were spotted by AutoGuide and were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Of these trademarked names, some sound like they could be entirely new models, some sound like trim levels, and some could go either way: Trailseeker, Uncharted, Everpass, Outsider, Tailwind, Viewfinder, Getaway, Highroad, Everguide, Hightrail, Trailhead, and Accomplice. However, that last one sounds like it’d be more likely to help you commit crimes, rather than go off-roading.
Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. Andrew P. Collins
You may never see any of these names on the back of a Subaru, though. Automakers regularly trademark batches of names for potential cars and technologies they might make, to future-proof themselves.
However, these could be names for new trim levels Subaru is planning. Over the past couple of years, Subaru has been introducing Wilderness versions of its more active vehicles, like the Outback, Crosstrek, and Forester. While its Wilderness trims don’t completely transform those cars into rugged off-roaders, they do add some capability, thanks to raised ride heights and all-terrain tires. So maybe Subaru is planning on even more capable trims with these new names.
It’s also possible that Subaru is working on new vehicles entirely. With the direction of the auto industry, any future off-roader, or active-lifestyle vehicle, would likely be electrified. Subaru is a bit behind many of its competitors in hybrid and electric tech, such as Hyundai, Chevy, Toyota, and Honda, so a new rugged EV or hybrid could help make up some ground.
Will these trademarked names actually be used on new Subaru vehicles or is this just another round of automaker future-proofing? We won’t know until we see one of its cars wearing one.
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