The all-new Subaru Trailseeker will become the first battery electric vehicle to participate in a Variety Bash when it joins the 2026 Variety Backyard Bash across regional New South Wales.
The electric SUV, named ‘Evie’ for the event, will travel from Bella Vista to Bathurst between Sunday 9 August and Friday 14 August as part of a six-day fundraising journey supporting Variety NSW/ACT.
The event will take Trailseeker through Mudgee, Dubbo, Griffith, Albury and Cowra before finishing in Bathurst, with participants visiting regional communities and supporting Variety’s work with children who are sick, experiencing disadvantage or living with a disability.
Subaru Trailseeker joins Variety Backyard Bash
The 2026 Variety Backyard Bash is a one-off event that brings a modern twist to the traditional Variety Bash by opening the event to newer vehicles.
Unlike the longer driving stages traditionally associated with the Bash, the six-day Backyard Bash features shorter stages. This gives participants more time to visit local communities, support regional businesses and deliver grants to schools in remote and regional areas.
For Subaru, the event also provides an opportunity to introduce its latest electric model to parts of regional NSW.
The Trailseeker will wear a custom livery for the event and will be driven by long-time Subaru owner and enthusiast David Gillies.
Gillies will travel alongside other Bash participants as the Trailseeker becomes the first BEV to take part in a Variety Bash.
Subaru Trailseeker brings electric power to the Bash
The Trailseeker is part of Subaru Australia’s growing Sport Electric Vehicle (SEV) range and combines an all-electric powertrain with the brand’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.
The electric SUV is also equipped with X-Mode, which is designed to improve traction and control across challenging surfaces.
Subaru says the Trailseeker has been developed to carry its established all-wheel-drive capability into the electric era, rather than abandoning the characteristics that have traditionally defined the brand.
The Variety Backyard Bash will provide a practical test of the electric SUV across a mix of regional roads as it travels between towns in NSW.
The Trailseeker’s participation also comes as Subaru continues to expand its electrified vehicle line-up in Australia.
Regional NSW at the centre of the 2026 Backyard Bash
The route will take participants through several regional NSW towns, including Mudgee, Dubbo, Griffith, Albury and Cowra.
Subaru says each town on the route is also home to a Subaru retailer with a long-standing connection to its local community.
The company has maintained a presence across regional Australia for decades, with its vehicles commonly used by families and drivers travelling beyond major metropolitan areas.
That regional connection is central to the 2026 Backyard Bash, with the event designed to put greater emphasis on community engagement rather than simply covering long distances.
Participants will have opportunities to support local businesses and communities while helping Variety NSW/ACT raise funds for children and families.
First electric vehicle to join a Variety Bash
The Trailseeker’s participation marks a significant change for an event traditionally associated with conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.
As the first BEV to participate in a Variety Bash, the Trailseeker will also provide a high-profile demonstration of how electric vehicles are beginning to feature in long-distance and regional Australian motoring events.
For Subaru, the event connects the Trailseeker’s electric powertrain with the company’s long-established focus on all-wheel-drive capability and outdoor adventure.
David Gillies said the opportunity was particularly significant given his long association with the Subaru brand.
“I’ve owned and driven Subarus for many years, so being able to take Trailseeker on this journey feels pretty special,” Gillies said.
He said the event would also provide an opportunity to experience regional communities while supporting Variety’s work.
Trailseeker supports Variety’s fundraising work
The 2026 Variety Backyard Bash is raising funds for Variety NSW/ACT, which supports children who are sick, experiencing disadvantage or living with disability.
Tony Warner, CEO of Variety NSW/ACT, said the Trailseeker’s participation represented an important milestone for the organisation’s motoring events.
“Welcoming the Subaru Trailseeker as the first BEV to join a Variety Bash is a significant milestone that reflects how our motoring events are always embracing new ideas while staying true to our purpose of connecting with regional communities and supporting kids in need,” Warner said.
Supporters can follow the Trailseeker’s journey and contribute to Variety NSW/ACT through the official Evie fundraising page.
Subaru Trailseeker continues the brand’s electric transition
The Variety Backyard Bash appearance gives the Subaru Trailseeker an unusual Australian debut, putting the electric SUV on regional roads as part of a major fundraising event.
Subaru has more than five decades of experience in Australia’s market, with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and adventure-focused capability forming a major part of the brand’s identity.
The Trailseeker represents the next stage of that strategy, combining those established characteristics with battery-electric power.
Its six-day journey through regional NSW will begin on 9 August 2026, with the Trailseeker and fellow Bash participants scheduled to finish in Bathurst on 14 August.
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