Submesoscale currents (~0.1-10 km, hours-days) are essential for the exchange of heat, carbon, oxygen and nutrients between the surface and the ocean interior. Despite their importance submesoscale processes remain poorly studied off the coast of Chile. This region, characterized by intense coastal upwelling and high biological productivity, is known for the frequent formation of upwelling fronts, filaments and mesoscale activity that are conducive to submesoscale variability. Here, we characterize the submesoscale spatial and temporal variability of the near surface ocean off central Chile using a Heterogeneity Index (HI) derived from satellite sea-surface temperature (SST). Using Finite-Size Lyapunov Exponents (FSLE) computed from satellite-derived surface geostrophic velocities, together with wind information we evaluate potential drivers of HI variability. We also relate HI to frontal structures (SST gradients), upwelling intensity, and a wind-driven turbulence proxy. Our results show: (1) a pronounced seasonal cycle of HI, peaking during summer and autumn; (2) a marked contrast of HI between the coastal zone (0–300 km offshore) and the open ocean; (3) a hotspot of high HI between 35°S and 38°S, likely linked to the presence of strong upwelling fronts and the development of the Coastal Transition Zone Jet, a known jet detaching from the coast at these latitudes; (4) significant interannual variability in HI correlated with ENSO, though the underlaying mechanisms remain unclear; and (5) a statistically significant spatial correlation between FSLE and HI in the coastal region between 35°S and 38°S, suggesting a link between frontal zones and submesoscale variability. These findings contribute to a better understanding of submesoscale dynamics in a key eastern boundary upwelling system and offer new insights into the physical processes shaping variability in the near-surface ocean off central Chile.