Overview & Reviews

Consider the platypus. Being semi-aquatic, this bizarre mammal looks like a cross between a beaver and a duck. But thanks to its quirky features, it's agile on land, is a fair swimmer and is adept at rooting for food on stream bottoms.

So what's that National Geographic sound bite got to do with the Subaru Baja? Well, the somewhat visually similar Subaru was also designed to adapt to changing needs, albeit ones dictated by its owner, not its survivability. Thanks to its unorthodox architecture, the Baja promised the nimble nature and passenger comfort of a midsize sedan along with the hauling capability of a small pickup truck.

Alas, just like many of Mother Nature's past experiments, the Subaru Baja didn't quite take. The car's odd styling turned off a lot of potential buyers, as did the fact that there just weren't that many people who desired a car-based pickup. Chevy El Camino enthusiasts excepted, of course. Production ended for the Baja after just four years on the market.

Most Recent Subaru Baja

Based on the Legacy/Outback platform, the Subaru Baja was produced from 2003-'06. In terms of its exterior design, calling the Baja "distinctive" would be the nice thing to say. We're certain that the heavy cladding along the lower body was supposed to look rugged, but instead it seemed as if a Pontiac stylist from the late '80s had infiltrated Subaru's design studio.

Rather than a sedan's trunk or a wagon's enclosed cargo area, the Baja featured a small, open cargo box like a pickup truck. To improve versatility, Subaru fitted a "Switchback," otherwise known as a midgate. The midgate allowed the front wall of the bed and the rear seatback to fold down and into the passenger area. This increased bed length from 41 to 60 inches. The rear window was fixed in place, however, which placed limitations on the size and shape of items that would fit.

The Subaru Baja was initially available in standard and Sport trims. The standard Baja came with air-conditioning, leather seating, full power accessories, a CD player, 16-inch alloy wheels and a power sunroof. The Sport was more of a base trim, as it substituted cloth upholstery for the leather and had a manual, not power, driver seat. Options included a bed extender, a bed-mounted bike rack and a premium sound system with a six-CD changer. The cabin design was essentially the same as the Legacy's, which meant high-quality materials, a user-friendly control layout and comfortable seats.

Power was provided by a 2.5-liter flat-4 that made a respectable 165 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, with a four-speed automatic optional. Although the 2.5 had decent output, there's only so much thrust it could furnish while saddled with nearly 3,700 pounds of all-wheel-drive Subie. Our testing netted a 0-60 time of 9.9 seconds (with the manual gearbox) -- about equal to a compact V6 pickup of the day.

The following year, the Baja Turbo debuted. Fitted with a turbocharged version of the 2.5, it sported 210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. The Baja Turbo was more than 2 seconds quicker to 60 mph and a lot more fun to drive. An Edmunds road test quote sums it up nicely: "It's not quite a performance car, but it's a lot more fun to drive than most other pickups or SUVs."

In theory, the Subaru Baja seemed to make perfect sense, offering the best attributes of a family sedan with the utility of a compact pickup. But it fell a bit short in a few areas. Passenger capacity was limited to just four rather than the regular Legacy's five. And towing capacity was rated at just 2,000 pounds with the automatic and 2,400 pounds with the manual.

Still, with its all-wheel drive, generous ground clearance and versatile cargo bed, a used Subaru Baja could be the ideal choice for outdoor sports enthusiasts involved with mountain biking, kayaking and camping. Add in Subaru's solid reputation for reliability, the Baja's easy-to-handle size and superior fuel economy (compared to a V6 pickup truck) and this odd duck of a car may make more sense than most people initially thought.

User Reviews:

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  Nice - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By wfb - December 30 - 10:00 am

  For the money, this is a wonderful vehicle. My daughter cant determine if its a car or a truck, so it became the "car/truck". This is the second Subaru weve owned and the difference between the two is amazing. They have made a lot of improvements in handling and interior sound (the Baja is a lot more quiet than our 5 year old Outback).

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  Great All Around Vehicle! - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By Bill - December 1 - 8:36 pm

  Just purchased one of the remaining 2006 leather turbo models. I had to travel out of state to get it but it was well worth the trip. It accelerates and handles great. I traded in a 2004 VW Touareg V8 and do not regret my decision whatsoever. It is much funner to drive than the Touareg and is just as comfortable in my opinion. The only complaint with the Baja is its sub standard stereo and the fact that no navigation system or satellite radio is offered. I have already replaced the entire system and have installed an in dash navigation/stereo.

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  i just love it. - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By robert meydrech - November 13 - 8:13 am

  Get up and go. Just perfect on the road. Every body looks at it (what is it?). I am 66 years old. and is just great for my wife and two grand kids. Is it a truck or a car? Shopping is great with this.

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  Build these again!! - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By bluebaja - November 5 - 10:50 pm

  When our 03 Baja was getting high miles, there was only 1 choice to replace it - another Baja! We found our 06 6 hours from our home still under factory warranty. The only complaint I have about the Baja is SOA didnt keep making them based on the new Outback. Comfortable, capable off road, great in the snow - what more could anyone want from a daily driver? If you dont need the towing capacity of a full size truck and still want decent gas mileage with a truck bed (plywood and drywall as well as dimensional lumber fits), the Baja is your vehicle! If SOA had advertised them, they would have sold like hot cakes. 3 people bought 1 after seeing our 03.

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  2004 BAJA Turbo - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By Gene Forget - October 24 - 1:53 pm

  I actually own a 2004 Turbo Baja. This is the second Outback type that we own, and my wife and I love it. I wanted a WRX, but I couldnt justify it, as it wasnt practical. THIS, I can justify, as it serves many purposes. So far mileage is good, it is still breaking in, and it is just plain old fun to drive.

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  Great for the money - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By Alberto - October 19 - 4:23 pm

  Great AWD for the money. I feel in control when the road becomes unpredictable. Im beginning to like the exteriors styling. Its so much fun to drive, next best thing after BMW 325. Stop reading and go buy one.

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  Head gaskets from hell - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By Ben G. Jhump - September 22 - 7:48 am

  Bought this 2003 Baja with 105,000 miles on it because of Subarus supposed reliability. Thought it would be a good car for my college bound kid. Ran fine for 6 months then I got a misfire code that turned out to be scorched exhaust valve (Subaru uses subpar valves according to my regular mechanic, who used to work at a Subaru dealership). $4000 later (at this reputable mechanic) I had new valves, head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, water pump, thermostat, throw out bearing, rear struts (yeah they went bad) and so on and so on. Within 1300 miles after the new head gaskets, started having overheating problem when I had been on the highway about 2 hours. never did it in town. never had overheating problem before all that work. took it to local Subaru dealership and their tests indicated hydrocarbons in the coolant (diagnosis: bad head gaskets), bad turn signal switch assembly. Took it back to original place and they warranted the head gaskets and throw out bearing and flush (including heater core - no blockages and no charge). Got the car back, replaced the turn signal switch assembly and flasher relay just for kicks and ran it up our local mountain pass (highway) for about 45 minutes. Ran great no problems. 1 day later, after driving on the highway for about 2 hours on relatively flat highway, temp gauge crept up to about 3/4. Pulled off and let it cool down before overheat could occur. Time to pull the bandaid off and kick this one to the curb. Do yourself a favor. Avoid subarus. Known cooling problem that causes head gasket failure. If Id only know before I bought it from that guy....

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  ONE of a Kind - 2004 Subaru Baja
  By Mike Wilhelmson - September 13 - 10:00 am

  I really enjoy driving my baja. Great build quality. Many upgrades available for aftermarket tuners.

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  love it - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By angiono - August 18 - 2:00 am

  it has plenty of pep gets out of its own way, great on fuel, just missing heated seats, easy for a women to drive and get in and out of and you can store a ton in the cargo area.

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  early - 2004 Subaru Baja
  By ivesgn - August 12 - 2:00 am

  2 k miles driven. very fun acceleration is great and i weight 270# all wheel drive is fantastic reliability will be rated later