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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  Baja - Arriba - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By gmroper - March 21 - 10:00 am

  What a fun car to drive. Though the car has been out for 1year+, it still draws looks. Comfortable, peppy and utilitarian. Ive hauled all but the biggest cargo and had fun doing it. In town milage is great compared to other vehicles Ive driven, and though over the road could be better (I get 29mpg) it is a terrific. My wife has one as well and she likes it better than the sporty cars she has driven before. In short, a fun truck, sporty but useful. No hesitation to recommend it to anyone wanting something different.

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  pickup/car - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By Ted I - March 3 - 11:16 pm

  Its just too bad subaru does a really bad job of stocking up on these cars by me! I dont know how anyone WOULDNT want one! Drove the car off the lot new years eve, then drove up to a friends house in New York. Have driven the Baja home after work in a snow blizzard-car didnt slip once. Was pretty skeptical about the AWD at first, but after this trip home, im convinced its GRRRRRRREAT! Felt safe the whole ride.

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  Take a chance! - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By Peter Troost - January 29 - 10:00 am

  I have been very happy with my Baja, but fair warning -- people either love it or hate it. The pickup bed is great for hauling garbage to the dump or throwing in the hockey bag. One drawback, however, is that you cant really drive with the passthrough open in the winter because its cold! The only way to carry long items such as skis in the winter is on the roof. The stereo is garbage. Finally, mine has had a squeak in the back seat somewhere that has been very hard for the dealer to locate and is very annoying. Be sure to test drive the actual car you are going to buy.

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  Weird to look at...but Im on the inside - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By GlennH - January 29 - 10:00 am

  I have to admit that I havent quite decided whether this car/truck is attractive or just goofy looking. But driving it is a kick! Sure it could use a little more power (but I hear Subaru is addressing that in 04 by adding turbo.) But this vehicle drives well...handling is good, interior comfort great and otherwise a well thought out, very versatile car/truck thing. I dont REALLY need a pickup - I learned this lesson from owning a Ranger and a Toyota Pickup previously, but I cant quite come to terms with owning a "family car." The Baja walks the line. So, if youre anything like me, this may be the vehicle for you (and god bless you!)

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  4th time around - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By UrABus - January 22 - 7:23 pm

  This is my 4th Subaru, my 1st was a GL- 10 loaded 5 speed w/4wh pneumatic air lift shocks 22 mpg. I bought one for each of my kids for safety and dependability, and wanted this vehicle since the BRAT hit the street. Im glad I waited, this is better. 22 mpg. 6 mile commute. 98,000 miles runs like a top. My GL-10 could air lift 3 inches for more ground clearance. A great feature for this one. Air noise, yep, its a truck not a limo. Shift slock between 15 and 20, yep, but it makes up it own mind. AWD yep, but Im not so sure about reverse. Maybe that why it has the hooks on the back. Michigan snow,no problem. Gawkers, yep,its a guy thing. Not a babe magnet. I would buy another one in a minute.

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  Great concept, lacking execution - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By Dave - January 12 - 7:26 pm

  With 40k high speed and around town (yes, Home Depot!) driving, I have fallen out of love with the Baja, but still respect it. Love the versatility and carrying capacity (quite amazing really, with some creativity). Handling at higher speeds is very good after replacement of the awful OEM tires. Fold down seats, bed extension, poke through door into bed, all great with signature AWD. With the base 2.5l, acceleration is by appointment only. Tranny seems confused and gets in its own way. Wind noise has been a consistent problem, even after service that helped, some. And at 40k this has had more "little" failures and issues than seems characteristic of Subaru.

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  great car/truck - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By icrackdr - January 2 - 5:20 pm

  Great car. I wouldnt trade for any other car.

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  Subaru reliability? - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By bratissimo - December 17 - 10:00 am

  The first time it rained the sunroof leaked and had to be replaced. I had it in 3 times for running rough and dying on start up. The dealer said "Subarus are quirky" After 5 months of running poorly check engine light came on, and it was towed to the nearest dealership who found a defective MAP sensor and fouled plug wire. 7 days later it was back on a tow truck in a different state wit the same problem. I spent my vacation getting my car fixed and NOT skiing. I have a 23 year old subaru that is a better car than this. What happened to Subarus legendary quality?

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  Decent car but beware - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By Mike - December 11 - 4:03 pm

  Ive had our 2006 Baja for almost four years now. While I do wish it was a Turbo (the car is too heavy for the engine to accelerate at a decent rate), it drives very well and is very predictable in bad weather and conditions. The styling is pretty cool, and the AWD is great when it snows. However, my engine has a head gasket leak. Yep, at 70,000 miles - both heads are leaking oil. Its not a huge issue right now, as the leak is very minor, but still the dealer wants $1500 for it. Same price as the other guy - I wonder if we have the same dealer? Who knows, but its still annoying and therefore I will not recommend Subaru to anyone until I know that this issue is resolved.

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  Excellent Vehicle! - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By jdaniel - November 25 - 6:16 am

  Wanted a crew cab truck. After much research I decided on the Baja because EVERYTHING about it is better than a truck other than the smaller bed. Like the majority of people who own a truck, the bed is not used for work but rather for weekend purchases, garage sales, and trips to the home improvement stores. The Baja does just fine, gets better gas mileage, and as a used vehicle, it is a superb value. This vehicle handles like a sports car, came standard with leather, auto, power everything including sunroof; and it comes with an AWD system and engine that have been time tested and proved reliable.