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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  Excellent vehicle - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By BajaMan - July 20 - 11:03 am

  I bought this vehicle as a replacement for my 1994 Jeep Wrangler in December 2002. I was attracted by the fact it was a car and a truck and its all wheel drive. So far the only major problem was the battery went flat about a year ago for no apparent reason.

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  best "car" so far!! - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By zpsbob - July 16 - 2:00 am

  Needed to replace one of our company vehicles.. needed pickup function and ability to handle 4 real adults. This little guy does it all!! Not many choices in this category... Avalanche is too big/expensive/gas hog... Explorer Sport Trac is ugly as sin, thirsy also, plus didnt care for the ride. This vehicle is loaded as standard eq: power windows, locks, cruise ,tilt, air, CD, sunroof, etc. I opted for the Sprot because I didnt want the standard leather seats (personal preference) and the cloth seats are excellent on long trips!! Look hard and find one with monotone paint... theyre out there...

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  Dream car/truck - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By Frankie - June 26 - 12:03 am

  Ever since the first ad came out for the Baja, I was hooked. I test drove the first models our Subaru dealership got and it was instant want. They handle beautifully, gets awesome gas mileage and has a wonderful sporty design. The comforts of a sedan with the utility of a truck. I had a 2000 Ford Focus before I got the Baja I have now, and when it started giving me problems, I wasted no time giving the dealership the keys and traded it for my very own, my first Subaru Baja. And I am happy I made the decision. This vehicle is certainly made for someone like me with the life style I have. Versatile and impressive. A well built machine for its day!

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  Great Fun and works great - 2004 Subaru Baja
  By CJoffe - June 20 - 2:53 pm

  The Turbo Baja is the all time sleeper. This car is fast as well as being tough. After a year we still love every minute of driving this vehicle. What people never realize until AFTER they own it is just how great the handling and ride are. With the exception of front legroom, the interior cabin size is great, with plenty of passenger space. The folding rear seats are very handy.

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  Great All Around Vehicle - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By C.Sutton - June 6 - 3:40 pm

  Great performance, very reliable. No work other than normal maintenance and Im at around 40,000 miles. Love the truck bed for garden supplies, small lumber purchases. Live in a rural area and no problems with snow, ice or mud on our 1/2 mile driveway. It gets in and out just as well as my husbands full size 4WD Chevy truck.

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  2003 Baja rates tops - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By rmiam - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle. Weve had zero problems. Great gas milage for its size.

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  Subaru Baja 2005 - 2006 Subaru Baja
  By Manny - February 16 - 5:43 pm

  Enough power for a stock drivetrain. Good on gas (hwy). About 400 miles to the tank. Could be a little more comfortable, but the car is equipped nicely.

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  Got Mud? - 2005 Subaru Baja
  By Nicole - February 14 - 12:53 pm

  I love this little truck. It is fun to drive. I live off of a dirt road and this truck handles great on the dirt and in the snow. I love that it is enough of a truck that I can haul gardening equipment. The CD player is also better than I expected. In my last Subaru the CD player skipped all the time and the new one I have to hit something pretty hard to get it to skip. It is an overall fun truck.

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  Alaska Baja - 2003 Subaru Baja
  By ObiJuanAK - February 13 - 9:56 am

  The Baja has everything I expected from this vehicle. As long as you dont expect a pickups hauling ability and volume, it meets my requirements (hauling, commuting and all weather capability) to a T. The frigid Interior Alaska winters have not uncovered any shortcomings, other than the silly thermometer that only records down to -22 ºF. Fuel economy could be better, but not bad for an AWD vehicle. Good long distance comfort, not so fun on tight and twisty roads. The precision of the gearbox leave a lot to be desired. A little tight for two people in full winter gear, but in the summer it is just right. Shame Subaru decided to discontinue the Baja.

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  Very Happy - 2004 Subaru Baja
  By mc555 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Just got mine 2 weeks ago, 1000 miles on it. Yes, I rack up the miles. I love the fact that it is a bit different and attracts attention. But most of all, I like the way it can handle the roads and conditions here in the NE. An inch higher ground clearance than my grand cherokee (150K miles in 6 yrs), good pick-up and all wheel drive. This isnt a light little thing either, not many lbs less than the jeep, but significantly better mileage and rides well over the rotten roads here. And the light grey bottom amd darker gray top is an awesome looking vehicle. Will carry bikes or hold all my camping gear.