Although many people may not realize it, Subaru has been making cars since 1953 and as of 2022, they are the 23rd largest automaker in the world. While this represents a slight decline from recent years, it's still quite significant. The company is known for producing quality cars, but more than that, Subaru is often synonymous with its luxuriously sporty and off-road models.
Overall, their most popular ride is the Outback, but the company has also made relatively short-lived cars. Enter the Subaru Baja. This model was produced for the 2003 model year, while the final year model was produced in 2006. Simply put, people didn’t have the best zeal for this utility vehicle, and the dismal sales were proof of this. However, it still has its fans and the fact that it’s a Subaru means it has to at least be decent, right?
It is a pretty decent car, but it has many shortcomings. For one, what even is the Baja supposed to be? Is it a pick-up truck? Is it a utility vehicle? Also, why isn’t it bigger? These are many of the aspects of the now discontinued vehicle that puzzled potential buyers and caused them to pick other cars instead.
Despite this not being a popular or well-received vehicle, there is still general interest in it. To examine both the pros and cons of this option, here is a detailed look at the Subaru Baja.
The Subaru Baja Has Decent Performance
The final model of the Subaru Baja corrected some mistakes of the previous two models, but it was not enough to save the car from being discontinued. It’s powered by a 2.5-liter flat-4 engine with a single overhead cam. This utility vehicle is paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission and has a max power of 165 hp at 5,600 rpm. For torque, it gets 166 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm. This is an all-wheel-drive vehicle, and it has a maximum towing capacity of 4,400 lbs, according to Edmunds.com.
For speed, it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 10 to 10.5 seconds, depending on the powertrain chosen by the buyer, according to Car and Driver. It should be noted that there are turbo options for the Baja.
The fuel economy here could be better. It gets an estimated 19 miles to the gallon in the city and 25 miles on the highway. This leads to a combined 21 miles per gallon. For the overall range, it’s 321.1 miles on a single tank of fuel in the city and 422.5 on the highway. Sure, there are many utility options with worse fuel economy, but the Baja is also pretty small, which is actually one of the biggest complaints about it. This car uses regular unleaded fuel and the tank holds 16.9 gallons.
The 2006 Subaru Baja is a fun pickup truck to drive. However, it doesn’t deliver the thrills like many of its competitors.
Features Of The Final Subaru Baja
The Subaru Baja may have been lacking in size, but it has pretty decent standard features. For one, it comes with a power sunroof, which seems fitting for this type of car. You also get things such as leather seats, a CD player and stereo system, as well as a six-way power seat for the driver.
The Subaru Baja also has handy ways for people to store items. For one, the pickup bed is a pretty good size. Also, there is an area called the switchback. This allows the back seats to fold back so that you can store longer items such as skis or surfboards.
It also comes with things such as heated and power mirrors, 4 total speakers, daytime running lights, and various safety features. Overall, it has everything an adventure person would need, but this still isn’t the most exciting car in its class.
The Subaru Baja Never Had An Identity
We like it when car companies think outside the box. This often leads to some pretty awesome vehicles. Think the new Jeep Wagoneer or even the Honda Ridgeline. The latter may not be the most popular, but people like it and understand that it’s a truck made by Honda. However, the same cannot be said for the Subaru Baja.
What the heck is this car supposed to be? It looks like an SUV in some ways, it’s often called a pick-up truck, but it doesn’t have the best of either of those vehicles. Pick-up trucks have lots of space to haul people and items, which is something the Baja lacks. Not only this, but most considered the ride to be too expensive for its size, in comparison to full pick-up trucks.
Besides this, the Subaru brand is often regarded as a luxury car brand. Not everyone feels this way, but the brand loyalists sure do. For this reason, they hated the Baja because they felt it was missing what made other Subaru cars luxurious. Of course, you can still find these vehicles on the used car market. However, if you want real luxury and adventure, perhaps you should look elsewhere.