You might look at the new wave of compact pickups and be, very understandably, convinced that Ford and Hyundai are the pioneers behind this new buying trend. However, you would be mistaken. About 20 years ago, at the absolute height of Subaru’s dominance in rallying, a new innovative design was hitting the market, the Baja. Unfortunately, the Baja wasn’t as big a success as was hoped for, but perhaps it's time for the badge to finally make a comeback.
The market definitely supports it and the small pickup segment is on the upward trajectory. The Maverick is currently the best-seller in the compact pickup market and Ford is actually struggling to keep up with the demand of the vehicle. While the Hyundai Santa Cruz isn’t hitting quite the same numbers as the Ford, they are definitely selling incredibly well. With such a high demand for the vehicle, it only makes sense that the original trendsetter makes a return, which, if rumors are to be believed, might actually be the case.
What Could A Return Of The Baja Look Like?
The original Baja had what was at the time considered an incredibly quirky and unique design. We’re hopeful for the new Baja to be faithful to the original, simply modernized and wrapped in a more updated package. The cab/crew design with a short flatbed is something that is paramount to the Baja identity and should definitely be preserved in the newer iteration.
The compact pickup, back in the day, borrowed heavily from its sister cars in the Subaru line-up, the Legacy and the Outback, utilizing the platform, mechanical elements, and even sheet metal from their production.
In its comeback the new Baja would most likely take a similar approach, borrowing specifically from the newer model Outback on the market. This means the high build quality of the interior we have come to expect from the Japanese automaker, with things like 11.0-inch infotainment, climate control, heated seats, and power adjustability being among the things consumers can look for in the new vehicle.
The exterior of the Baja could also look very much like the Outback. Previous models of the Baja simply looked like extended versions of the Outback, obviously with the inclusion of a flatbed. Customers have been quite satisfied with the visuals and the overall design of newer Subaru products and hopefully, this will continue over into their newer models.
The Baja Probably Won’t Have A Hybrid Engine
Colin Venable via Wikimedia Commons
One of the most popular features of the well-performing Ford Maverick is its hybrid powertrain, something that consumers increasingly look for in their vehicles. This may be a problem for Subaru. The company unfortunately has not, as of yet, developed any kind of hybrid setup and is expected, looking forward to their 2024 models, to run its cars solely on gasoline.
The two main engines that would be viable for a new Baja would be the 2.5-liter that outputs 182 horsepower, standard in the base models of the Outback, alongside the 2.4-liter turbocharged engine which outputs 260 horsepower. Fitting the Baja with a suitable powertrain is going to be one of the biggest talking points for potential customers and Subaru’s development team needs to be on the ball, fine-tuning the configuration and ensuring maximum capability.
One of the most controversial aspects of any modern Subaru is its transmission. The Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) which comes standard on the Outback has been met with consistently negative reviews. The system is supposed to mimic an eight-speed gearbox to cut down on excessive drones, eliminate shift delays, and keep the car within the optimum fuel range.
However, the downsides of this transmission have been excessive, and Subaru is expected to return to a more traditional eight-speed, which the Baja would make use of. The continued use of the CVT system in the Baja would not do kindly for the vehicles sales, so we can hope that the automaker sees reason.
The Baja's Cult Following May Signify Its Success
So why are so many people hoping for the Baja to make a return? If the car was so unsuccessful in the early 2000s, what makes it so special, and why do people think that it can sell any differently now? The simple answer to both of these questions is that Subaru was ahead of its time.
In 2003, the idea of a compact pickup truck was almost seen as old-fashioned. The most popular compact pickups came out of the 70s and 80s and reviving that concept in such a bold and unique design was something that the market was perhaps not ready for. The launch of the Baja was also not the smoothest endeavor, with limited marketing, the late addition of a turbo-fitted model, and unappealing color schemes. This coupled with it having limited towing capacity and a small flatbed made put consumers off the Baja.
But was it actually a bad car? Those who actually purchased and drove the Baja would say no. The compact pickup won both the 2003 and 2004 J.D Powers’ APEAL, in which part of the scoring system is based on consumer delight. Further, the car received the highest score for reliability in the entirety of the pickup truck category.
The Baja has had a small but loyal cult following since the early 2000s, and It's not hard to see why they love this little truck so much. We look forward to what Subaru actually does with this badge, if they get it right the Baja is set up to be an incredible commercial success and a huge win for compact pickup lovers.