The Subaru Baja is an all-wheel-drive, four passenger coupé utility manufactured from 2002 to 2006 by Subaru and marketed for model years 2003 to 2006. The Baja combines the handling and passenger carrying characteristics of a traditional passenger car with the open-bed versatility and load capacity of a small pickup truck.
The unibody design borrowed heavily from the existing mechanicals, platform and sheet metal of the Subaru Legacy/Outback wagon. Production began on July 18, 2002 as a 2003 model at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. factory in Lafayette, Indiana.
The name Baja derives from the Mexican peninsula of Baja California; home to the Baja 1000 off-road race.
Design and engineering
thumb|left|[[Baja 1000 Rally Truck]]
Working with technical support from Subaru Japan, a team led by Peter Tenn, Subaru senior designer, penned the Baja in the United States. According to an August, 2002 interview and also designed by a special Subaru America design team. The ST-X offered a greater complement of features than the production Baja (power rear window, under floor storage compartment, tailgate cup holders), but nevertheless set the production groundwork for an Outback-based, four-door, car-truck hybrid.
In a package longer than an Outback, allowed the rear passenger seat to fold down and a small hatch from the open bed to fold inward, allowing an extended length of around to the end of the open tailgate. A light in the instrument cluster signaled an "open" status for the Switchback. An optional bed extender was also offered to extend the bed's load length to the end of the open tailgate. The Baja's overall design featured two stainless steel exposed buttresses
With Subaru projecting 24,000 sales annually, 30,000 were marketed over four and a half years.
Subaru discontinued Baja production in April 2006. Subaru stock-piled an inventory of 2006 models before discontinuing production, allowing dealers to continue to sell 2006 models as late as February 2008. The Baja was removed from the Subaru USA website on July 31, 2007, following its removal from the Subaru Chile website in April 2007.
In 2007, Subaru of America reached agreement with Toyota Motor Corporation allowing Subaru Indiana to manufacture Camrys to meet Toyota's excess demand using surplus manufacturing capacity from its former Baja production line.
Model year changes
thumb|2003 Subaru Baja
thumb|2005 Subaru Baja
- 2003: the launch model featured leather seats, power driver's seat, and sunroof. A lower priced "Sport" model, equipped with cloth interior and manually-adjustable seats followed later in the production year, also without color-keyed exterior door handles and mirrors, four-beam headlamps, leather shift and steering wheel, front door puddle lights or an illuminated ignition key ring.
- 2004: introduced a new 2.5-liter turbocharged model producing . This model featured Sportshift (a sport-mode automatic transmission), large hood scoop and color-matched exterior door handles and side mirrors. All models received increased ground clearance to .
- 2005: all models were given a further increase in ride height, a power outlet in the center console, rear seat back net pocket, and turbocharged models with leather offered a new tonneau bed cover.
- 2006: the turbocharged variant received an optional package that included leather trimmed upholstery, heated seats, special alloy wheels, a hard bed cover, and the sport-mode automatic transmission. All models received an enhanced security system.
See also
- Subaru BRAT