Remember the Subaru BRAT? It was a pickup truck version of the Subaru Leone that was sold in the United States from 1978 to 1987. Despite the lawsuits over injuries suffered by passengers riding in the jumpseats to avoid the Chicken Tax, people still had fond memories of the BRAT. That’s why Subaru decided to give the same treatment to the larger Legacy, resulting in the creation of the Baja pickup truck. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at one of these first-year Baja pickups.
Typically, I find discarded Subarus in car graveyards in my home state of Colorado, where Subaru enthusiasts abound. However, on this occasion, I stumbled upon this Baja 1,300 miles away in New Orleans, Louisiana. Known for its rich musical heritage and the famous Cain’t Git Bayou 24 Hours of Lemons race, New Orleans proved to be an unexpected location for this find. While visiting the city to judge at the 2024 Cain’t Git Bayou event, I managed to make a quick trip to the nearby Pull-a-Part salvage yard.
Finding an intact Baja in a Colorado junkyard is nearly impossible due to their popularity among owners in the Centennial State. However, at the New Orleans Pull-a-Part, I spotted not just one, but two Bajas. It was a rare sight indeed.
Produced from 2003 to 2006, the Baja didn’t perform as well as Subaru had hoped, leading to its discontinuation after disappointing sales numbers. In fact, it was even rated as the sixth most embarrassing car you could drive by a publication back in 2013 (with the Smart ForTwo taking the top spot). Essentially, the Baja was a lengthened version of the Legacy Outback wagon with a pickup bed attached. While customers could still purchase a Legacy Outback sedan in 2003 (which remained available until 2004), the exterior Legacy badging was dropped from the sedan and wagon starting in the 2000 model year.
The reason the Baja had to be longer than its Outback wagon counterpart was to accommodate four doors and a back seat. To strengthen the structure and give the Baja a rugged off-road appearance, “Sports Bars” were added behind the cab. Although the bed was small, it was still quite useful for hauling cargo.
Under the hood of all Baja models was a 2.5-liter boxer-four engine. There were two versions available: a naturally-aspirated SOHC engine with 165 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged DOHC engine with 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. However, this particular Baja is equipped with the non-turbo engine, as it was the only option available in 2003. The base transmission offered was a five-speed manual, but this specific Baja has the optional four-speed automatic.
Unfortunately, these automatic transmissions often develop expensive problems later in their life. In the case of this Baja, I believe blown head gaskets led to its demise. Inside the truck, I found an unused gasket kit, suggesting that the final owner decided it wasn’t worth the hassle of engine removal for a gasket job, and instead sent it to the junkyard. This is a common issue with boxer engines like the ones found in Subarus, as accessing the cylinder heads can be quite challenging.
One heartbreaking detail about this Baja is that the keys are still in the ignition. It’s clear that someone loved this car dearly. The Subaru Love badges on the vehicle indicate that this was their fourth Subaru, and their interests included pets, hiking, musical theater, cooking, camping, Scouting, and family life. It’s rare to see these badges on junkyard cars, which adds to the sense of loss.
In a way, the Baja was like the Pontiac Aztek, a vehicle that offered multiple choices and appealed to a specific niche. However, just as Lance Armstrong’s career in car advertising came crashing down, the Baja’s fate took a similar turn. But perhaps, like reincarnation, there’s still hope for the Baja to make a comeback in the future.