Will There Be A New Baja?

arkitect

If Subaru does build a new Baja for 2008, do y'all think they would build it off of the Tribeca or would it be built off of one their other cars or would it be it's own thing.

once_for_all

Subaru shares all of its platforms, except the Beca.

Impreza and Forester are on the same platform.

Outback and Legacy are on the same platform.

If I had to guess, there won't be a new Baja. But my hope would be that it would at least be on the latest Ouback platform, but better (for market demands) on the Beca platform.

I have stopped holding my breath though, Subaru most likely would have annnouced something this spring. Next month (supposedly) is the last month of Baja production. Bajas may be hard to find, and may go at a premium, come the fall of 2006.

John

johnusajap

JOHN,

WHERE ARE YOU GETTING INFO ON BAJA DISCONTINUANCE?

once_for_all

not me, I am not spreading this rumor. Bob mentioned it in a blog a month or so ago (regarding Toyota taking over one of Subaru's production lines).

I hope it is still continued, with a few minor modifications such as getting rid of the moonroof, I would trade in my Forester.

John

rsholland

from a Subie salesman over at nabisco/LegacyGT.com...

SOA Legacy wagon sales, year to date = 1856

SOA Baja sales, year to date = 1859

Yet, they are keeping the Legacy wagon, but have killed the Baja...

Obviously the Legacy wagon sales do not include Outback models. This guy hinted that if Legacy wagon sales don't pick up, that the only Legacy wagon we may see in the future will be wearing an Outback badge. I have no idea how much truth there is to that statement. I suspect he may have heard that from someone at SOA, but that's just a guess...

Bob

ateixeira

Outback sedan sales are even lower, though.

Thing is, they have all the molds, body panels, so it doesn't cost much to keep making them.

Also, Subaru made a mistake when they dropped the manual trans Legacy GT wagon.

-juice

once_for_all

well, maybe they need to rev up the Baja again. It has to be looking pretty good at $3 per gallon, and no other small pickups available (except the Ranger, and that should be dead in the water a long time ago).

John

mammotech

How Sad that the Baja is going away...I have a 2003 Outlander and was looking at vehicles tonight...finally found one I could love, the Baja..a SUV with a truck bed, that looks really cool and gets good gas mileage and they do away with it. We can only hope that before the Outlander dies, they will make another Baja.

moparbad

the Baja did not have the lower body cladding and oversized foglights I believe it would have had increased sales. The styling was very polarizing.
Overall, the Baja was a pretty neat vehicle and I'm sad to see it go.

rsholland

...that a new Baja may be in the works. This came from a dealer who heard it from other Subaru insiders. If it happens, Toyota may help them with factory space according to this guy. ...No, it won't be a rebadged Toyota truck if it happens.

Bob

bat1161

A new Baja would be cool. Maybe by that time my wife will get her license and can take over the Outback. In which case there is no hurry from SOA .I've always thought of a Baja as a second vehicle would be fun.

Mark

ateixeira

If so, I hope they base it on a stretched (yes, stretched) Tribeca platform.

Build a Ridgeline that isn't hideous looking, basically. Ridgeline is wonderfully functional but scares my kids from any angle.

xwesx

Absolute agreement here. The Ridgeline is functional enough that I actually considered it despite its hideous appearance. My wife, however, was not so forgiving.

paisan

They could put on a toyota plastic bed like the Taco has.

-mike

subarugirl555

The Baja unfortunatly did not sell well at all. Even for us in New England. It is such a limited market. Subaru missed the mark with advertising. It happens. You won't see another one in a while. Currently Subaru has been discussing Convertibles and Hybrids.

paisan

I haven't heard anything about a convertible at all on my end. Hybrids probably will come from the toyota side of the house.

-mike

ateixeira

The other day someone pointed out the Tacoma crew cab is a whopping 208" plus in length.

The Baja was, what, two feet shorter?

They should have stretched the wheelbase. As it was, both the bed and the interior were too small.

rsholland

Tacoma length? It's no different than other comparable trucks.

Bob

ateixeira

Correct, but what I'm saying is that the Baja was a lot shorter than any other crew cab, and that Subaru should have stretched the wheelbase somewhat over the Legacy.

grahampeters

G'day

My guess is that it was the wrong product from the outset. Holden, GM's subsidiary in Australia also did a very good crew-cab in the previous generation of Commodore Ute. However nunbers sold have not warranted its continuation in the next generation Commodore. That is a real pity for the users who love it, particularly Police Forces who routinely run them with a small, washable, arrest van on the rear tray.

The supposed inspiration for the Baja was the original Brumby (Brat to you) which was a much smaller and supremely agile ute, much loved by farmers, rural workers and many off road users here in Australia. It would go places you would not beleive and used ones are still highly valued thirty years after its introduction.

The closest I could come to something similar would be a Two door Forester Ute. Now that would sell, Down Under!

Cheers

Graham

rsholland

I do hope Subaru brings back the Baja. Basing it off the next-generation Forester—and with the new boxer diesel and dual-range tranny, might not be a bad idea.

Bob

paisan

I think we would see a drop top or a coupe before we see another baja, just a feeling.

-mike

moparbad

Build a Ridgeline that isn't hideous looking, basically. Ridgeline is wonderfully functional but scares my kids from any angle.

1st gen Avalanche was ugly.
Ridgline ugly.
Baja ugly.

It almost appears the designers went out of their way to make the trucks ugly, and very functional.

dcwestby

Well, I actually like the look of the Baja. Theres one at a Subaru garage/dealer near here off and on. So there are occasional sightings for sale...

rsholland

Funny thing about the Baja: Now that Subaru has stopped building them, Subaru dealers are getting tons of requests for a new version. I've heard this from every dealer I've spoken to about getting possibly a new Baja; and because of this, used Bajas are getting top dollar. Go figure...

Bob

ateixeira

Well, supply was so low. So any demand at all is high demand.

paisan

I'd be curious to see what my 05 LGT Wagon 5MT brings in when it's time to sell it. Hopefully it will retain some good value.

-mike

marci357

I want a small pickup truck and I want it to be a Subaru! I've been telling Subaru that for many many years! I like the Baja, but not enough truck bed space in it. My Forester, 8 yrs old 112,000 miles is being used as a truck, because with the rear seats down, I can get something 6 ft long in there. My poor little car has hauled a LOT of firewood! But it sure makes it dirty quickly. In the past I've had a 60-something model wagon and a 1978 wagon....now the 2001. They seem to run almost forever.... rust out here on the coast it my biggest problem with them!

So Subaru, if you are listening....Make a Good Little Truck with over 25 MPG! and a decent sized hauling space!!!! And 4 doors would be nice for the grandkids

ateixeira

How 'bout a new Forester and a small utility trailer? Best of both worlds?

marci357

Nope. Don't want to have to go back home for the trailer when I find some great deal or something that I just have to haul I have a 74 Datsun pickup for close in trips when I know I'll need it, but I would not venture further than the dump (2 miles) in it. It's really old! I'd like to replace both rigs (pickup and forester) with just one rig that would haul anything and also have room for a couple grandkids Priorities

tiparrish

True .. Dealers can't keep them on the lot ... As soon as one shows up it's sold .. Everyone give me complements on my Baja ... I think it was a car that was put on the market before its time. With rising fuel costs, it's time for a new Baja Subaru should take advantage of this ...

priscannie

Speaking of the Brat. Saw one still going strong in Albuquerque New Mexico earlier this month, June 2009. Was good to see one still on the road.

loupgarous

...and really want to make one into a camper. My wife and I went on a road/car camping trip in our first Legacy and on the whole were happy, though interior space tended to go away even after we disposed of the tent which died on us after enduring 60-knot gales at the Sand Dunes National Monument overnight.

I've been mulling over how to make one of my Legacies into a camping machine for weeks now, saw a Baja next to me in the parking lot this morning and thought....

"Gee, if there was only a cab-over camper shell for the Baja, it should be possible to fair a Legacy into it with a little of the old Bondo and open up some headroom behind the front seats, maybe create some sleep-in room... "

My question is "is there or was there ever a cab-over or other camper shell made for the Baja or any other Subaru model?" My nasty suspicion is that I'm going to wind up putting an oil cooler for the engine, one for the transmission, and a trailer wiring harness into my project Legacy and making it ready to tow a rent-a-trailer on my next car-camping excursion, but I'd really like to make a small, green (30 mpg highway) 2-person road trip machine from one of my older Legacies. I've got plenty of gadgets like electric coolers and inflatable mattresses for camping comfort, even a collapsible shower stall and portable toilet - just need a system to put them in or around.

ateixeira

I think you may be the first...sounds like an interesting project, though. How are your welding skills? What about fabrication skills?

Good luck.

xwesx

I have never seen a cab-over camper for a Baja, though I have seen some little quarter-ton pickups with them, and that might fit in the Baja's bed. I have seen shells on Baja's, though, that were factory-made.

jstockman

You'd be amazed at how many clients we get that ask us about the Baja. When it was offered by Subaru, I always sold them in waves. People either loved them, or... you get the idea. ZTo this day, we have many request monthly to find used ones for people.

Jamie

PerformanceSubaru

ateixeira

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/08/geneva-preview-ssangyong-ridgeline-actyon-sut- /

I say the bed's still too small.

Shows some makers still believe in the formula, though.

rsholland

There's nothing wrong with the formula. It's the customers that have plenty wrong; as in preconceived ideas as to what a truck "should" be, not "could" be.

Bob

xwesx

I agree - the formula is good. Judging by the number of Ridgelines I see daily, I would say they are definitely marketable. However, in this economy and with fuel costs going ever upward (at a relatively fast clip), people are more inclined to look at the bottom line. Those that decide they don't "need" a pickup might opt for something more fuel efficient than a mid-size and forgo the occasional convenience of the truck, while those that do decide they "need" the truck may opt for something bigger without taking a hit (or a very small one) on fuel economy.

ateixeira

I wonder if a Ute would sell better, i.e. a 2 seater with a long bed?

rsholland

People who own Ridgelines, love them; plus it constantly gets great reviews from just about every consumer-related organization out there. Yet if you talk to most traditional truck owners, they'll turn into fanatical haters when it comes to the Ridgeline. Their arguments for the most part are bogus, yet you'll never convince them otherwise.

Bob

paisan

The ridgeline is funny. As someone who tows pretty often, I would say that the ridgeline has it's place however in the US, often times folks really overload their cars/trucks in terms of towing etc. I've seen guys at the racetrack towing a honda challenge car on an open trailer with a ridgeline. While it may be under the weight limit of towing capacity, the thing does NOT tow that kind of weight well. The wheels are bowed out in the back, the rear is sagging and the camber is all off.

The wheel bases on the subies are WAY too short to do towing of more than 3000 lbs. safely at what are normal highway speeds these days of 75-80mph.

-mike

rsholland

The Ridgeline is rated to tow 5K, pretty typical for a mid-size truck, which is what the Ridgeline is. I would guess most people towing race cars and all the related hardware (spare parts, tools, etc.) are using full-size trucks that tow 7K or better.

Bob

xwesx

Quite true, Bob! I agree with you, and I feel that aside from perception, the Ridgeline (along with other mid-size pickups, though perhaps not to the same extent) simply falls into the category of a 'tweener, and these are polarizing times in which we live.

ateixeira

With a Duramax diesel, too!

paisan

The Ridgeline may be RATED to tow 5000lbs but I'll be honest I would be very very scared to see it actually towing such a load. The racecars I've seen towed by a ridgeline are under 5k in the trailer (open trailer w/racecar).

I'm sure it could tow it a few miles, like if you have a lake house and need to tow the boat to the ramp down the road a piece. But to put 5000lbs behind a ridgeline is ridiculous. I've seen folks towing 5000lb camper trailers behind them and that is downright scary.

The problem is most folks think it's the power (as juice pointed out) that effects towing. In actuality it's not the power at all.

Wheelbase, chassis strength, axles, cooling, are the determining factors of how well something will tow. Wheelbase and trailer balance is really key. For instance, my Armada is rated to tow 9100lbs with a weight distributing hitch. I used to regularly tow my 11,500lb cigarette boat behind it w/o weight distributing hitch. It wasn't scary because the trailer was custom built for the boat and was a triple axle trailer. The weight of the boat was perfectly matched to the trailer and axles and brakes on the trailer. I have towed a 7000lb enclosed car trailer behind my truck with weight distribution and it was a lot to handle due to the wind resistance and weight distribution inside the trailer (car placement).

If you went strictly by the "numbers" one would say the car trailer was ideally situated for my truck, and the boat was way way over weight for it. In reality one must really think long and hard about towing before they purchase a vehicle for towing. Test it out with your own trailer to make sure you feel comfortable towing in it. There is "legal" and there is "safe and at-ease driving" a big difference between the 2 of them.

-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor

xwesx

I agree with you, Mike.

I have done a lot of towing and the actual weight of the load often has little to do with how well the tow rig handles it.

Those enclosed trailers and travel trailers are amongst the most cumbersome!

rsholland

No doubt Mike. I'm not advocating that owners of any mid-size trucks, Ridgeline or otherwise, hook up a 5K trailer. That's best left to full-size trucks.

Also keep in mind the Ridgeline was never intended for that kind of duty. It was aimed squarely at all the Harry Homeowners out there, most who never tow anything over 3K. As such, this truck is fine.

Edit: Here are a bunch of photos of Ridgelines towing, several hooked up to car trailers. Note there is one image in there of a tow vehicle and trailer flipped over. The image is incorrectly identified as a Ridgeline. It appears to be a Chevy Tahoe.

http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=Ridgeline+towing&oe=UTF-8&um- - - =1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=952&bih=1016

Bob

paisan

Bob,

My point being that the rating is not always accurate in terms of what is safe to tow. I was only refuting it because you guys were pointing out the 5k towing limit.

Getting back to the Baja, I would not suggest anyone tow anything with a Baja built on any current Subaru chassis above 2k lbs safely due to the wheelbase at highway speeds/interstates. I would just not be safe.

-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor

rsholland

Mike, I don't disagree with what you're saying. As you probably know, there is a law in the works (may even be passed?) in which vehicle tow ratings must become more realistic. For many brands—especially for full-size trucks—tow ratings have become nothing more than bragging rights, a powerful sales tool if you will. So that will soon come to an end.

As to tow limits: Vehicle manufacturers are always concerned about safety, especially in this litigious era that we're living in. I doubt that Honda, or anyone else, would risk having a host of lawsuits being presented against them by over-inflating their tow limits.

Also, if you read the Ridgeline's owner's manual in the towing section (pages 223-237 of PDF below), you will clearly see that 5K is the absolute max load. When you start adding passengers, cargo and taking the tongue load into consideration, that limit is reduced—and can be reduced considerably. So the reality is the owner will be towing less than 5K, much less.

https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/om/AJC080/AJC0808OM.pdf

Bob

paisan

Oh I know, that tow rating is SUPPOSED to subtract everything in the vehicle except the driver. I think that is actually on all towing capacities. However, most folks don't actually read that part. They go out and say "My truck can tow XXX lbs" and that's all they consider when they are trailering.

If someone wants to tow a small utility trailer to the hardware store and home or what not, yeah, the crossovers and ridglines and bajas are fine, but once you get into the >2000lb towing or going a long distance at highway speeds, you don't want something with a short/narrow wheelbase to do that towing.

-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor