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2003 Subaru Baja

Date: 08 February 2003	Miles: 5,900
Our so far nasty winter has been a good time to get used to this 2003 Subaru Baja crossover vehicle. While we expected the crew-cab/short cargo bed Baja to spend most of its time around town, it is proving to be a comfortable, and with all-wheel drive, secure highway cruiser. Still, given its 2.5-liter 165-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, fuel economy of 22.6 miles per gallon after 5,900 miles is a little underwhelming. It's about what we got with the last 6-cylinder Outback wagon we tested. The small rear cargo box and bed-to-interior pass through door do come in handy for weekend trips to both Home Depot and to winter sports spots. But this is no replacement for a real truck. Still, we think the Baja's mixture of car-truck attributes blend together quite well.
Date: 21 March 2003	Miles: 8,213
During the Mid-Atlantic's record President's Day weekend snowfalls, our 2003 Subaru Baja crew-cab crossover utility was nearly unstoppable. The 60-series 16-inch tires dug right in. And while the modest 7.3-inches of ground clearance was soon outclassed by the storm, when the plows arrived, our automatic Baja's Active all-wheel drive, and limited slip rear differential, put this Subaru quickly back to work. In four months, we've managed 8,213 mostly urban miles in the Baja, with a good for any utility vehicle 21.6 miles per gallon economy. Our Baja also performed well on some slimy, muddy, Appalachian mountain roads, where its only shortcoming was most evident. The 165-horsepower 2.5-liter flat-4 cylinder is fine at sea level, but it really strains under load. Hopefully Subaru will make the Forester 2.5 XT's new 210-horse turbo-4 available soon.
Date: 02 May 2003	Miles: 10,570
There is certainly nothing new about crewcab, short box pickups, yet our 2003 Subaru Baja crossover utility still invokes lots of turned heads and ''what is it?'' Versatile, we reply. In our stable for 6 months now, the Baja is well broken in with 10,570 miles, and with that the original anemic performance and slow throttle response have also loosened up nicely. While we have already chronicled our Baja's stellar performance during winter's worst, we're now enjoying its spring flexibility. Flip down the tailgate and the cargo bed extender and you can carry a surprising amount of cargo and gear, including a couple of bikes, or more than a dozen or so big bags of mulch. All that before you drop the ''Switchback'' panel to the inside for really long items. After several long and comfortable highway trips, fuel economy has jumped up nicely. 22.2 miles per gallon is the average.
Date: 30 May 2003	Miles: 12,000
Despite being on the road for the better part of a year, we find that most people are very surprised when they see our long term 2003 Subaru Baja crossover vehicle. Older admirers may remember the rough and ready Brat that inspired the Baja, but everyone marvels that this tidy vehicle could be so versatile. We hear from singles, especially women, that it's the perfect model for the one-car household. It can carry four adults in reasonable comfort, but can also carry that attic full of old memories to the dump. Yes, the cargo bay is quite small. But the tailgate extender and the ''Switchback'' access panel that opens to the interior give the Baja impressive cargo capabilities. Our Baja arrived last October, and so far has compiled about 12,000 urban miles. Its all- wheel drive system and extra ride height not only handled our harsh winter, but mild off-roading as well. Gripes? Well, like the Outback before it, the front seat cushions are too flat to sit in hour after hour without discomfort. But our main complaint remains the Baja's modest power. While we've gotten used to nursing its 165-horses, if it was our money we'd upgrade to the forthcoming 210-horsepower Baja Turbo. It has just the right amount of extra kick. And it probably won't hurt fuel economy that much, which in our Baja is a still rising 22.6 miles per gallon. The Baja is a car for all reasons, we often hear, and we agree.
Date: 18 July 2003	Miles: 13,000
When our all-wheel drive Subaru Baja compact crossover vehicle arrived last October, this descendant of the Brat drew mixed reviews from our staff. They loved its crew-cab style accommodations, and Outback-like ride and handling. But the cargo box and "Switchback" interior access panel were too small for serious loads. Now, 9 months later, we've found the Baja provides more utility than expected, and is also a great vacation vehicle. Plus, as one staffer noted in the log book, it's just plain cool to drive. It remains a real head turner. How many trucks can you say that about? Problems continue to elude us. That's good. But we continue to find the strength of our Baja's standard 165-horsepower 2.5-liter flat-4 engine to be marginal. It makes passing on a two lane road a task only for the brave. If it was our money, we'd step up to the forthcoming 210- horsepower Turbo Baja. The upside to modest power is 22.3 mile per gallon fuel economy after nearly 13,000 miles. No other crew cab can even get close to that figure.
Date: 5 September 2003	Miles: 15,400
Eleven months and 15,400 miles after we took delivery of our Subaru Baja, we can say it still turns heads and gets lots of "what is its?". Our answer? Probably the most useful small crossover vehicle on the market. Sure, we'd liked a bigger cargo bed, but with the bed extender and interior access panel, it can handle most sports gear and even a couple of bikes. And the rear seat is pretty tight to be considered a crew cab, but then we expect most who ride here will be underage crew members. Log book notes praise the fine ride, and power from the standard 165-horsepower 2.5- liter flat-4 is adequate, despite a new "tick" we hear at idle. The Baja is also rolling more in corners as the suspension wears. But here is something Subaru should fix. The fog lights are supposed to have decorative grilles over them. Both fell off long ago. No complaints on mileage, however. 22.6 is our average now and it's still climbing even at this late stage of the test. Try to find any other utility vehicle this versatile that will do better. There isn't one that we know of. One more reason why the Baja is yet another Subaru winner.
Date: 5 December 2003	Miles: 18,700
Recently Subaru said that they were cutting production for the Baja crossover vehicle due to lower than anticipated sales. That's a pity since few vehicles are more versatile than this compact crew-cab pickup. This son of Brat seats four adults comfortably, a family of five in a pinch, has enough cargo bed space for most weekend chores, an interior access panel for long items, all wrapped in sporty Outback styling, and supported by a reliable all-wheel drive chassis. In the year we drove our Baja, we tallied 18,700 mostly short hop miles, with fuel economy of 23.7 miles per gallon, or almost twice what most full-size pickup trucks would manage. Plus, during the snows of last winter, it was one of a few vehicles we knew would always get where it was headed. All that and no serious mechanical faults too? Yeah. The 2.5-liter flat-4 never missed a beat, although it did start to tick at idle towards the end. And then there are those fog lamp covers that dropped off. But, all in all, not too shabby for one of the most useful little vehicles we've ever driven. Now that turbo power is also available, maybe the Baja's fortunes will get a well-deserved boost.