Subaru Baja Interior Review
The Subaru Baja seats four people. Its rear seat is smaller than in an Outback wagon, which seats five. The rear seat of the Baja is short on comfortable as the seat back is relatively upright and the rear window is right behind the headrests. Rear headroom seems less generous than in the Outback even though the specifications say it is the same. We took a couple of octogenarians out to dinner in the Baja and they fared well but reported a lack of space in the back seats when the front-seat passenger had his seat back and reclined. The rear seat includes a center console with cup holders. When the rear seat is folded out of the way the rear passenger compartment becomes a useful storage area.
The dashboard layout is nice with an instrument panel that sweeps around in front of the driver and blends in nicely with the center console. The large gauges are easy to read and the climate and sound system controls fall to hand nicely. Anyone familiar with the Subaru Outback or Legacy will find they are all but identical.
Seats are finished in perforated leather with a neatly embroidered Baja logo in each seat back. The two-tone black and gray finish of the interior gives the car a classy look and feel. It is accentuated by silver metallic trim on the dashboard, doors and center console.
Subaru Baja Road Test
The Subaru Baja offers a soft ride, like a car. It feels and drives like a compact sedan. It feels no different from the Outback, which is not surprising as the Baja is essentially an Outback with an open pickup bed.
The Baja's curb weight is within 50 pounds of the Outback and the engine is identical so acceleration performance is much the same as well. Power is a bit lacking when equipped with a manual transmission. With an automatic the Baja is clearly on the slow side. For this reason we prefer the manual transmission.
Confident handling is a trait of Subaru's thanks to all-wheel drive and a lower center of gravity due to the flat-4 engine. It's certainly true for the Baja as well. While driving on twisty mountain roads twice we came upon sharp corners covered in loose dirt. On both occasions the car did not slip in the slightest as all four wheels gripped efficiently. Around town in the dry, where one might not feel the need for all-wheel-drive, there's no disadvantage as the system is transparent in feel.
Though the suspension is soft, the Baja feels much more solid than many pickup trucks as it is built as a monocoque or unit-body rather than a body on frame. The Baja is much quieter than a truck as the bed is an integral part of the whole body structure rather than being bolted on the back as a separate unit.
Subaru did not design the Baja for rough off-road use, but it does have a 7.3-inch ground clearance, the same as the Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Coupled with the permanent all-wheel-drive system and decent angles of approach and departure, the Baja can negotiate a wide variety of off-highway situations with aplomb. It handles very well on gravel roads, much better than a truck. Based on our experience in the Subaru Outback, we expect the Baja to be superb on snow and ice.
If you want the comfort and handling of a sedan with the utility of a small open bed, then the Baja is a good choice. It should work well for gardening, weekend projects, and some outdoor activities. The rest of the time, it feels like a comfortable sedan.
Subaru Baja Lineup
The 2003 Subaru Baja comes as one model, starting at $23,995 (MSRP).
Baja offers a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, which costs an additional $800. There are not a lot of options meaning that even a fully loaded Baja should stay under $27,000.
The list of standard features is quite extensive and includes leather seats, power adjustable driver seat, air conditioning, a decent stereo system with CD player, moonroof, power doors, windows and mirrors and a remote key system.
Accessories for holding bikes, skis and other objects are available from Subaru to make the Baja more versatile.