@@jonathansmith1590 even that costs millions upon millions that Subaru simply doesn’t have the resources or capacity to do. Unless it’s a joint venture with Toyota, I’d expect no new products from Subaru.
Picked up a 2004 non turbo in yellow and Grey. My favorite color. Needed minimal work and got It cheap. It's such a unique vehicle even among all my other subarus 06 Sti, 06 Tribeca, 06 Impreza wagon
Baja 2.5Ts sell for so much on the used market it is crazy. Subaru should capitalize on this UTE resurgence in N America; Maverick, Santa Fe, etc. They could easily make a k¡lling
I think they’re trying. We’re in the beginning of another malaise era. Covid killed vehicle production and now the microchip shortage. There’s little incentive to spend billions designing new vehicles that they can’t mass produce cheaply and quickly. Combine that with pressure to eliminate ICE vehicles leaves manufacturers without incentive to build cheap, small, economical utes as these.
I worked on one of these with the 5MT years ago (had a failed turbo with like 200k miles on it). Great, useful vehicles. I wish I could find one to buy, but even the NA Baja are rare, the turbo Baja is rarer, and the 5MT turbo Baja is unobtainium.
My 05 is in my garage with almost everything identical to this video lol, same color, turbo, options, everything except mine has a hard cover tonneau. This video has a better description of opening the switchback than anything else I've seen lol. Love mine, I got lucky in that I live in West Michigan and mine lived in Texas most of its life, only had 95k miles on it in 2020 last owner was paralyzed from the waist down so it had hand controls when I bought it. It needed a turbo rebuild but other than that has been great!
Only a true Japanese sadist would design such faulty head gaskets on an engine where you can barely even replace them without pulling the whole motor out.
The turbos didn't really have that issue, mainly the N/A, the turbos used MLS head gaskets, a few turbos did fail but it was much rarer, and everyone complains about having to pull the motor out to do it, I pulled my 04 forester na motor out in 45 minutes alone with difficult bolts (thankfully none snapped) and no air-impact or fire. Not that hard if you are careful and can follow some youtube videos
@@kirbyswarp the baja turbo is about low end torque and response more than anything, you know the typa thing you'd want in an off road environment? but you've most likely never thought of that because ur probably the typical 2022 "car guy" starter pack who lets horsepower decide the entire car
I'm getting old, I know, but how I long for the days before every single new car on the road started looking like an oversized great white trying to swallow a whale when viewed from the front.
There's a black turbo Baja down the road from me sitting behind a chain link fence at s self-storage lot. Sitting on at least three flats, dirty, faded paint. It just looks so sad...
Slap a stage 2 kit on it, put a good bed liner on, throw a tarp in the bed for good measure, fill it up with sealant and floor it: Turnkey driveway maintenance business!
This was made during the golden-era of Subaru's lineup. Their ENTIRE USDM lineup came standard with Symmetrical AWD, the Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame (which became famous for being a challenge for firefighters to cut), plus the entire lineup had the availability of a turbocharged engine paired to a manual transmission. I doubt Subaru is willing to put a pickup bed on the current-generation Subaru Outback. It would be nice if they did so to the Subaru Outback Wilderness, but Subaru has lost a lot of its magic and niche-friendly attitude.
The USDM line up was not amazing compared to the Japanese and European versions, no sti Forester & Legacy, no twin turbo legacy, no justy, levorg. I agree Subaru is so boring, they even kill the Impreza STI.
It's too sad these didn't take off but now I think with the new trend of manufacturers releasing vehicles branded with retro names from their past and styling to match I think this could come back named as the brat and offer it in the wild vintage colors it could sell just make sure your dealers don't mark it up to 90 grand...
Sadly no, its only like 2 feet wide, good for lumber and stuff, the whole bed is only 49" Wide and 41.5" Long with the switchback closed, but the tailgate down has helped me quite a lot, and I've gotten plenty enough use out of it for my uses, lawnmowers, gas cans, anything dirty that I don't want inside a car, brush, recycling, trash, moving, grills, tools, engine hoist, etc. in the winter time I've kept drinks in the back when going to get togethers, so they are cold when I get there and they don't move around as much because the bed is smaller than a normal pickup, If the back seat is flipped forward and the back rest is kept up in place, I fit my 55" TV in the backseat when I bought it lol
@@rcsor3 no not at all. Dont see anywhere that looks like bragging in there...Just saying its a 4 cylinder SUT that's almost quick as a V6 sports car from the same era. The monte has a 242hp V6 and 0-60 in 7.0. Its definitely not quick by today's standards, but wasn't bad in 2006.
At least they didn't try to make it look like a truck like the Ford Maverick. A low slung hood gives excellent visibility compared to a bulky front end.
The baja is just a chopped legacy wagon, the outback and legacy had slightly different front ends. The motor being a detuned wrx motor and the suspension makes this thing a bit complicated to get parts for lol, searching baja doesn't yield as many results as desired
This was fun Subaru. I miss this Subaru. New Toyotafied Subaru is boring and overpriced. The only thing going for it is the Crosstrek at this point... and that's a shame.
@@senseicorey9979 saying a Subaru is more of a car than a Chrysler product is a serious stretch. I could smell the oil burning coming from my phone when they were testing this Subaru. 😂
With the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz, would be cool to see Subaru enter the the ring with a new version of the Baja.
I’ve been saying this for years. Cmon Subaru! You can do it!
@@j_mars_cars Sadly Subaru is dead just making boring SUV, no more STI. My 24 years old Legacy B4 RSK is faster than the new WRX.
@@skippylegrandgourou2069 Don't get rid of that gem.
Hard market, this is the last year of the maverick.
@@skippylegrandgourou2069 it’s a sad thing. People aren’t into cars like they used to be.
These were ahead of their time. Hoping Subaru would bring this back.
Subaru could use the current Outback platform, stretch it out a few inches.
@@jonathansmith1590 even that costs millions upon millions that Subaru simply doesn’t have the resources or capacity to do. Unless it’s a joint venture with Toyota, I’d expect no new products from Subaru.
They totally could, with the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the ford maverick. It’d be a shoe in for today’s market
I know right? It'd sell like hotcakes if they did bring it back!
@@haroldbeauchamp3770 That makes sense 🤔🤷.
I get so excited whenever I see one. Not too common, but every single one I see is clean and loved.
Picked up a 2004 non turbo in yellow and Grey. My favorite color. Needed minimal work and got It cheap. It's such a unique vehicle even among all my other subarus
06 Sti, 06 Tribeca, 06 Impreza wagon
You have an 06 Subaru dealership at home haha
😂😂😂 Subarus aren't too popular where I live so I've gotten them all super cheap. Win win 😉
any plan of 06 forester?
My brother owns a 05 forester that he got from me 😂
If only they made an 06
Baja 2.5Ts sell for so much on the used market it is crazy. Subaru should capitalize on this UTE resurgence in N America; Maverick, Santa Fe, etc. They could easily make a k¡lling
I think they’re trying. We’re in the beginning of another malaise era. Covid killed vehicle production and now the microchip shortage. There’s little incentive to spend billions designing new vehicles that they can’t mass produce cheaply and quickly. Combine that with pressure to eliminate ICE vehicles leaves manufacturers without incentive to build cheap, small, economical utes as these.
Buy an NA and stuff an Outback 3.0L motor innit. JDM 3.0s can be had for
I worked on one of these with the 5MT years ago (had a failed turbo with like 200k miles on it). Great, useful vehicles. I wish I could find one to buy, but even the NA Baja are rare, the turbo Baja is rarer, and the 5MT turbo Baja is unobtainium.
If Subaru brings this back, making it based off the Outback like it used to be. It would probably be a popular vehicle.
Subaru's American golden era. Now they've killed off the STI, and almost everything they produce has a CVT. I want off this planet.
Yes. I have owned many subarus including a baja, but have never had one with a cvt and never will.
@@SkaBob The best Subaru cars from 1980s and 1990s is best era of the car
@@fernandorocha-dx1wv Yes I think the 95-2005 cars were great. Dependability went down after 2012 when they went to CVTs.
@@SkaBob Change to quality head gaskets during these years and you're good.
@@dq7143 I did always put in MLS gaskets if I had the heads off. Didn't have to worry about oil leaks after a few years that way.
My 05 is in my garage with almost everything identical to this video lol, same color, turbo, options, everything except mine has a hard cover tonneau. This video has a better description of opening the switchback than anything else I've seen lol. Love mine, I got lucky in that I live in West Michigan and mine lived in Texas most of its life, only had 95k miles on it in 2020 last owner was paralyzed from the waist down so it had hand controls when I bought it. It needed a turbo rebuild but other than that has been great!
Just picked one up on Labor Day. 2005 Baja Turbo manual. Original owner too.
I have a 2005 Baja Sport. Best car I've ever owned.
Legend has it that the head gaskets failed in the middle of the test
Lmao. Beat me to it
@@haroldbeauchamp3770 early 2000s Subarus are IYKYK type vehicles. LOL
Only a true Japanese sadist would design such faulty head gaskets on an engine where you can barely even replace them without pulling the whole motor out.
Subaru head gasket? wow hahahahha that’s hilarious man I haven’t heard that one ten billion times before
The turbos didn't really have that issue, mainly the N/A, the turbos used MLS head gaskets, a few turbos did fail but it was much rarer, and everyone complains about having to pull the motor out to do it, I pulled my 04 forester na motor out in 45 minutes alone with difficult bolts (thankfully none snapped) and no air-impact or fire. Not that hard if you are careful and can follow some youtube videos
The numbers are still impressive to this day almost 20 years later
210hp from a 2.5 turbo was pathetic even then. And the cherry on top is the fact that it was still somehow unreliable.
@@kirbyswarp the EJ255 was more reliable than the EJ253. You have No idea what you're talking about guy.
@@artilleryisbetter These are far from reliable. Even if they were, I'd hope so at 84hp/liter on a turbocharged engine. That's just pathetic.
@@kirbyswarp the baja turbo is about low end torque and response more than anything, you know the typa thing you'd want in an off road environment? but you've most likely never thought of that because ur probably the typical 2022 "car guy" starter pack who lets horsepower decide the entire car
@@kirbyswarpHow to say "I've never driven nor owned this car" without saying "I've never driven nor owned this car"
I always thought that these were very cool cars/trucks. Wow almost 20 years!
I much prefer these retro / older vehicles than these newer ones.. this is nice
Love that this guy is always shouting from a considerable distance as the camera zooms in
I've got an 06, the last year Baja turbo. Fun car
Have a Baja Blast while blasting along in your Baja.
It's crazy how subie abandoned this car, Hyundai came out with the Santa Fe and I've been considering one
Subaru would benefit if they launched a new Baja or Brat today. Every manufacturer is making small pickups.
I have a 2006 Sport model with automatic transmission. It's approaching 180k miles and it still drives fine.
I picked up a Baja Turbo with the rare 5 speed. A blast to drive and always gets a thumbs up!
That's so cool! Would love to have that setup.
@@ytman6203 I have one for sale.
I would LOVE one of these bad boys!
Baja got there 20 years before the Maverick and Santa Cruz
Still have a 2005 baja turbo 5 speed. It's up to 298k miles now
I'm getting old, I know, but how I long for the days before every single new car on the road started looking like an oversized great white trying to swallow a whale when viewed from the front.
Aerodynamics and safety
Was that ever a time? I can remember vehicles in the 70s were massive. I was too young in the 60s to remember if they were smaller then.
@@haroldbeauchamp3770 i think he means the grille trend now in use.
@@blue_lancer_es Yes, that's exactly what I meant.
My 2003 Subaru Baja turns 20 next spring. With 167000 miles on her she still works.
3:31 My favorite part of the review😏
Yay I Got My Wish MotorWeek Found A Review of the Baja!!!
I love that flip out license plate.
There's a black turbo Baja down the road from me sitting behind a chain link fence at s self-storage lot. Sitting on at least three flats, dirty, faded paint. It just looks so sad...
Love the Emeril Lagasse reference John
Please Subaru, release another one!
Yes Subaru! Release another Baja soon!
Fun junkies. I must be one because I own one of these. Same set up and I love it.
Man that little “Brat” ahem! Baja! still looks good today!👌😎👍
63 YEARS OLD, I always wanted one of the Baja Turbos I remember the Brat
I didn't know they existed we didn't get them down here they would have been great in 🇦🇺 with a detuned rexy motor how cool.
I saw two yellow Bajas in the same day not to long go. Thought I'd share. Maybe someone else cares.
I delivered a DoorDash order to a guy who had three Bajas. Two yellow turbos, and a silver NA.
I wish Subaru would take the Ascent and make a new Baja Wilderness!
I paid $17K for my '05 M/T Turbo 6 years ago!
Price hasn't changed that much it seems!
I always wanted one these with the turbo 5spd
Thank you MW!
Slap a stage 2 kit on it, put a good bed liner on, throw a tarp in the bed for good measure, fill it up with sealant and floor it: Turnkey driveway maintenance business!
I wonder if anyone ever made one of these look like an STI with the blue paint, gold rims, and a big wing. . .
It’s a Subaru, so yes, someone has
Wish you could get these in the uk
The little soo-bar-oooo. Wow
My best friend just got rid of his Baja Turbo with the manual. Damn thing had a rusty frame and was falling apart.
Is it the one Hoovie bought? lol
@@Mr.Corinthians No.
This was made during the golden-era of Subaru's lineup. Their ENTIRE USDM lineup came standard with Symmetrical AWD, the Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame (which became famous for being a challenge for firefighters to cut), plus the entire lineup had the availability of a turbocharged engine paired to a manual transmission.
I doubt Subaru is willing to put a pickup bed on the current-generation Subaru Outback. It would be nice if they did so to the Subaru Outback Wilderness, but Subaru has lost a lot of its magic and niche-friendly attitude.
The USDM line up was not amazing compared to the Japanese and European versions, no sti Forester & Legacy, no twin turbo legacy, no justy, levorg. I agree Subaru is so boring, they even kill the Impreza STI.
@@skippylegrandgourou2069yea but the US got the baja while japan and euro didnt, so we still won
It's 2022 and I'm looking for a decent used Baja.
The fact that Subaru still hasn’t brought back the Baja is baffling. Mid 2000’s Subaru was peak Subaru.
A Subaru Outback with a pickup truck bed!
It's too sad these didn't take off but now I think with the new trend of manufacturers releasing vehicles branded with retro names from their past and styling to match I think this could come back named as the brat and offer it in the wild vintage colors it could sell just make sure your dealers don't mark it up to 90 grand...
Todos os antigo são sensacional 😁👍
Would a sheet of plywood pass through the opening behind the rear seats?
Sadly no, its only like 2 feet wide, good for lumber and stuff, the whole bed is only 49" Wide and 41.5" Long with the switchback closed, but the tailgate down has helped me quite a lot, and I've gotten plenty enough use out of it for my uses, lawnmowers, gas cans, anything dirty that I don't want inside a car, brush, recycling, trash, moving, grills, tools, engine hoist, etc. in the winter time I've kept drinks in the back when going to get togethers, so they are cold when I get there and they don't move around as much because the bed is smaller than a normal pickup, If the back seat is flipped forward and the back rest is kept up in place, I fit my 55" TV in the backseat when I bought it lol
Does anyone know what the 0-60 was for the stick shift version?
Not bad. Almost as quick as my 06 monte carlo and its an SUT.
Are you actually bragging about having a 2006 Monte Carlo? 🤣🤣
@@rcsor3 no not at all. Dont see anywhere that looks like bragging in there...Just saying its a 4 cylinder SUT that's almost quick as a V6 sports car from the same era.
The monte has a 242hp V6 and 0-60 in 7.0. Its definitely not quick by today's standards, but wasn't bad in 2006.
Just imagine the Baja with the EJ208 and the twin turbo from the Subaru B4 RSK it would be so stupidly fast.
a 24V flat 4? 6 valves per cylinder?????
Interesting model
Que da hora amigo 👍 sensacional
Awesome thanks 👍
At least they didn't try to make it look like a truck like the Ford Maverick.
A low slung hood gives excellent visibility compared to a bulky front end.
The video is from 2004 so there's that.
2004 Subaru Baja Turbo to me reminds me of the Subaru Outback but a 2002 or 2004 Subaru Outback.
The baja is just a chopped legacy wagon, the outback and legacy had slightly different front ends. The motor being a detuned wrx motor and the suspension makes this thing a bit complicated to get parts for lol, searching baja doesn't yield as many results as desired
Update, just re-searched that info and am not quite correct, I forget they named it the Legacy Outback Wagon back then so yes you are correct
@@hunterbigelow9327 Really, I thought 🤔 so.
@@hunterbigelow9327 OK
a unique car,, so coool
I would prefer this with a STI swap over any Honda Element.
Show me who asked?
@@2drpeppersplz ok bussnob
3:42 Such as a dirt bike ramp for a "truck" not big enough to haul a dirt bike.
Netgear where you at?
A bolder Brat
That looks like my 04 outback H6 😂
24 valves?
16
Hyundai Santa Cruz’s grandfather
pity it was never a two door with the longer bed ala the original BRAT
The demand for compact pickups are increasing. Ford can't keep up with the orders! RAM, Toyota, and GM are making one in the near future!
Huh I remember the OG Brat but don't remember this car at all.
From the side it looks like Inspector Gadgets Car
This was fun Subaru. I miss this Subaru. New Toyotafied Subaru is boring and overpriced. The only thing going for it is the Crosstrek at this point... and that's a shame.
2000 Celica pls! 😪😪
Subaru Baja is Brat modern
"Dubya arr-ex."
Why test the auto? I mean, DANG! 🤣
Lesbians rejoice!
I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body and I own a Baja.
I swear to god if you claim it drives like a WRX I will ban myself
Bring brack the Brat
24 valve my ass
This was the modern version of the ugly mullet of trucks. Business in the front and party in the back.
they copy catted from the chevy avalanche 😲
They had the brat before the avalanche
They copied the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac that came out a year before the Baja.
And people say the pt cruser was ugly, this this was hideous
Yeah but this is 5x the car thr PT is
@@senseicorey9979 not the GT. Good try
Hideous where? Have you not seen a pontiac aztec????
@@divin3kag3242 that thing was just as bad as this pos
@@senseicorey9979 saying a Subaru is more of a car than a Chrysler product is a serious stretch. I could smell the oil burning coming from my phone when they were testing this Subaru. 😂