As most of us know, the all-new Legacy will be introduced in Japan shortly. My guess is that car and the corresponding Outback will debut next January at the Detroit auto show as an '05 model. The question is: What about the Baja, which is based on the Outback platform?

I haven't heard a word about the Baja's future. My gut feeling tells me an all-new Baja, again based on the all-new Outback, should debut shortly thereafter, perhaps at next spring's NY auto show.

The Baja is doing so poorly in sales, and all we can hope for are Band-Aid improvements for MY04. The turbo will surely help, but more is needed than just the addition of a turbo model. SOA may feel pressure to get an all-new (and improved!) version out ASAP.

Has anyone heard anything?

Bob

Considering that the Baja is the Rodney Dangerfield of the Subaru lineup. A major overhaul is needed.

I think that a more truck oriented vehicle would be better suited to the lineup as opposed to the x-over vehicle that it's currently trying to be.

Suggestions.

1. Base engine 3.0 H6

2. Can the 4 doors and go with a more usable 2 + 2 layout utilizing smaller "suicide doors" ala the current GM, Ford, Dodge, extended cab trucks.

3. extend the bed another foot, this can be accomplished via the 2 +2 layout as described above.

4. Can the body cladding and the wannabe WRX interior and go for a more utilitarian interior.

5. Recognize your target market is not the Gen X crowd (those are the people who buy Nissan Xteras), but more the 40-50 something former contractor/ weekend warror, Who still needs a truck but doesnt have the money to fill it up with gas every 3 day's.

6. Keep the base price below 22,500 (your not selling a Cowboy Cadillac)

7. Get it right and rename it the BRAT II (retro seems to work lately):lol:

Hey Subaru of America... You listening? Target audience talking here! Just some random ideas.

Jeff

They never should have made the Baja as it is. I, too, would like to see the name "Brat" come back. The problem with the Baja to me is that it doesn't excel in any area at all. A legacy wagon is more useful with the fold down rear seats. Maybe if it was Avalanche-like to give more bed length, but that would seriously raise the cost. Something HAS to be done to give it more utlity. Make it big enough back there to haul a go-kart, motorcycle, jetski. I think that just a two seater would work well like the Holden Ute, and it would reduce cost as well. Based on the Legacy, there could even be an STi version just like the Maloo HSV versions.

Originally posted by Dirt Man


3. extend the bed another foot, this can be accomplished via the 2 +2 layout as described above.

4. Can the body cladding and the wannabe WRX interior and go for a more utilitarian interior.

7. Get it right and rename it the BRAT II (retro seems to work lately):lol:

Jeff

These points I really agree with.

The bed on this thing is useless...I really don't know how else to put it. You can't even law the tailgate down and haul a motorcycle in it.

THe interior doesn't bother me so much as the body cladding...I didn't realize this was designed by Pontiac.

and retro is in...the BRAT was a cult vehicle and the Baja should exploit this.

I think they just lost too much of the styling between the STX concept and the Baja. Somehow, the STX was a more appealing car to the eye.

As for utility, well, it seems like my RS is about as useful with a roof rack on it. If I want utility in a car-like vehicle, I'll get a truck. But, I have enough as it is, so I won't. And, the Brat idea is a good one. Unless they slap it on the current Baja. Then it would be an insult to the Brat name.

Dirt Man - great suggestions. I really like the idea of the 2+2 with suicide doors.

Too many people want the Baja to be a truck. It is not and can never be a truck. It is a car with a bed, which means limited cargo (ie. weight) and towing capacity even with a bigger engine. But that doesn't mean it can't be a better vehicle, and it's biggest problem is the small bed.

I think the Baja should have at least matched the Ford Escape in towing. You can't beat 3500 lb tow rating and gas mileage similar to that of a subie.

--JMarsa

What constitues "beating it"? Needless to say, the Baja is a much better drive...

People keep comparing Apples to Oranges. Just accept the Baja for what it is. If it doesn't fit the bill for you, don't buy one. It fills a niche, just not yours.

I still maintain that the biggest problem with the Baja is its price.

Filling a niche? What one? Pictures always show surfers with their boards hanging out of the bed just waiting to fly out. I remember that they wanted to target young surfer types with it, but most surfers I know or see are in SUV's to keep the boards inside or secured on the rack on top. I think an OBS fits this crowd much better. It just absolutely isn't useful for anything. I guess you could use it to take some plants from the nursery to the house, but you can do that (and carry more) in a wagon. Worried about the wagon carpet getting dirty? That's what the rubber mats are for. Seems to me like they wanted to compete with the Ranger SportTrac and other 4dr trucks w/ shortened bed. It's just not the same. At least those have towing capacity. Some execs were so worried that they were losing a sector in the market that they made a weak attempt to fill it with a mediocre product.

You hit the nail on the head with one segment - the gardening crowd. My fiancee and I are at the point where we would love the utility of an open bed, even a small one like the Baja's. Lugging tall trees around is a pain in the WRX, and it would be great to lug bulk compost in. Rubber mats only go so far, and physically putting heavy items in the back of my wagon is bitch, I'd much rather just throw stuff over the side of a bed that into a hatch. There are some products you simply don't want in the back of your car - concrete mix, used tools, etc. Being able to completely isolate things in the back is great, imo.

This is one car in the Subaru lineup. This isn't their flagship vehicle, nor the one that is going to rake in the most cash. You're absolutely right that they're doing this to avoid having people jump ship for other products. This was the most cost effective way to produce such a vehicle. There's no argument that there would have been "better ways" to approach this type of car, but they would have required a lot more R&D would boost ongoing costs from moving away from true platform consolidation. I would assume were dismissed out of hand from these two facts.

Again, their market isn't truck owners. It's people who were going to buy an Outback, but wanted a little more utility out of it. To try to compete toe-to-toe with "real" trucks would have been ludicrous. At the same time, the perception in terms of "value", is that this car should be as cheap as a truck. 25 grand for a truck (or as many have pointed out, not even half a truck), gimme a break. It should have been closer to 20K for it to make sense.