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2004 Subaru Baja Turbo
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:42:27 |
| Rating |
 238 ( -34 -14.28% ) | | Author | Dan Lyons |
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Description:
2004 Subaru Baja Turbo
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Writer's Notes
Test Vehicle:
2004 Subaru Baja Turbo
MSRP:
$26,295
As Tested:
$26,845
Showroom appeal:
All wheel drive hybrid, now with available power boost
Plus:
Versatile package, added turbo dimension
Minus:
Funky looks, smallish pass-though portal
Regardless of trim level, Baja holds four; rear seat passengers will be knocking knees with the seatbacks, if all are tall.
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Subaru made its name as a builder of all wheel drive vehicles that valued function and traction more than passion or fashion. Nothing wrong with that, of course, and the company has made fans of many folks with a lineup made largely of unpretentious, all weather wagons.
Of course, even those who make their livelihood on plying the practical know that there's more to life than just eating bran and wearing sensible shoes. And so it is that Subaru also builds the WRX Sti. The 300 hp Sti, Subaru's sport sedan flagship, is the poster boy for the fledgling segment of rally cars turned road machines.
For 2004, Subaru has decided to liven things up a little further down the lineup by offering turbocharged versions of its Baja and Forester models. Baja joined the lineup in 2003. The part sedan, part pickup crossover gets its genetics from the Outback and its roots from the Brat.
Brat, you may recall, was a funky, pioneer pickup/car hybrid, built by Subaru from 1977-87. Outback is one of Subaru's modern, mainline wagon lines. Baja is essentially an Outback wagon from nose to back of cabin, with a short pickup bed behind, in place of the, um, covered wagon.
"Baja Turbo gives new definition to "sport plus utility", adding an element of driving fun absent in compact truck-based vehicles."
Pickups - even short, hybrid pickups - have gotten smarter in the era from Brat to Baja. The former famously offered a pair of rear-facing plastic seats in the pickup box. Here's one retro trend that has happily been allowed to die out. In its place, Baja supplies a multi-function bed. In standard set-up, the small box measures 41.5" long by 49" wide (39.2" between the wheelhouses) at floor level. However, you've got two options for boosting the cargo hold. The front wall of the box has a standard, pass-through hatch (30.1" x 12" opening). An optional bed extender can be fitted to the other end, where it swings out and rests on the open tailgate. This gives you a workable length of 60.5" in the extended box, with a center pass-through max of 93.5". The idea is to be able to accommodate all manner of outdoor sporting gear, like skis, a surfboard, mountain bike, scuba stuff - even lumber or ladders. It's about utility, and options.
The original Baja model was followed soon after by a Sport model, which traded a little content for a lower price point. The new Baja Turbo angles for a more sport sedan feel, with a MOMO leather-wrapped wheel and upgraded, 100 watt AM/FM sound system with 6 disc in dash changer. A package upgrade adds perforated leather upholstery and dual, heated front seats. Regardless of trim level, Baja holds four; rear seat passengers will be knocking knees with the seatbacks, if all are tall.
While the Subaru standard, 165 hp boxer-style engine feels up to the task at hand, the 210 hp (235 lb. ft. of torque) Turbo is all that and then some. The Turbo boost shows up pretty much wherever you need it. There's plenty of power for a low speed on-ramp merge or a two lane highway pass. My Baja tester was packaged with an optional four speed "direct control" automatic transmission. The auto box works with a Variable Torque Distribution all wheel drive system. Like some German all wheelers, the default power split is 45% front, 55% rear, to impart more car-like handling dynamics. The VTD system monitors driving conditions and shuttles power fore and aft as necessary to optimize the distribution of power. The automatic also has a Sportshift mode, for clutch-less shifting using the center console gear selector. The Turbo is smooth and responsive and about the only knock you can make on it is that it's thirstier than the base boxer motor. An automatic equipped Baja with standard four cylinder is EPA rated at 21 mpg's city/28 highway, while the boosted versions measure 18/23. Though not a hard core rock-basher, Baja is fine for light off-roading, and has picked up some added ground clearance this year (now 8.4"). Baja's Outback-based platform is outfitted with a four wheel independent suspension. It sits low, relative to many of its ute kin, and has car-like handling and good ride comfort. Larger SUV buyers who drop down to crossovers are pleasantly surprised to remember how much smoother cars feel, compared to trucks. Baja Turbo has a solid sedan manners and corners enthusiastically.
I described the first Baja, seen side on, as looking like the styling collision of a small station wagon and a small box pickup. The description still fits, though some new visual cues have been added to distinguish Turbo models, like a functional hood scoop and six spoke alloy rims.
The addition of the Turbo option pulls the Baja further into the middle of Subaru's range, somewhere south of the Sti and north of the wagons. Baja remains an interesting off-shoot of the utility crossover movement. Outdoor actives in particular should take to its blend of all weather capability, a four place cabin and a cargo-friendly mini-box. And, if the budget allows for a Turbo upgrade, the fun factor payback should justify the expense.
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---Story and photos by Dan Lyons
photos © Dan Lyons 2003 |
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