The New Subaru Baja Pickup, Separating Truth From Fiction

A new-release Baja? 

Could there be a thrilling new-release Subaru Baja pickup truck on the horizon? This possibility certainly causes excitement among Subaru enthusiasts. But how realistic is it?

The Subaru Baja pickup is a hot topic with Subaru enthusiasts. A lot of information is floating around, but most of it is false. In my report, I'll clear up fact from fiction. Let's start with what Subaru says. 

First and foremost, Subaru of America has not released any information saying there will be a new release of the Baja pickup. They have also not revealed that there will not be a new Baja pickup release. 

Subaru has never released information before any new model launch, and they won't start now. 

Before we delve into the new information, let's ensure we're on solid ground by distinguishing fact from fiction in the Baja pickup saga. 

Fact: 

You can rest assured that Subaru is fully dedicated to its current lineup, with new models in the pipeline. This focus may mean a new Subaru Baja pickup is not on the immediate horizon.

In the next five to six years, there will be three new electric SUVs and new Forester, Crosstrek, and Outback hybrid trim levels for U.S. customers. You can read about them in my report here for additional information. 

Subaru is one of the smallest Japanese automakers, and they don't have the financial resources to launch a new Baja pickup along with the other models coming by 2030. 

Fiction:

You can find many YouTube videos that say Subaru is bringing out a new Baja pickup. There are even images that these videos include that are made to look real. Check out my AI image above as an example. 

I don't believe any of these reports, and neither should you. They are not true; they are total fiction. Their job is to get you to watch the video because the more views, the more money they make. They are professional YouTubers, and that's what they are good at.

Fact: 

A new Subaru Baja pickup would not be a high-volume model. They would likely sell around 10,000 - 15,000 new-release Baja pickups a year in the U.S. market. However, they could sell more if they offered a Baja Wilderness trim in addition to a standard model. 

The new Baja pickup's MSRP after development costs would likely be around $35,000 to $39,000 for the standard model and more for the rugged outdoor-themed Wilderness trim ($40,000-$45,000). 

New pickup truck competition.

Subaru would be competing with pickup trucks like the new Ford Maverick. The starting price for the 2025 Ford Maverick is $27,890, and the top-of-the-line Lobo model starts at $42,090. 

The good news is that Subaru would not be taking customers away from Ford. Subaru's faithful would be buying a new-release Baja pickup. Again, Subaru needs to recoup its costs to make it profitable.

Can they sell enough to make it feasible? That's the million-dollar question Subaru executives will need to figure out. 

Now, here's new Baja information. 

The last time I reported the U.S. Patent Office Baja trademark name update in my report here, Subaru of America renewed the patent name in June 2013.

But since that report, I discovered that on Friday, June 7th, 2024, at 9:27 am Easter Standard Time, Subaru of America renewed the BAJA nameplate again. 

A Notice of Registration Renewal under Section 9 says, "The declaration of use or excusable nonuse filed for the above-identified registration meets the requirements of Section 8 of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. §1058. The Section 8 declaration is accepted."

"Status: The registration has been renewed."

This is a significant development. Subaru of America keeps the Baja name alive. 

The BAJA patent is live and registered by Subaru of America, not Subaru Corporation. This tells me Subaru of America wants Subaru Corporation to return the Baja pickup to its all-wheel-drive lineup sometime in the future. The question now is when. 

The Baja pickup is the Subaru model I want to see revived, and it looks more promising now than ever. It appears that Subaru of America does, too.

Enthusiasts who want to see a new Subaru Baja pickup in the Japanese automaker's all-wheel-drive lineup have more hope after the latest U.S. Patent Office renewal. Stay tuned.

It's Your Turn

Would you buy a new Subaru Baja if Subaru of America offered the new pickup? Would you like to see an off-road Baja Wilderness trim level? Let Subaru of America know in the red 'Add new comment' link below.

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Writer since 2012. I’ve invested over 13 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl images