When will Subaru of America offer a new Subaru Baja Wilderness pickup? Here is a rendering that will make outdoor enthusiasts want to play in the snow this winter.
What is the one all-wheel-drive Subaru model missing from Subaru of America's lineup? I have often said recently that the Subaru Baja pickup is the hot model that would significantly impact U.S. customers.
The imagined pictures here represent a desirable 2025 Subaru Baja Wilderness trim level. It's what outdoor enthusiasts want this winter and what Subaru of America needs in its all-wheel-drive lineup.
Which model would be the best for urban and off-pavement adventures?
As I've said before, It's time for Subaru of America to ask Subaru Corporation to return the Baja pickup to its lineup and build a new compact version for U.S. customers. The Japanese automaker could resurrect the Subaru Baja nameplate and should give it the Wilderness upgrades for outdoor and off-road enthusiasts.
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Let's dream
I'm picturing the new Subaru Baja Wilderness on a rugged mountain pass, its silhouette sharp against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks. The setting sun glints off its aerodynamic body, highlighting the advanced composite materials and the distinctive new grille that hints at its eco-friendly hybrid powertrain. Its wheels, designed with futuristic precision, grip the unpaved road as it showcases its off-road capabilities.
In addition, the all-new 2025 Subaru Baja Wilderness would feature the brand's core values of safety, fun-to-drive, all-wheel-drive, fuel-efficient, a low center of gravity, and dual-function X-Mode for all-terrain capability. In addition, the new Baja pickup would be extra rugged and ready to go further off the grid.
Imagine an all-new Baja Wilderness with a 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer engine producing 260 horsepower. The more rugged Baja trim could lead the segment with extra ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and underbody protection for off-roaders. Subaru wouldn't be able to build them fast enough.
Subaru's new dual-function X-Mode system would be a perfect fit and a big hit with customers with active lifestyles who want to go further off-road. Because the Subaru Global Platform provides model flexibility between the Subaru of Indiana Automotive's assembly lines and the Subaru plant in Japan, the pickup truck could be built in the U.S. plant.
It could be manufactured alongside the all-new Crosstrek Wilderness in Lafayette, Indiana, with the 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer and sit higher off the ground with at least 9.4 inches of rock-clearing ground clearance.
Let's take the dream to the next step in its evolution.
Imagine a new Baja Wilderness with a hybrid powertrain. Since we are dreaming, I also imagine a new Baja pickup with cutting-edge, sustainable, battery-electric technology. The Baja Wilderness EV would blend perfectly with Subaru's Symmetrical all-wheel-drive ruggedness.
It's time for Subaru of America to offer an all-new 2025 Subaru Baja Wilderness compact pickup with a Wilderness Edition for its customers in North America and dive into the untapped compact pickup market. It's the compact pickup you want to play in the snow this winter.
Would you buy an all-new rugged Baja Wilderness pickup? How about a Baja Wilderness EV? Leave your comments below.
Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru Baja Wilderness pickup story. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.
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I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
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I definitely want something…
I definitely want something more rugged and ready to go snow wheeling as well as drive on the beach or trails in the national parks. Baja would be perfect ! I want something more environmentally friendly than a Jeep Wrangler. I have LOVED each of the 3 Subaru models I have owned = Legacy, WRX, and Outback.
I definitely would buy it,…
I definitely would buy it, but make sure there’s enough leg room on the drivers side for someone 6 feet or larger!!!
This article is completely…
This article is completely useless it contains no facts and is barely even entertaining. The pictures are full of artifacts and it's probably a safe assumption the article was written by a language model also. I normally enjoy your content, but too many of these and I'll remove you from my news feed.
I still have my Baja I…
I still have my Baja I ordered from the factory in 2005. I love it. Best vehicle I've ever owned. It's fun to drive and super reliable. If I could afford a new Baja I would totally buy one. I don't want to part with my 2005 Baja l, though. I love it too much to part with it.
I still have my 2003 Baja. I…
I still have my 2003 Baja. I love it as well. If they make a new one i will buy it.
I see the new Subaru Baja…
I see the new Subaru Baja Wilderness on a rugged mountain pass, its silhouette sharp against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks. My tow strap is already hooked to my receiver as I creep up with my 40" mud terrains aired down to six pounds. Not the first Subaru I've pulled out of a snow bank but the best looking by far! Lol. Part time transfers cases are a must, mini portal drives would really help things (cough,cough) engineers.
Tired of all the car sites…
Tired of all the car sites using a Baja comeback as click bait. This ruse is so old Dennis, c'mon.
Can we stop pretending…
Can we stop pretending renders are real designs or prototypes? It’s art, plain and simple. There is no engineering that has gone into this, no design of anything mechanically or structurally needed. It may as well be in a frame on the wall, because all it amounts to is a pretty picture.
If only, they could get…
If only, they could get remotely close to one of the beefier renderings...they wouldn't be able to keep an inventory. But I digress. That will NEVER happen.
I'd buy one of these new…
I'd buy one of these new Baja compact trucks in a heartbeat! Subaru only has to look at the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz to see how popular this segment is here in America and the Baja you just described would be a better option than either of those. I've had three Outbacks and loved them all, but I was never fortunate enough to have the turbo engine. Please, Subaru, make this happen!
A return of the Baja would…
A return of the Baja would be a Subaru lovers dream! Knowing how car manufacturers are making dramatic changes to the original designs people love, would it be even similar to the Baja classic, or just another new vehicle branded with a popularly familiar name to create a sales market. These designs look more like a small truck, but with the Boxer being the powerplant, it would definitely create intrigue in the Subaru community. My son is a Subaru nut. He would definitely be interested in this, but in a manual stick transmission version as he loves manual sticks over automatics or even paddle shifter electronic transmissions. The way the auto industry is these days, I am sure manual stick transmissions have gone the way of the dinosaur, but even science is working to bring dinosaurs back.
I don’t normally chime in on…
I don’t normally chime in on this stuff, but I am an avid Subaru fan. I drive a 2021Subaru Forester Sport, which I absolutely love especially with my new Nokian Remedy tires. But here’s the thing…I am 6’3” tall…so even though I have loved the look, performance, and efficiency of Subaru(s) since I was a kid when my cousin drove the Brat, I always owned pickup trucks, because Subaru didn’t have enough head space. Literally every time I tested every new vehicle (Outback XT Manual, Baja XT Manual, etc) I would walk away knowing that I couldn’t buy one because I was looking straight into the rear view mirror and having to duck and/or look around this giant visual impairment.
Fast forward to 2021 when I had 169,000 miles on my Ford Expedition EL, and my wife just got a Honda Odyssey which could become our new family getaway cruiser. I no longer needed the big vehicle so I went straight to the Subaru Dealership to test the Forester Sport because I finally liked the look of the Forester with these exterior and interior trim accents. As soon as I sat in it and dropped the seat…I was sold…but it still needed the children’s car seat test. Both myself and my kids have better overall head and leg space in the Forester than in the Outback.
I have been thinking, “man…if they come out with a new Baja…and it has the Forester cab platform vs the Outback’s limited head and leg space.. I will finally own a Baja.” All I ask from Subaru is to please please please, be sure to include us taller people when designing your new vehicles and especially the Baja. You significantly decrease your buying pool when you use the Outback head space instead of the Forester’s. Use the Forester’s cab without compromising on any of the interior features, and add a 4.5’ bed to the back of it with the bed extension option like the old Baja…and I think you’ll do really well.
Oh!!! And switching from the two computer screens to the one 11.6” infotainment screen is a huge mistake in my opinion. Two screens allows me to find the needed information more quickly, which I am guessing helps people from taking their eyes off of the road for too long. lol 😂
Cheers!