Once upon a time, Subaru produced a pickup called Baja. Although it wasn’t in production for too long (just five years), it left a decent mark among lovers of this Japanese brand. That’s why we can hear reports about its comeback these days. Simply, pickups are more popular than ever, and that includes smaller models as well. Furthermore, more and more carmakers are starting to offer unconventional pickups, which ride on a car-like unibody platform. This seems like a perfect opportunity for Subaru to bring back the familiar nameplate, maybe already as the 2022 Subaru Baja pickup truck. At this point, this is just a rumor.
The officials are still quiet about this model, so it’s still hard to talk about any potential design features. Still, we may presume that this truck would also feature a unibody layout, but this time in a little bit bigger package.
The 2022 Subaru Baja pickup truck could arrive already in the next year if we can trust rumors.
2022 Subaru Baja Pickup Truck Design
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is the base layout. At this point, one of the rare things that seem certain is the base layout. If the 2022 Subaru Baja pickup truck is about to arrive, it will ride on a unibody platform, with standard all-wheel drive, like any other Subaru. Of course, it would ride on the company’s new modular architecture, the same one that underpins pretty much all models from this carmaker.
Unibody pickups are becoming a common thing these days. The benefits of such a design are numerous. First of all, there is an obvious advantage regarding comfort and ride quality, as the ride is pretty much the same as in a typical crossover. So, we would expect a similar driving experience to the Ascent, for example.
Exterior
Although the 2022 Subaru Baja pickup truck would ride on the company’s modular platform that underpins pretty much entire lineup, we presume it would have most things in common with the Ascent. The mid-size SUV offers three rows of seats and a wheelbase that’s enough long to be used for a pickup truck. The two models should feature a very similar suspension setup, as well as the overall mechanics.
Of course, the same thing could be said for aesthetics. This particularly refers to the front end, which should look pretty much the same as on the three-row SUV. Of course, the rest of the body would come in a typical pickup layout. We are pretty sure that the crew cab will be the only layout in the offer, as that’s the case with most unibody pickups, such as Honda Ridgeline, Hyundai Santa Cruz etc.
Interior
On the inside, we don’t expect to see surprises, at least when it comes to the dashboard design. So, things should be pretty much the same as in the Accent. That would mean a modern, car-like layout, with an attractive dash design and massive use of quality materials. Furthermore, we expect that the 2022 Subaru Baja pickup truck will come packed with lots of tech features, including a full load of advanced safety systems.
As we’ve just mentioned, a crew cab layout is the only one we expect to see on the offer. So, you may count on two rows of seats, both capable of accommodating adult passengers with ease. Behind, the Japanese manufacturer should offer a decently sized cargo bed, though it’s still early to talk about the exact size. More precise details about dimensions are expected next year.
2022 Subaru Baja Pickup Truck Engines
Once again, we don’t expect bigger surprises. The 2022 Subaru Baja pickup truck should rely on the company’s proven powertrain options. Most likely, base models will come with a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter flat-four, which puts out around 180 horsepower. For those who are looking for something more than a daily commuter, the company will probably offer a new 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four, which puts out around 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque.
Both engines would come paired with a CVT gearbox, while the AWD layout would be standard, of course.
Some sources also speculate about the possible hybrid version. That makes perfect sense considering the latest trends in the automotive industry. However, the officials are still quiet on this matter.
2022 Subaru Baja Pickup Truck Release Date
At this point, the 2022 Subaru Baja pickup truck is just a rumor, so its arrival should be taken with a big reserve. If it arrives one day, it will compete with models like Honda Ridgeline, Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford Maverick etc.
On the other hand, it’s still early to speculate about the price, as we don’t know the actual size, engine lineup and features. Still, we believe that base models will cost somewhere between 25.000 and 30.000 dollars.