This Subaru Pickup Truck Is Perfect If You Can't Afford A Ford Maverick

This Subaru Pickup Truck Is Perfect If You Can’t Afford A Ford Maverick

The Ford Maverick sold over 94,000 units in North America in 2023, and more than 131,000 in 2024, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that there’s a strong demand for smaller pickups in this part of the world, and we should stop letting South America and Mexico have all the fun without us. The Maverick is affordable, too, starting at under $30,000, but that still might be a bit steep for someone who’s going to be using it as a second vehicle, or anyone who’s shopping for a primary vehicle on a budget.

2003 Subaru Baja

Base Trim Engine: 2.5L H4
Base Trim Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Transmission: 5-speed manual
Base Trim Horsepower: 165 HP @5600 RPM
Base Trim Torque: 166 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM

That is, if you’ve got an SUV or a mid-size sedan for hauling the family around from Monday to Friday, and you want a small truck so you can go off-roading on the weekends or haul some furniture now and then, $26,995 (plus another $575 if you want all-wheel drive) for a Ford Maverick XL with a turbocharged engine is probably more than you want to spend for something you won’t put two thousand miles on in a year.

So, hear us out: consider the Subaru Baja as a much cheaper alternative, a largely-forgotten hidden gem from the early 2000s. Here’s what we love about this little pickup.

The data for this overview has been sourced from official literature published by the automakers in question, and automotive maintenance and safety websites, with any conclusions or opinions drawn thereupon being those of the author.

What The Heck Is A “Multiple Choice Vehicle” Anyway?

Take a look at the Subaru Baja, and it doesn’t really look like any truck on the market today. The Baja was advertised in the North American market as a “Multiple Choice Vehicle,” largely because North Americans don’t know what the hell a “ute” is. In fact, we didn’t even use the phrase “coupé utility” all that frequently to refer to models like the El Camino and the Ranchero even when they were still being sold here in the States. Given that the Baja’s body type is actually based more on the Subaru Legacy wagon than on anything you might call a coupe, “multiple choice vehicle” may be a more precise label than “coupé utility” after all.

Subaru senior designer Peter Tenn told the press that the vehicle’s “jarring look” was an homage to rally-race trucks, elaborating that it’s “supposed to look funky… It doesn’t fit any category, and we knew that going in.”

All-Electric Off-Roading Showdown: Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally vs Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT

Combining performance and all-terrain prowess, these models are ready to tackle anything from a gentle dirt road drive to a full-blown rally stage.

How Does A Twenty-Year-Old Subaru Hold Up To A Brand-New Ford?

Model	2003 Subaru Baja	2025 ICE Ford Maverick XL
Engine	2.5-Liter NA 4-Cylinder	2.0-Liter Turbo 4-Cylinder
Power	173 hp	250 hp
Torque	166 lb-ft	277 lb-ft
Payload Capacity	885 lbs	1,500 lbs
Towing Capacity	1,070 lbs	2,000 lbs
Ground Clearance	7.3 Inches	8.3 Inches

In terms of base specs, the Baja is admittedly outclassed by the Maverick XL. But the Baja was also offered in a Turbo variant, which brought the total horsepower up to 210 for the 2004 model, or 230 for the 2006 model, which brings it fairly close to the base Maverick’s 250-horse output, and that’s nothing to sneeze at for a twenty-year-old pickup. More importantly, the Subaru Baja was only available in all-wheel drive. If you want the $26,995 Hybrid XL Maverick, it’s only available in FWD.

In other words, the Baja is ready to rock right out of the box. The Maverick needs to be configured just right if you want to go slinging it around corners at the dirt track.

Battle Of The Bite-Sized Semi-Hardcore Off-Roaders

Size isn’t everything.

What Will A Subaru Baja Cost You In 2025?

Heading on over to Kelley Blue Book and checking the latest national average fair market prices for the 2003-2006 model Subaru Baja (as of early 2025) gets us the following numbers:

	NA	Turbo
2003	$6,131	–
2004	$6,364	$6,737
2005	$7,703	$7,839
2006	$8,731	$9,263

So that begs the question: what are we saving by buying a Baja over a Maverick?

Getting a brand-new Ford pickup off the lot is going to cost you at least $29,285 for a Hybrid XL, so we’re keeping $20,022 in our pocket right off the bat, and that’s buying the most expensive Baja we can find. Note that the Maverick MSRP is after we add the destination charge and acquisition fee, but it doesn’t include taxes, interest, titling, registration, and so on.

Ford’s build & price website estimates a monthly lease payment of $352 for 48 months after a $2,917 down payment. At this rate, we would still be paying for a Maverick that we’ll never actually own two years after our turbocharged 2006 Subaru Baja is completely bought and paid for on the same payment plan.

The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness Is All The Off-Roader Most People Will Ever Need

How many people do actually rock-crawl on their way to the shopping center?

If you’re looking for a primary vehicle, and if a brand-new Maverick is in your budget, the benefits of being a pickup’s first driver are hard to argue against. But if you’re on a more limited budget, or if you’re after a second vehicle for weekend fun, or if you need a pickup for those once-a-month trips to the Home Depot, a reliable rally-inspired ‘ute starting at around six grand is the very definition of a hidden gem.

Don’t Forget To Kick The Tires

Any twenty-year-old vehicle is going to show some wear and tear, and, as reliable as Subarus may be, this truck is no exception. In other words: don’t skip the test drive. Here’s what you need to know before you buy a used Baja:

CarComplaints lists the 2005 Baja as the most troubled model, owing to a very small number of engine problems, with one driver reporting loss of automotive power at 139,000 miles.
RepairPal estimates an annual maintenance cost of $564 for a Subaru Baja, with the most common maintenance expenses being f or things like fuel pressure tests ($44-$56) and wheel alignments ($158-$200).
All model year Bajas have been affected by Takata airbag recalls, so make sure to run the VIN of the truck you’re thinking of buying, and see if these have already been addressed.

For an older truck, there’s remarkably little to worry about behind the wheel of a Subaru Baja. So long as you do your due diligence, checking the oil and spark plugs, listening for any weird engine noises on the test-drive, and so on, you should have no problem getting several thousand more miles of dirt road out of this pickup.

1:43