2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck: Everything We Know

No official announcement was made by the manufacturer, but there are rumors swirling that we will see a 2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck. Subaru of course is not a big name in the pickup truck game but they are trying to get their hands dirty.

So what are they going to do in order to disturb the pecking order of the best pickup trucks?

Subaru will try to revive the long-forgotten Baja – a small pickup truck that was being produced from 2003-2006. They scrapped the project because it simply wasn’t making a profit. The pickup was too small, too expensive, made with certain terrain in mind. However, today this truck would have knocked it out of the ballpark with small tweaks and upgrades of course.

So let’s take a look at what a brand new 2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck would look like and what it needs to compete with the best in the category of mid-size pickup trucks.

Interior

We don’t expect small changes in the interior, after all, the 2023 Subaru Baja Truck is 16 years ahead of its latest version. There are going to be big moves on the inside and we suspect fans will love it. One of the main problems with the previous Baja was the lack of gadgets. It didn’t feel luxurious, it was basically a working horse and it looked the part. We can expect Subaru to borrow a lot from one of its best SUVs, Subaru Ascent.

Change it up a bit, make it bigger and more spacious and you got yourself an extremely good interior for a mid-size pickup truck. Buyers will be able to choose from different cab versions, two-door and four-door versions are probable. Huge cargo bedding is to be expected, maybe a cover for it will be available with higher trims. Leather and fabric upholstery are going to be available.

Based on trims there are going to be various color schemes and choices of the upholstery. There are a lot of soft-feeling plastic areas in the Subaru Ascent, and we expect it to be the case with the 2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck as well. To make it look more luxurious the manufacturer could and hopefully will add some silver touches. The dashboard if borrowed will show energy consumption and climate effect which is very modern and environmentally friendly. As far as infotainment goes there will be a central touchscreen. Since it is a pickup truck hopefully not too small, 10 inches should be a minimum.

Connectivity won’t be an issue, expect it to be compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and have Bluetooth as well. This should cover all grounds and allow some quality entertainment to passengers on their long drives. Air conditioning is a must, especially when it’s warm and you are speeding on the off-road and you don’t want dust and dirt going in through your windows. All in all, if the 2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck borrows a lot from Subaru Ascent, we won’t be disappointed at all.

Exterior

The 2023 Subaru Baja Truck was built with off-roading and wild terrain in mind. Well, it is in the name, so obviously expect it to be as sturdy and resilient as they get. Information is still vague about trim levels, but we are sure about basic and wilderness ones. Expect the new Baja to have an aggressive and one-of-a-kind look, Subaru will try to give it a look that is going to turn some heads.

We know for a fact that Wilderness trim level will offer good ground clearance, 9.5 inches to be exact. Don’t expect other trim levels to be much different. All-terrain tires will be available, and depending on where you plan to drive, much needed. Wheels are 17 inches black aluminum alloy. This is a very light and strong material and is the standard in the industry.

You won’t end up with a broken wheel if you push the vehicle to the limits and it is going to make the new 2023 Subaru pickup truck feel like a feather. This will improve fuel consumption and its power to weight ratio. Hopefully, we get more color choices in the wheels department, but that remains to be seen. On the front, Baja will have its cousin’s Ascent look. But the rest of the vehicle should look more like a mid-size pickup which Baja is. We will probably see the headlights and tail lights get a complete remodel. Round-shaped lights are old news, expect them to be shaped like a square or perhaps a boomerang. Since it is an off-roader we might get a set of headlights on the top of the car, which will definitely increase visibility in the wild.

2023 Subaru Baja Truck Engine Options

This is going to rub some people the wrong way but there aren’t going to be any hybrid or all-electric versions of the 2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck. Not sure why Subaru decided to go this path since they themselves said that they will implement all-electric or hybrid vehicles before 2030.

But as far as a powerhouse for the mid-size Baja pickup truck is concerned we can expect a traditional combustion engine. Probably a 2.4 liter turbocharged Boxer. It boasts around 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, which is quite nice. There are rumors about a version with a 3.6 liter Boxer engine. This will enable the new 2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck to topple all obstacles. It produces upwards of 300 horsepower and would give it towing power of more than 6500 pounds.

The problem with the previous Baja was CVT, and fans rejoice since Subaru won’t be using that one anymore. A six-speed manual or an automatic transmission is on the table. An all-wheel-drive system will be standard in the new Baja. Under the hood, Baja is a beast and hopefully, this will prove to be true in the wild as well. We will watch its career with great interest.

2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness Truck Price and Release Date

The truck should drop in the stores’ late summer of 2022 in order to compete with its rivals like Toyota, GMC, Ford, Chevy, and similar. It will also have to be more affordable so it would pique interest from buyers.

After all, Subaru is not a big name in the mid-size truck industry. Expect prices to be around $30 000 for the basic trim. And hopefully personalizing the truck to your needs won’t increase the price greatly.

Once again, thanks to the KDesign we have great teaser photos.