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People have diverse feelings about trucks. For example, some people claim the Honda Ridgeline isn’t a real truck as critics praise it for being the most comfortable. Now the Subaru Baja is being called one of the worst trucks ever made while it’s also a nostalgic icon. 

Why is the Subaru Baja being called the worst truck?

While reading a list of the worst pickup trucks ever from QZ, I came across the Subaru Baja, which seemed like an odd choice. Most people love the Baja and wish it would return to firth the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. 

But to be honest, this list might not be credible. QZ asked people to share what they think the worst truck is and why. It’s unclear how many people actually answered the question and there are no stats about reliability to back any of it up. 

Facebook user, Nick Dixon, shared that he owned one, and it was terrible. The bed was useless, it was gutless, and it received a middling fuel economy. I was a car with a truck’s fuel efficiency. 

He continued to explain that it had an unremarkable ground clearance with massive front and rear overhangs. Plus, it only had space for four passengers because the middle seat was delayed. Also, the cargo space was limited. 

The 2004 Subaru Baja parked in tall grass
2004 Subaru Baja | Subaru

The bed length is 41.5 inches, the width is 41,5 inches, and it provides 17.7 cubic feet of cargo space. The Ford Maverick offers 33.3 cubic feet of cargo space in the bed, so that’s a pretty intense difference. But the Baja can pass longer items through the cabin. 

The Baja has a payload capacity of 1,070 lbs and can tow up to 2,400 lbs. The Maverick can tow up to 4,000 lbs. 

Also, it gets an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and up to 23 mpg on the highway, which wasn’t terrible for the time. 

For camping and off-roading, the Baja has an 8.4-inch ground clearance and that’s actually pretty solid for its class. 

The Baja has excellent reliability ratings and can last between 200,000 to 250,000 miles. Some examples have surpassed 300,000 miles. 

So, to rest my case, it’s unfair to call the Subaru Baja the worst truck ever made. To really judge the worst trucks ever made, I need to see sales figures, performance stats, and reliability ratings. Not one guy’s opinion.

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Staff Writer

Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.