Subaru's Latest Outback Appears More Attractive as a Baja Pickup Than as an SUV | Carscoops

      A digital artist reimagines the controversial 2026 Subaru Outback as a pickup, evoking Baja vibes

      20 hours ago

      by Thanos Pappas

      The Outback’s boxy SUV design has divided fans but may be better suited to a pickup format.

      Independent renderings from Digimods Design capture the essence of the Subaru Baja.

      An Outback-based pickup could compete with the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.

      The 2026 Subaru Outback was unveiled earlier this month at the New York Auto Show, and the feedback has been, to put it mildly, mixed. While many fans are still grappling with the shift in design and overall bodystyle, an independent artist has demonstrated that the controversial appearance might actually be more effective if Subaru embraced it and created a pickup instead.

      Subaru has faced criticism for moving the Outback away from its elevated wagon origins and molding it into what some perceive as an awkward, boxy SUV. Despite this backlash, the taller profile and straight-edged front of the new generation surprisingly lend themselves well to a truck conversion.

      Digital artist Dimas Ramadhan, known as Digimods Design, found inspiration in the new Outback for his recent renderings. He referred to the creation as a revival of the Subaru Brat, although the design arguably resembles a contemporary take on a soft-roading pickup, similar to the Honda Ridgeline.

      This conceptual double-cab pickup could provide Subaru with a crucial entry into the compact pickup market, currently dominated by models like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.

      Screenshots: Digimods Design / YouTube

      The front end largely mirrors the Outback SUV, but an extended wheelbase and longer rear overhang create space for a properly sized truck bed. Notably, this rendering features the standard Outback front bumper instead of the more divisive grille from the rugged Wilderness variant.

      Revisiting the Subaru Baja Concept

      If such a model were ever produced, it would likely utilize the Outback’s unibody platform. Power would likely come from the turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine generating 260 horsepower, which appears more fitting for a pickup compared to the base naturally aspirated engine. In the Outback, this turbo engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and delivers power to all four wheels via Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.

      The original Subaru Baja, built on the Outback and Legacy, was offered in the U.S. from 2003 to 2006. Despite its dedicated following today, it struggled to attract buyers at the time and quietly exited the lineup without a successor.

      In recent years, unofficial renderings of Subaru-branded pickups have proliferated. Some have been based on the Crosstrek, others on the Forester, all tapping into a persistent nostalgia for a Subaru pickup. In 2023, Subaru even engaged with this nostalgia by sharing an Outback-based Baja rendering on social media as an April Fool’s joke.

      The question remains: should Subaru genuinely consider reviving the Baja nameplate for modern times? With compact trucks gaining popularity, it might not be a bad idea.

      2026 Subaru Outback