BajaNomad - Baja Review: Subaru Outback and Legacy for Baja California

Baja Review: Subaru Outback and Legacy for Baja California

Ken Cooke - 11-1-2015 at 11:52 AM

The Subaru Outback and Legacy are clean/ecological, reliable forms of transportation that unfortunately fall short when leaving the pavement in Baja. While running with Jeeps to Guadalupe Canyon in 2006, a Subaru driver unfortunately high-centered atop a cactus mound after parking for a pit-stop. The small family appeared to be working hard to free the Subaru from the traps of sand and dirt as we continued on to our hot tubs.

On another trip - this time down the bumpy road to Gonzaga Bay, our group came across a driver in a much more troubling situation - read on...

With a sock packed into the intake to keep out dirt - this "Legacy" could not scale the hills leading to Puertecitos.

Thankfully, Subaru's engineers included front tow receptacles to attach our tow strap to.

Home free. This "Legacy" is on its' way to Puertecitos with another cautionary tale for travel, "Over The Baja".

While in Northern Colombia, I looked over this Subaru Outback. It was richly appointed with leather and high-dollar electronics, but fell short in the area of ground clearance, capable tires, and the kind of hard parts (long travel suspension, monotube shocks, chassis stiffeners) meant to get a driver and its occupants back safely from...Guadalupe Canyon.

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David K - 11-1-2015 at 12:10 PM

All Wheel Drive and no LOW RANGE is why I left Subaru and went to Toyota in 2000. My previous Subaru (1987) had real part-time 4WD and low range. I did like the 25+ mpg back then!

Ken Cooke - 11-1-2015 at 12:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

My previous Subaru (1987) had real part-time 4WD and low range. I did like the 25+ mpg back then!

Problem is, Subaru marketing leads people to misconstrue capability with their previous models.

[Edited on 11-1-2015 by Ken Cooke]

I think I spotted the problem!

AKgringo - 11-1-2015 at 12:52 PM

Was the driver of that Subaru aware that there was camp trailer hooked up to him? I mean come on, Subies are great little cars, but that was too much load for the highway, before he even got to a long rough grade.

Like DK, I had a Subaru GL wagon with a low range 4x4 option, and I LOVED that simple, reliable little car! I cranked the adjustable stock suspension up to the max, put 14" Mickey Thompson Baja belted tires on it, and was amazed where I could go with it.

I had it in Alaska, not Baja, but in addition to the hazards of driving on beaches, washed out roads, river bottoms, and bogs, deep snow is sometimes on the menu.

One of my responsibilities in those days was avalanche control at a local ski area, which meant that I needed to be there even before the roads got plowed. More ground clearance would have been great, but what sometimes stopped me was not lack of traction, but plugging the radiator driving through fresh snow over the bumper.

In short, if I could not make it up there in my Subaru, neither could the skiers, so we weren't going to open. I wish they still made that mode, but with maybe a bit more power!

By the way, those are not designed tow points, they are tie downs for shipping the Subies around the world.

Subaru Forester

AKgringo - 11-1-2015 at 02:07 PM

I never have checked out the Forester. Aside from a bit more room inside, does anyone here know if it has greater back road performance than the Outback? How about a low range option?

David K - 11-1-2015 at 02:18 PM

Had a 77.5 4WD wagon, a 80 4WD wagon, and the '87 (or was it an '86?) GL wagon.
The first two wagons had the 1600cc engine and high range only 4WD. The last one had an 1800cc engine and the 2 speed transfer case.
Tom Miller and I really pushed for the 2 speed transfer case. The adjustable height front and rear suspension was also a plus from Subaru.

basautter - 11-1-2015 at 02:18 PM

Thanks for the heads up. I too fell for their advertising and was thinking about getting one. Not anymore.

David K - 11-1-2015 at 03:36 PM

Rav4, Highlander, 4Runner would be the 4WD Toyota models in the Outback to Forester range of size, I think.

Hook - 11-2-2015 at 01:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by basautter

Thanks for the heads up. I too fell for their advertising and was thinking about getting one. Not anymore.

The Foresters and the Outbacks are still great cars for many purposes. Just dont ask it to do what a Jeep or a 4-Runner can do.

DianaT - 11-2-2015 at 04:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

Quote: Originally posted by basautter

Thanks for the heads up. I too fell for their advertising and was thinking about getting one. Not anymore.

The Foresters and the Outbacks are still great cars for many purposes. Just dont ask it to do what a Jeep or a 4-Runner can do.

Our 2011 Outback has been on the Gonzaga road more that once and did great--- just careful with bigger rocks. Because of its design, while it does not look like it, it has more ground clearance than did the Toyota Rav. We have been on many dirt roads in the states ---- no, it is not built for boulder hopping. In the sand and ice it is really good. We intended to buy the Forrester but at the time, the Outback got better mileage because of the transmission ---that has changed now. We have 98,000 miles on it and other than regular maintenance, we have had zero problems. Great car.

Still have it, and if we could have put a camper on it, we would not have bought our truck.

philodog - 11-4-2015 at 09:28 AM

For 98% of Baja roads the newer Outbacks would work just fine. The new style, started in 2010 has 8.7 " of ground clearance (Tacoma has a whopping 0.4" more), more than any other mid size SUV and lots more than the older models shown in the pics. No it doesn`t have low range but again, for the VAST majority of roads in Baja it isn`t needed.

Bajakiter - 11-6-2015 at 02:24 PM

Hold the phone! What everyone is failing to say is that those Jeeps and trucks in the photo are not stock.

They have been lifted with bigger tires and off road suspension. You can't make that comparison in a fair light.

That being said, the wife just bought a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek and to be totally fair, I was pretty skeptical at first on how it would handle Baja. It does have a good amount of clearance and the stock suspension is on par with any other stock truck or jeep.

Background on wife. She drives like she's in a Dakar race, average speed is 80mph from TJ to Cabo. Yes, she has been pulled over by both local and Federal police, but her radiant blue eyes have gotten her out of all of them. Does not matter if she's on dirt roads or the Hwy, same speed which one has to accept death when in the passengers seat. So my natural inclinations were that her new car would fail to live up to her previous 2007 Jeep Patriot with 200k+ miles that I substantially beefed up to handle her driving.

To my surprise, the Subaru so far has handled everything thrown at it like a gazelle, from 80 mile rutted roads to the sand dunes of San Quintin. This SUV is clearly not a Score Baja 1000 rig, but a very capable vehicle that can easily handle Baja.

Now some of you folks might be thinking, well he don't know crap about 4x4 off roading. Many moons back, in my earlier years, I had the fortune of working with a few well known monster truck shops that enabled me to humbly learn a thing or two. While working in these establishments, we not only worked on those rigs that you see at fairgrounds that jump cars, but also a fair amount of mud boggers, rock climbers, rally, desert runners and custom show 4x4's. Our projects pretty much coved everything, if you had the cash did it! We all know how crazy 4x4 folks can be, everything we did was custom to be able to handle the often brutal punishment that owners expected once it left the shop. We also spent allot of time in the field "testing" wink wink our projects to make sure they lived up to the customers expectations.

My daily Baja rig.

1997 Nissan 4x4 with 38" tires with custom Dana 44 axels front and rear cut down that have 4.88 gears stuffed in them with ABR lockers. A commercial grade 12,000 lbs worm winch that can be mounted front or rear and also too many other 4x4 add-ons to mention. This little boy has been all over the world (almost 700K miles), from Europe to the deep jungles of South America.

David K - 11-6-2015 at 03:05 PM

Bajakiter, I took my Subarus far beyond their design parameters many times in Baja... and that was when all Subarus had 13" wheels, real 4WD, but in two of the three, no low range... It is really about tire placement and driver skill. I drove my first Suby to Gonzaga Bay from Puertecitos on the OLD-OLD road, in '79... Yes, I lost my exhaust on one of the grades... but made it to Alfonsina's from Puertecitos (50 miles) in 5 hours!

10-15 miles south of Puertecitos.

Who is the skinny kid wearing a SCORE hat?

Calamajué Canyon

Between Calamajué and El Crucero, November 1979 pre-running the Baja 1000 section I was to drive in 2 weeks.

Bajakiter - 11-6-2015 at 03:28 PM

David K, I could not agree more! "tire placement and driver skill" are so key and no matter what you are driving, if you don't know what your doing, you could get a tank stuck.

AKgringo - 11-6-2015 at 03:46 PM

DK, I had an 82 GL with a four speed with low range. I discovered that the lug pattern, and center hub diameter of the four lug 13 inch Subaru wheels was the same as a standard six lug rim. I just drilled two extra holes in a set of 14 inch Chevy Luv rims, and bolted them on.

14 inch rims opened up lots of options! I chose Mickey Thompson Baja Belted tires.I think they were 26x8.50, or close to that.

Aside from cranking the stock suspension up to the max, and a few well placed blows with a 4 pound single jack, no other mods were necessary.

I don't have a lot of experience building a 4x4 that will go anywhere, but lots of experience getting stock, (or near stock) rigs places they were never designed to go.

About the time I am ready to start patting myself on the back for my driving skills, I am forced to tip my hat to the Baja Locals. I guess I am just average down on the peninsula!

[Edited on 11-6-2015 by AKgringo]

chuckie - 11-6-2015 at 04:17 PM

I don't think we are talking about OLD Subarus here...The Outback was not around in 87....One of my hunting partners has an Outback and it seems to go wherever its pointed. Granted, its not in Baja, but sees an awful of mud, snow, and Colorado forest trails...When it gets stuck, so does most everything else....Good rig...as far as I know stone stock except I think she may have added a skid plate or two....

David K - 11-6-2015 at 04:48 PM

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

I don't think we are talking about OLD Subarus here...The Outback was not around in 87....One of my hunting partners has an Outback and it seems to go wherever its pointed. Granted, its not in Baja, but sees an awful of mud, snow, and Colorado forest trails...When it gets stuck, so does most everything else....Good rig...as far as I know stone stock except I think she may have added a skid plate or two....

Well, this is Ken's thread about how Subaru Legacy and Outback wagons "fall short" in off road ability.

I think you will see nearly all replies are letting Ken hear from those of us former Subaru drivers, that given the right direction... you can get a Subaru nearly everywhere! Yes, for a couple of us, it was the pre-Legacy/Outback/Forester AWD days when Subaru was a front wheel drive brand that added a REAR differential and part-time 4 wheel drive to increase the market appeal for those who wanted off highway abilty in the mid-1970's +. The 25+ MPG was also great back then. My Jeep was getting 10 mpg at best, when I sold it and got my first Subaru.

AMC Eagle and Toyota Tercel 4WD vehicles followed Subaru's lead in making 4WD passenger vehicles. The Audi Quattro came along, too.

One of the extreme places I took my Subaru in 1978, was up Matomí Canyon when a flash flood prevented me from reaching the ranch by the waterfall. This is just a couple miles from the ranch, Tomás Dowling was with me here (the owner of Matomí, then) and tried to help by moving some logs to deflect the rising water! I was stuck here but saved when I let air out of my tires as the water was about to come inside the wagon.

Subaru Matomi.jpg - 52kB

chuckie - 11-6-2015 at 05:13 PM

K? Your rear view mirror is not the windshield.....

mtgoat666 - 11-6-2015 at 05:16 PM

Modern subaru can travel 100% of paved roads in baja and at least 90% of the unpaved roads. Subaru will get you to plenty of places in baja. My 4wd 4runner in baja spends 99% of its travel time in 2wd.
Re accessing the coast, if there is a road-accessible fish camp then most any 2wd can get to it.
Dont want to burst your ballons, but yor 4wd is rarely needed, y'all do 99% of your driving on paved or well traveled unpaved roads

bajagrouper - 11-6-2015 at 05:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Ken Cooke

The Subaru Outback and Legacy are clean/ecological, reliable forms of transportation that unfortunately fall short when leaving the pavement in Baja. While running with Jeeps to Guadalupe Canyon in 2006, a Subaru driver unfortunately high-centered atop a cactus mound after parking for a pit-stop. The small family appeared to be working hard to free the Subaru from the traps of sand and dirt as we continued on to our hot tubs.

On another trip - this time down the bumpy road to Gonzaga Bay, our group came across a driver in a much more troubling situation - read on...

With a sock packed into the intake to keep out dirt - this "Legacy" could not scale the hills leading to Puertecitos.

Thankfully, Subaru's engineers included front tow receptacles to attach our tow strap to.

Home free. This "Legacy" is on its' way to Puertecitos with another cautionary tale for travel, "Over The Baja".

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In the last foto the police have a great picture of the guy stealing the rim and tire...........LOL

FYI, the 2015 model I have has a feature called X-MODE which will let you take your feet of the brake while it creeps down a steep rocky path...works great on the sand also, I have had 4 Subarus (a 1990-2000-2011 and now a 2015) all Baja tested .......

David K - 11-6-2015 at 06:24 PM

X-Mode sound like DAC in my Tacoma (Downhill Assist Control).

It uses computers and rotation sensors to prevent sliding of any tires to reduce the chance of slipping sideways and rolling over. Works only in 4WD Low Range. You just steer and don't touch brake or gas... it is a controlled safe drop down on steep, rough, rocky, uneven grades... works terrific, but it is a bit nerving the first time you try it as you feel like you need to put your foot on the brake... but you don't! I used it on the Widowmaker and other similar grades.

Goat, that you have a 4WD and don't use it is really a shame, because 2WD vehicles do the majority of damage to dirt roads. Because you only are using 50% of your traction ability, you are spinning you tires twice as often to push your weight. 4WD is dirt road-friendly as you will have little to no spin/slip.

mtgoat666 - 11-6-2015 at 08:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

X-Mode sound like DAC in my Tacoma (Downhill Assist Control).

It uses computers and rotation sensors to prevent sliding of any tires to reduce the chance of slipping sideways and rolling over. Works only in 4WD Low Range. You just steer and don't touch brake or gas... it is a controlled safe drop down on steep, rough, rocky, uneven grades... works terrific, but it is a bit nerving the first time you try it as you feel like you need to put your foot on the brake... but you don't! I used it on the Widowmaker and other similar grades.

Goat, that you have a 4WD and don't use it is really a shame, because 2WD vehicles do the majority of damage to dirt roads. Because you only are using 50% of your traction ability, you are spinning you tires twice as often to push your weight. 4WD is dirt road-friendly as you will have little to no spin/slip.

If i dont need 4wd, i dont use it. Get better mileage that way. For unpaved roads built with normal grades (slopes), my 2wd locomotion is not tearing up road relative to your less efficient 4wd locomotion.

Ken Cooke - 11-6-2015 at 11:39 PM

This is one of the worst stretches of Baja road in existence - the road to Mission Santa Maria de los Angeles. When I bought my Jeep Rubicon, it was for traveling roads such as this one - reliably, to see what lies at the end of said road.

The Subaru Outback I looked over inside the Buena Vista Mall (Barranquilla, Colombia) back in January looked luxurious for the drive down Hwy 1, but it wasn't up to the kind of travel I'm most interested in. The family that got stuck coming out of Guadalupe Canyon had no business there in a family sedan. They would have been better off in a truck-based vehicle with true 4WD with selectable lockers and low range like the Jeeps you see here.

Bajakiter - 11-7-2015 at 09:24 PM

Ken Cooke, true that the road to Mission Santa Maria de los Angeles is a very technical road that should be only driven with the right rig, but I would bet the farm that at one point over the years, their has been some Mexican in a stock 1985 Toyota Camry that has gone down that road. :biggrin:

I got caught on that road 10+yrs back in a freak rain storm late in the day while winching someone else out. It was ugly, we ended up spending the night with the the back of my truck attached to a Pull-Pal (Best money I ever spent) and my winch on a larger truck (he took a turn too fast and slid off the road). The rain was brutal and the whole night the road looked like a river.

Both routes (East & West) to Guadalupe Canyon, can be tricky depending on if it's rained or are in bad shape. That Subaru just took a wrong line on the trail and that could easily have been avoided if someone had just gotten out and been a spotter or walked that area to see the best route.

A wise old 4wheeler once told me. "No matter how bad a$$ your rig is, it WILL get stuck sooner or later. Swallow your pride and use a spotter if you are ever are not completely sure. Even if you are, use a one anyways!!"

Those true words have saved me time and time again over the years.

Ken Cooke - 11-8-2015 at 09:16 AM

Wise words, BajaKiter! :yes:

Here is an overland-prepped Subaru - probably better kept near campgrounds and hard-packed dirt roads of Baja

[Edited on 11-8-2015 by Ken Cooke]