Even before the Japanese manufacturers ruled the economy car market, they entered the off-road vehicles class with several models. Most of them were rugged machines designed to be good off-road and nothing more. However, as the off-roaders grew up and became SUVs, Japanese car brands were ready and introduced numerous well-known and respected vehicles. Today, we will show you the 10 best known and sought-after Japanese off-road SUVs.
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Subaru BRAT
You might think that this is a pickup and it sure looks like one, but if you look close enough you will see two rear-facing seats mounted in the bed which transforms this compact truck into a passenger vehicle. The Subaru BRAT (“Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter”) was conceived in the late `70s and designed to take advantage of the popularity of compact trucks in America.
However, there were steep import taxes for foreign trucks that would kill all of Subaru`s profits so the company thought of a genius way of selling the truck as a passenger car by installing two seats in the back. We all know that this would not be possible today, due to safety concerns and standards but it was perfectly legal in the late `70s when the car was introduced. Thanks to its unusual features, affordable price and dependable mechanics, Subaru BRAT was one of the most popular Subaru models during the `80s and a cool classic today. Some owners decided to remove the seats for more usable space running the coolness and quirkiness of this unique car.