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10 Long Forgotten Vintage Japanese Off-Road SUVs

Vukasin Herbez September 4, 2024

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.

1. 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.

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2. Isuzu VehiCross

Not too long ago, Isuzu SUVs were pretty common and respected in America. During the `80s and `90s, thanks to cooperation with General Motors, Isuzu sold numerous models on the American market which gained a reputation for being durable and dependable vehicles.

However, Isuzu realized that the future is in SUV models and the early `90s decided to produce a totally new and highly capable lifestyle model called VehiCross. Behind this strange name was an even stranger vehicle which was only sold in the three-door specifications, only with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and automatic transmission. Isuzu designed the VehiCross to be a totally modern and even futuristic off-roader and gave it its best all-terrain technology and components. But, in 1997 when the VehiCross was introduced, the market just didn`t react the way it should. The vehicle was pretty strange looking, some say it was very ugly and it came in crossover form but in fact, it was very capable and quality built off-roader. That is why the US sales were pretty slow and in 2001 the VehiCross was discontinued.

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3. Toyota 4Runner

Toyota’s answer to the Bronco and K5 Blazer came quite late in 1984. It followed the same recipe as its competitors: a shortened Hilux truck chassis with a single cabin and a removable hardtop. The 4Runner came in time to battle with the second generation of the Bronco and the K5, and while it obviously couldn’t compete with the two due to lack of V8 power, it gained recognition due to its ruggedness and durability.

In all honesty, even without the V8 under the hood, the 4Runner was a great SUV for the period and was especially capable in off-road conditions. Today, the palette of inline-four engines is considered the most reliable, so the best way is to try and find these versions, despite the obvious lack of power compared to the V6 models. If you wish to go off-roading in the 4Runner, the models with smaller engines have better all-terrain capabilities than their big-engine counterparts.

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4. Mitsubishi Pajero

Introduced in the early ’80s, the Mitsubishi Pajero soon became popular in Europe, the Middle East, and America. It was a simple but effective off-road SUV that came in many varieties and with a couple of powerful engines. The construction of the original Pajero was basic with ladder chassis and leaf spring suspension in the back, but its off-road performance was more than good.

Over the years, the Pajero was upgraded into a more luxurious machine, and it even went racing. In the late ’90s, they introduced the Pajero Pinin as a smaller, more affordable version of the original Pajero. However, with the introduction of European SUVs in that class and market, the popularity of the Pajero started to decline. Today, Mitsubishi no longer sells the Pajero in Europe and its presence is limited to just a couple of markets around the world. The current generation was introduced in 2006 and it is long overdue for replacement.

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5. Suzuki X-90

The `90s were strange times and the Japanese car industry was known to produce some pretty odd and funny vehicles. Back in the day, Suzuki was one of the biggest Japanese economy car brands with millions of buyers in the US. However, thanks to the successful small Samurai SUV, the company wanted to explore the rising SUV market but not with the common Vitara and Grand Vitara models but with something completely different.

How about a two-seater, two-door SUV with compact dimensions and removable T-Top? Sounds insane? Well, that is exactly what the Suzuki X-90 was when it was introduced in 1995. Powered by a 95 HP 1.6-liter four-cylinder, the X-90 was rear-wheel drive as standard or optional all-wheel-drive model with very limited interior and trunk space. The car was officially sold in America and Suzuki even managed to sell 7000 copies but neither the buyers nor the motoring press understood what Suzuki wanted to say with this model. The X-90 was discontinued in late 1998 and up to this day, it remains one of the strangest Japanese production cars of all time.

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6. Suzuki X-90

The car that made the Land Cruiser nameplate world-famous entered the automotive market in 1960 as a purely utilitarian short-wheelbase off-roader. During the production run, which lasted until 1984 and until 2001 in Brazil, the J40 had dozens of iterations. Because some of them were particularly valuable due to unmatched off-road performance, it gathered cult status among mud-loving enthusiasts. One of them is the FJ40, a version powered by a 3.8L inline-six engine, while the ultimate version was the 2FJ40 with the power coming from a 4.2L inline-six.

The J40 had a few memorable diesel versions as well, with the biggest one being the 2H 4.0L straight-six. While the J40 series was available as two or four-wheel drive, with two or four doors or even as a pickup, the two-door four-wheel-drive model is generally the most sought after one. However, all versions can provide drivers with endless fun, especially since the J40 Land Cruiser is easy to modify and customize any way you want to. As previously mentioned, the J40 can offer phenomenal off-road performance and experience, but be sure to find a four-wheel-drive model to squeeze the most out of this car, although these models will come with a higher price tag.

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7. Isuzu Trooper

Introduced in 1981, Isuzu Trooper was the perfect car for the time. It was a relatively spacious, great-handling off-road SUV with dependable mechanics, nice design and lots of character, something that Japanese cars often lack. The Trooper was a very capable off-road vehicle but still retained a certain level of on-road highway manners which made it equally at home on dirt roads as well as on the interstate.

Although US competitors all had V8 and bigger engines, Isuzu 2.8-liter V6 didn’t sound as much but it was enough for all purposes and off-road driving. From today`s perspective, the Trooper looks a little boxy, but that’s how the SUVs from the `80s looked like. Also, one of the key characteristics of this model is its impeccable build quality which means that there is a fair amount of survivors on the road today and this model has kind of a cult status amongst the classic SUV fans.

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8. Nissan Patrol

Today, most US customers recognize Nissan Patrol as Armada, a big and heavy luxury SUV often in two-wheel-drive configuration, but long ago, the Patrol was a serious off-road vehicle, intended for heavy-duty use with mechanics to cope with toughest terrains.

Designed as a competitor to the FJ 40 Land Cruiser, the Patrol has grown and matured by the early `80s into a modern SUV with global appeal. Nissan redesigned its chassis and engines, as well as the interior and introduced the third generation of Patrol in 1980. It was a boxy SUV but with lots of interior room, tough mechanical components and undeniable off-road capabilities.

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9. Suzuki Escudo/Sidekick/Vitara

In the late `80s, Suzuki Motor Company needed something to make buyers forget the Samurai scandal and regain the positions lost on the compact SUV market. The answer was new and modernly styled model called Sidekick or Vitara. It was Suzuki`s global project to introduce a modern looking and more on-road oriented model which will appealed to younger crowd and was safer, better equipped and more usable than the small and problematic Samurai.

The first generation Sidekick or Vitara was introduced in 1988 and immediately met universal praise from the buyers and the motoring press. It was the right model for the times with cool looks, nice options, long and short wheelbase versions, and an optional open top. It could be a family SUV as well as a fun vehicle for weekend trips to the forest. Under the hood were several gasoline engines all relatively small in displacement and power but good enough to propel the compact Sidekick to performance similar or better than the competitors. The production of the first generation lasted from 1988 to 1998 and the replacement model was called the Chevrolet Tracker.

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10. Toyota Landcruiser J60

It is insane that good examples of J60 series Landcruiser are bringing north of $30,000 today but this is the reality of the collector`s car market. The classic `80s SUV was affordable not that long ago but now the prices are getting out of hand. However, the restoration projects are still somewhat cheap and if you have the means to perform it, you should consider finding `80s Landcruiser.

Introduced in 1980 and discontinued in 1989, J60 was sold all over the world and very popular in America. It combined the ruggedness of classic FJ40 with durable 4.2-liter inline six-engine and bigger, more comfortable body. The combination proved influential and J60 is now in the focus of collectors all over the world.

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