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30 Obscure SUV Models Drivers Forgot Existed

Cameron Eittreim June 21, 2021

15: Third Generation Toyota 4Runner

Driving a Toyota nowadays is almost like a status symbol, but back in the 1990s, a Toyota was an affordable automobile. The 4Runner has always been one of the most capable models on the road when it comes to reliability and design. The durability of the 4Runner makes it the first choice for enthusiasts who want something easy to modify and fun to drive.

The third generation of the 4Runner which was sold throughout the 1990s is one of the best examples of the truck. The engine is very reliable and the maintenance is seemingly carefree if you can get one that was well maintained over its life. The main problem with the 4Runners of this generation comes in the form of frame rusting, so keep an eye out for that.

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14: Isuzu Trooper

The Isuzu brand in America was among the most popular vehicle makers of the 1990s. As the SUV boom kicked off, the Trooper was at the forefront in popularity. Isuzu’s 1990s models are both luxurious and very capable off-road which has made them a focal point for collectors. The very rare two-door models have a shorter wheelbase and are a lot easier to take off-road, but the four-door is still a great choice as well.

The Trooper was marred by the bad press that surrounded the vehicle over roll-over accidents. If you are willing to accept the fact that they can tip over, the Trooper is an excellent used SUV. The resale value on them has remained fairly low because they aren’t on most drivers’ radar.

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13: Isuzu VehiCROSS

By the start of the 2000s, Isuzu was on the decline and the company needed a way to garner interest. The VehiCROSS was developed to drive consumers into showrooms to see other models. It was never meant to be the hallmark of the Isuzu brand, which is why the SUV seems more like a concept than anything.

However, there are some cool features about the VehiCROSS. The VehiCROSS was way ahead of its time design-wise, and you’ll often see SUV models that mimic it in today’s market. A loyal fanbase has followed the VehiCROSS since its launch but nowadays most modern drivers don’t even know what one is if they see it in public.

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12: Pontiac Sunrunner

In America, the first SUV to grace a Pontiac badge was the Torrent, but in Canada it was the Pontiac Sunrunner. While this was a Geo Tracker with a different front clip, the Sunrunner does have the distinction of being a genuine Pontiac. If you’ve ever dreamed about having a two-door Pontiac SUV with a soft top, the Sunrunner may be the choice for you.

Thanks to Suzuki underpinnings, the Sunrunner was amazingly capable off-road. Parts for the Sunrunner and Geo Tracker are affordable and repairs can be done by knowledgeable home mechanics. The Sunrunner will go down as one of the most unique SUV models to bear a Pontiac badge and is still drivable today.

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11: Land Rover Discovery 2

The Land Rover Discovery 2 is a nightmare to own because from a maintenance standpoint, drivers just couldn’t keep it running. But when the Discovery 2 is in operation, it holds the title as one of the most capable off-road models ever made. Resale values for these things have plummeted to almost a giveaway. And if you don’t mind doing some maintenance the Discovery 2 of the 1990s is a great deal.

Modern SUV buyers have forgotten the Discovery 2 but this was the original luxury SUV. Released before Lincoln had the Navigator and Cadillac had the Escalade, the Discovery 2 was large and in charge with a luxuriously appointed interior and a go-anywhere design that still holds today.

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10: Isuzu Amigo

The two-door Isuzu of the 1990s has become a forgotten relic of a better time. In the 1990s everything was about having fun and going to the beach, which is why topless SUV models were so appealing. Isuzu had hoped that it could capture lightning in a bottle with the Amigo but instead sales quickly faltered.

With competition from Suzuki in the Sidekick and Geo Tracker and the newly-minted Toyota RAV4 soft top, the aged Amigo just couldn’t hold its own. Isuzu later released the Rodeo Sport, which tried to address a lot of the issues that drivers had with the Amigo. Nevertheless, the Amigo is a relic of the 1990s SUV craze.

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9: GMC Typhoon

GM was on a performance kick in the early 1990s and performance trucks and SUVs were a hot commodity. The Typhoon was a unique offering and at the time, the fastest production car in the world until its title was taken. The styling was extremely clean and no-frills, with some unique colors to choose from and a turbocharged engine.

The Typhoon sold like hotcakes and the valuation of these things is still extremely high today. Although the average driver has forgotten about the Typhoon there is still a loyal fanbase that enjoys driving these things. Few SUV models were as iconic in as short a period as the Typhoon was, although they now seem obscure.

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8: Land Rover Freelander

Land Rover sales slipped to all-time lows in the ’90s, and the brand needed an infusion of sales. Thus a small SUV was developed to capitalize on the compact SUV craze that was taking over the market at the time. The Freelander was considered a failure for the brand as sales were far less than expected.

From an off-road standpoint, the Freelander wasn’t very capable and that didn’t do anything to help its reputation. Land Rover would go on to redesign the Freelander but it was too late and the compact SUV just wasn’t selling. Still, if you can find a Freelander with low mileage, it may be a unique trophy item.

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7: Land Rover LR2

The redesign of the Freelander was the LR2 and Land Rover looked to address some of the complaints of the original model. The design was a bit more upscale with a nicer interior and new exterior colors. Sadly the general design of the LR2 was still very much like the Freelander and consumers weren’t going for it.

The LR2 is slightly tougher to come across than the Freelander and the 2009 model is highly desirable. With the beautiful paint jobs, the LR2 wasn’t bad to look at, but from a capability standpoint, it didn’t hold a candle to the competition. Land Rover had many failures and the LR2 is sadly one of the apparent ones.

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6: Daihatsu Rocky

Perhaps one of the rarest models on this list, the Rocky was a compact UTE sold for a couple of years. The design of the Rocky is very similar to the likes of the Sidekick and the Samurai, but the smaller dealership network hurt the Rocky. Very few of these were sold and most drivers have forgotten about the Rocky unless they see one.

Finding a Rocky is even tougher as the places where these were sold are generally those that have the worst weather. If you can get your hands on a Rocky, it’s one of the best compact SUV models. There was a removable top and a high ground clearance, which made it a pleasure to drive and work on.

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5: Suzuki Samurai

The original Suzuki Samurai became iconic in the SUV world for its stellar design and top-notch reliability. While the SUV had a fairly simplistic design enthusiasts enjoyed the ease of reliability and parts availability. You could also put a lift on the Samurai without much fuss and the removable top was cheap to replace.

Rapper Easy-E famously drove a tricked-out Samurai and these were very popular. You’ll still come across the Samurai from time to time, but the price is high. The average driver probably doesn’t remember this capable off-road cruiser yet for the off-road enthusiast, you can’t go wrong.

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4: Mercury Mountaineer

The Mountaineer was released to capitalize on the popularity of the Ford Explorer and it was basically the same. The interesting thing about the Mountaineer is that it offered the capable 5.0L V8 engine. You might say that the Mountaineer was the Navigator before the Navigator was released.

As time went on, Ford put less and less effort into the Mountaineer until the brand was phased out altogether. The Mountaineer is often forgotten by enthusiasts but the SUV was one of the most notable ones of the 1990s. The Ford Explorer underpinnings proved to be quite capable at going off-roading and the luxury-appointed interior was a nice touch.

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3: Mazda Navajo

A more obscure Ford offering than the Mercury Mountaineer was the Mazda Navajo. The dark grill and flush taillights were the only things that differentiated the two apart. The Navajo also didn’t come in a four-door version; only a two-door was available.

Almost no one remembers the Navajo and finding one is quite rare to say the least. Surprisingly, the Navajo won its fair share of awards from the automotive press, even garnering the Motor Trend Truck of the Year title. Mazda also rebadged a Ford model a decade later in the form of the Mazda Tribute.

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2: Mazda Tribute

Speaking of the Tribute, the compact Mazda was based on the Ford Escape and shared a lot of styling with the Mercury Mountaineer. This time around, Mazda did some engineering and the Mazda Tribute had a separate suspension from the Escape.

The Tribute managed to sell quite well until Mazda decided to shift its focus toward crossover SUV models. The Tribute is perhaps one of the best and most forgotten SUV models. The final versions of the SUV toward the end of 2010 were extremely well-made.

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1: Suzuki X-90

We’re not sure what Suzuki was thinking with the release of the X-90. The two-door SUV was more like a car than anything, there was no trunk space, and it wasn’t solid off-road. Coming from the same carmaker that brought us the Samurai, this car was a bit of a shock.

The X-90 was one of the poorest-selling Suzukis on the market but today has become collectible. There are few X-90 models that are still on the road and you’ll seldom find one for sale anymore. The X-90 was a cool concept but a failed attempt at capturing a market segment that didn’t exist.

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30 Obscure SUV Models Drivers Forgot Existed

15: Third Generation Toyota 4Runner

14: Isuzu Trooper

13: Isuzu VehiCROSS

12: Pontiac Sunrunner

11: Land Rover Discovery 2

10: Isuzu Amigo

9: GMC Typhoon

8: Land Rover Freelander

7: Land Rover LR2

6: Daihatsu Rocky

5: Suzuki Samurai

4: Mercury Mountaineer

3: Mazda Navajo

2: Mazda Tribute

1: Suzuki X-90

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