Suzuki Samurai
The last vehicle on our storied list is certainly not least – at least, not metaphorically. Physically, our last pick might take the cake as the most bite-sized off-road wheeler. It’s the Suzuki Jimny, often referred to lovingly as the Samurai (Kogeki! That’s Japanese for “attack!”). The Jimny is Suzuki’s greatest off-road creation, and its concept, relatively ahead of its time, was introduced way back in 1968. The story begins with the Japanese carmaker buying another Japanese carmaker (hope Motor Company) and obtaining the rights to fifteen small, off-road vehicles called the HopeStar ON360. This miniature mud monster was quickly rebranded as the LJ10 and was introduced in 1970.
It’s a quirky vehicle, to be sure – so why does it garner a spot on this coveted list? If you glanced at the Samurai and thought, “hmm, that looks like a toy Jeep”, you’d be right. It is. Because the Japanese imperial army stole a Jeep and reverse-engineered. Though hotly contested, the story remains that Hope Motor Company stole ideas and design elements from the American Willys, courtesy of Toyota and their Land Cruiser. Anyway…
The Samurai (though in 1970 not technically called the Samurai) was Suzuki’s first global vehicle success, and the tiny LJ10 gained a foothold in international markets. Originally optioned with numerous two-stroke engines, the Samurai we all know and love wouldn’t be produced until 1981. That first year of “official” Samurai production would lay the foundation for a nearly occult following of this tiny 4×4. But why is it so special?
source: ShutterStock
Well, there’s quite literally just next to nothing to ‘em. The wheelbase of the “modern” Samurai is just shy of 80”, with a total length of a minuscule 135”. It’s likely the most compact vehicle on this list, edging out even the early Wranglers. And what’s more, the Samurai’s numerous engines have seemingly stubborn reliability. In fact, a Samurai set the high-altitude world record in 2007, scaling no less than 21,942 feet and suffocating the whole way – but it made it.
The Samurai’s tiny wheelbase, comparatively strong axles (yes, this tiny thing has axles) and its inline motor all adds up to a compact little wheeler that can climb over obstacles that, in sheer oxymoron, some of our other vehicles on this list simply couldn’t manage without ripping off bumpers or knocking differentials. And the Samurai’s sheet metal body can take plenty of abuse and look good doing it. This tiny thing even has a dual ratio transfer case (we say “has” because yes, the Samurai is still in production). Perhaps most incredulously, the Samurai’s vacuum-locking hubs mean it can shift from 2WD to 4WD at 62 miles per hour. Try that with any full-size pickup and you’ll feel some nasty grinding.
We could go on and on, but we think you get the point: The Samurai, though quirky and tiny, is ironically one of the most capable off-road vehicles on this list.
