Suzuki Vitara
Alright, you’re going to have to give yourself a moment to accept this one. It may not seem like this is the right choice to make this list. Sure it’s a very small SUV. Sure the power can’t come close to any other vehicle on this list. But the Vitara has something going for it. As James May once famously said while driving his little Suzuki through a jungle with two plodding monsters, “It’s Plucky”.
The Vitara is full of spirit. It used to be known as the Sidekick. But the Vitara has essentially been the exact same car since 1988. Technically there are four generations of the vehicle, but really it’s been very similar over the entire lifespan. The Vitara has actually been badged as a lot of other vehicles. General Motors called it the Tracker under various badges. It was also the Pontiac Sunrunner.
For the first three generations, the vehicle was available in both 3 and 5 door options. Both vehicles were small, light and capable of tiptoeing along over things like a deer gracefully leaps across things.
Source: Shutterstock.com
The small size of the Vitara has led to an incredibly small wheelbase. This is part of what makes it so adept at climbing through trails. The short wheelbase means that there’s a minimal amount of undercarriage that can possibly strike anything while the Vitara is skipping along the trails.
It’s true that the Vitara isn’t a great option for towing. The size means that huge loads aren’t going to work out well. On the plus side, the Vitara is a fun vehicle. The Sidekick/Vitara is one of the only sport utility vehicles that offers a convertible option! Convertibles are
One of the best reasons for the Vitara to be on this list is the sheer number that are still on the road today. A huge amount of the ones that have been sold are still out there hopping around on motorways or skipping through offroad trails in California.
