The Suzuki 4x4 That Became a Global Icon Without Ever Needing Big Power

Suzuki, known in the U.S. mainly for motorcycles and ATVs, actually sold cars here until 2012. But one of its compact 4x4s, the Jimny (sold as the Samurai in America), became a worldwide off-road legend despite modest power.

Suzuki started making looms for the silk industry, then shifted to cars, but WWII halted civilian vehicle production before their first car could launch. After the war, they introduced the 1955 Suzulight, a small front-wheel-drive car with a 360cc two-stroke engine and innovations like independent suspension.

Suzuki entered motorcycles in 1952 with a 36cc engine on a bicycle, later releasing the Colleda CO in 1954. In the late 1960s, they acquired the HopeStar ON360, tweaked it, and launched the Jimny LJ10 in 1970, the first four-wheel-drive kei car. 5-hp version for export.

The Jimny arrived in the U.S. as the Samurai in 1985 for the 1986 model year. It was cheap, capable, and sold 100,000 units in 18 months. It had a 63-hp 1.3-liter engine, weighed about 2,000 pounds, and offered part-time 4WD with a two-speed transfer case and 8.3 inches of ground clearance.

In 1988, Consumer Reports claimed the Samurai rolled over too easily, but Suzuki sued, showing testers intentionally tried to flip it. NHTSA found it no more likely to roll over than other SUVs. Still, sales dropped, and Suzuki ended U.S. sales in 1995.

The Jimny continued overseas, with later generations adding coil suspension, automatic transmission, and up to 101 hp. Over half a million have sold since 2018. D. Power listing a high retail of $3,325. A 1990 model sold at Mecum for $27,500 in 2026, and a 1987 JX went for $24,500 on Bring a Trailer in 2025.