Suzuki Samurai
A riddle--what vehicle was dirt cheap, mechanically simple, had a 60-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, and is world-renown for its off-road performance?
The answer: The original World War II-era Jeep ... and the Suzuki Samurai.
The Suzuki Samurai was, at least on paper, the perfect off-road vehicle for its time in the 1980s. The closest thing to competition it had was the Jeep Wrangler, which was significantly more expensive and significantly less fuel -efficient. Its low price point and comparatively frugal fuel consumption led to initially high sales, with more than 47,000 sold in its first year. The Samurai seemed destined to do to the American SUV market what the Toyota Hi-Lux did to the American pickup market.
Sadly, unlike the original Jeep, the Samurai was built during the beginnings of the 24-hour news cycle and hyperlitigation that we've come to enjoy today. Consequently, in 1988, when Consumers Union, the company behind Consumer Reports magazine, declared that the Samurai "rolls over too easily" and rated it "not acceptable," the Samurai's fate was sealed in the same sorry, hype-filled dustbin occupied by the likes of the Audi 5000CS. Sales dropped like a stone, Suzuki sued for damages, and the rest is history.
When addressing the Suzuki Samurai, it is key to remember what it was and, equally importantly, what it was not. The Suzuki Samurai was, first and foremost, a pure SUV. It was designed to do one thing--go off-road--and it did that very well. Dimensionally, it was nearly identical to a World War II military issue Jeep; the Samurai was only four inches longer, an inch and a half narrower, and had a virtually identical wheelbase. Consequently, it possessed many of the same advantages that the original Jeep possessed off-road--it was light enough to not sink in the mud, and it was short enough to not get easily high-centered.
Equally importantly, just like the original Jeep, it was cheap enough and easy enough to fix that you could bounce around and break it with a good conscience. This earned the Samurai a well-deserved reputation as an exceptional off-road warrior. To illustrate that point, the world record for highest altitude achieved by a four-wheeled vehicle was once set by a Jeep--it was then subsequently broken by a Samurai.
That said, while the Samurai shared many of the strengths of the
original Jeep, it also shared many of its weaknesses. Thanks to its
rock-hard suspension, the Samurai was an extremely rough ride on
pavement. The 1.3-liter engine, though fuel-efficient compared to its
competition, was also extremely anemic; getting a Samurai up to 65 mph
took almost Monza Wagon-like
patience and guts. In exchange for proper ground clearance, the Samurai
was exceptionally top heavy, which gave it that world-infamous handling
in tight, sudden turns.
Ultimately, the Samurai became the Don Quixote of SUVs, serving as the last true, inexpensive, purpose-built SUV in a time when monsters had already been vanquished and a new age of reason was dawning. Even as an anachronism, though, it was an especially useful one, climbing windmills and rescuing fair mud-bogging maidens like none other. Its like shall be forever missed.
Both of the Samurai pictures came from Flickr user ilb17's impressive collection.
--David Colborne
Mochi Mochi on August 01, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Great article. Very nicely written. I'm sure the little red samurai will take a lot of heat in the comments to follow. Another case of waving a red flag in front of a herd of bulls.
I am going on the record as really liking the Samurai. Not as a road car. As a little jeep. I have always hard a soft spot in my heart for little jeeps - just like the right hand drive Mail Jeeps pictured above. They always struck me as wonderful little cars that were rugged and well, exceedingly cute. Now I know that cuteness is not a real high priority amongst motorheads, but hey it works for me.
I've driven old skool jeeps and very old wranglers. They suck on the road. Yes they will tip over in a gentle breeze. So don't drive them there. They just aren't road cars. You have to drive them in a completely different way than any road car. A few days ago David Drucker wrote this about the Navigator: "I can't testify to the Nav's high-speed handling in the twisties, because I'm not an idiot". That was a wonderful and concise assessment of the situation we are looking at with the Samurai.
I'd own one of these things. And a mail jeep too. If I drove it on the road most of the time I'd lower it and put on hub spacers. Otherwise I'd use it on my "dream" ranch in southern New Mexico, and I'd spend a lot of time exploring the deserts around Las Cruses, Alamogordo, and El Paso.
Anthony Cagle on August 01, 2008 at 12:47 PM
I agree fully. Back in my field archaeology days, someone I worked on a project with had one and just loved it. She traveled all over the west from job to job in it, it was efficient and let her get off-road to project sites easily.
Back when Consumer Reports -- which I completely ignore anymore -- got in on their silly SUV-rollover craze, my first thought was "Well, duh. High ground clearance = good off-road = tips over easily. Way to state the obvious, frickin' rocket scientists." Ooooo, and guess what else! A low-to-the-ground sports car will bottom out a lot! Who woulda thunk!
Rob the SVX guy on August 01, 2008 at 01:26 PM
Yeah I hate consumer reports with a passion. They tested the sport version of some car, with stiffer suspension and low profile tires, then complained that it didn't ride as nice as the standard one. They had the gall to suggest that the sport package was stupid because you paid extra but received a worse ride quality.
UGH. DUH.
Anyway, I like this thing. It doesn't guzzle gas like an H2/navigator/chromed out leather monstrosity and would actually be USEFUL off the road. Suzuki needs to make more vehicles.
mulezuk on August 01, 2008 at 07:04 PM
Yeah the hatred for consumer reports runs deep. The lawsuit that suzuki filed vs. CR, was actually won....in about 2000 or so. It was proven that the CR test had been modified, as in the cones were closer together in the slalom - therefore causing harder turns and producing roll overs.
I have one of these things and it is just an all around good little run about, no it doesn't get there fast, but it is such a spartan little truck that I dismiss everything else when I'm out riding around.
Brian on August 02, 2008 at 08:24 PM
Any Japanese vehicle called a "Samurai" must be worthy of a look-see. They're often scoffed at in my neck of the woods, but those scoffers more likely than not have never driven one. I can now understand that they're more of a true off-road vehicle and not at all a pretend SUV.
James on August 02, 2008 at 08:50 PM
Besides, name a nother vehicle that could have pulled this off http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM3vOzq8fCY&NR=1
WARNING: not same for work language
Shawn on August 03, 2008 at 11:16 AM
To James, nice vid, but that's a SIDEKICK, not a Samurai.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame on August 03, 2008 at 07:59 PM
This is a Samauri, I think:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIBe6PNMrh0&feature=related
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame on August 03, 2008 at 08:01 PM
This is impressive, too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w1cVZQDxBQ&feature=related
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame on August 03, 2008 at 08:05 PM
Don't try *this* in a Mazda 626...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml6Y0oUtrfg&feature=related
Mike on August 05, 2008 at 02:51 PM
My wife and I bought a Samurai in 1990. It almost immediately was named the "little red truck" (oddly enough, it is red).
I finally took it apart after accumulating 305,000 miles (mostly western interstates). The little 1300 was pretty worn out, and it was just too slow. It is going back together (slowly) with a 1600cc Tracker motor and lots of other tweaks. These trucks - and yes, they are trucks (just little) - have become cult vehicles. There are numerous manufacturers of aftermarket parts, and they are almost tractor like in their simplicity.
I always thought the Consumer Reports stuff was pure idiocy. Anyone with the most basic knowledge of physics can figure out that a Samurai will turn over easier than a Mustang or whatever. Of course, when we had a rental Mustang (returning from the airport) in a typical Wyoming snow storm, I was thrilled to get back into our Samurai for the final 25 mile drive into the mountains.
Hopefully it'll be back on the road before too long.
Mike on August 05, 2008 at 02:51 PM
My wife and I bought a Samurai in 1990. It almost immediately was named the "little red truck" (oddly enough, it is red).
I finally took it apart after accumulating 305,000 miles (mostly western interstates). The little 1300 was pretty worn out, and it was just too slow. It is going back together (slowly) with a 1600cc Tracker motor and lots of other tweaks. These trucks - and yes, they are trucks (just little) - have become cult vehicles. There are numerous manufacturers of aftermarket parts, and they are almost tractor like in their simplicity.
I always thought the Consumer Reports stuff was pure idiocy. Anyone with the most basic knowledge of physics can figure out that a Samurai will turn over easier than a Mustang or whatever. Of course, when we had a rental Mustang (returning from the airport) in a typical Wyoming snow storm, I was thrilled to get back into our Samurai for the final 25 mile drive into the mountains.
Hopefully it'll be back on the road before too long.
Waylon on August 05, 2008 at 08:25 PM
The thing that people have to realize is what the Samurai was. It was an off-road vehicle that went on the road, not the other way around.
Have you seen a Samurai with 30 inch tires? I have, and they work. Another thing about them, in the midwest farmers buy them, jack them up, put flotation tires on them, and pull small spray rigs behind them for spraying their crops with chemicals. There are plenty of them out there used in this way.
Dave on August 06, 2008 at 07:46 AM
Even more basic (if that's possible) than the 1.3 l Samurai sold in the U.S. was the 1.0 l SJ 410 sold in other countries. Drove them on islands in the Carribean around '84. Great for getting around on barely paved mountain roads where you wouldn't want to slip off the edge.
Gurugu Wayabi on January 29, 2009 at 11:58 PM
A very reliable vehicle and want to purchase one and wish to become an agent to sale in PNG where the demand for this vehicle is very high because of it reliability.
vince Gonka on March 08, 2009 at 08:28 AM
Ive owned my samarai since 87. It is the best vehicle I have ever owned. Now the ride stinks, yes, but for getting to the city and back was light on the wallet. My body got used to the rough ride only because of the sun shining down on me and in the winter driving around all the cars and trucks stuck in the heavy chicago snow. I am in the process of restoring this little red truck for my 2 boys to enjoy on the trails out here. Looking forward to the rides to the beach and back. Yes we have beaches in the chicago land area.. This truck fits in the tightest parking spaces in the heart of chicago.. If you see a little red samarai riding the draft of a semi tractor trailer heading down to florida, thats me on its 9th trip!! Save the samarai!! :)
Caesar on April 09, 2009 at 01:17 PM
I have an '87 that is under going a rebuild. The stock tires, engine and suspension are being retired. Not because of their lack of performance and dependability but because they have been thoroughly used up.
The original set up has been great. You can check it out here http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3075843. I have pics of the original as well as some of the in progress.
I have now decided to raise the suspension 6" to run 31" tires. I have replaced the 1.3 with a JDM 1.6 from a sidekick. One of the best upgrades I have made. Doubled the power, doubled the fun, and actually gained some MPG.
CJinSD on April 12, 2009 at 04:09 AM
I really wanted one of these when they first came out, but dealer greed took them out of my budget. Hopefully the dealers that were marking these things up 30% went bankrupt as a result of the hachet job done by the alarmist media. I finally got to live out my Samarai fantasies by driving one around Costa Rica for a couple weeks in 1995. It was a 4-cylinder with 6,500 miles, but if anything it was less powerful than the US models. On the longest straight I could find, with a gentle downslope, I reached a hair raising 110....kph. That was right before the pavement ended with a 6 inch drop onto dirt, starting a hobby horse motion that made 68 mph seem very fast indeed. When I got back to the states, my BMW seemed so powerful that it might shoot out from under me if I were incautious with the gas pedal. I wouldn't have wanted to drive it down a river though, as I did happily in the Samarai near Montezuma.
J Cook on June 03, 2009 at 02:54 PM
I have a 1988 1.3 Samurai and take alot of guff for it. People say it looks like a giant roller-skate. Probly right. After you get past it's super-nauseating ride, its slow-motion acceleration, and it's super sloppiness (brakes, handling, noise) It's, by far, the cheapest, simplest, most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. They'll have to pry the little toy from my cold, clammy hands when it finally outlives me. But, as a side note, there is enough room to make-out in there...barely.