The Suzuki Samurai is an interesting little vehicle. It is like a scaled-down Jeep CJ in many ways, and that’s not by accident: the Suzuki Jimny was intentionally built by Suzuki to be a mini-Jeep when the name was launched in 1970, and by the time the SJ model made it’s way to America, it had been enjoying sales successes the world over. It even did well in the United States market, all the way up until 1988, when Consumer Reports absolutely blasted the Samurai’s safety in a vehicle report, basically saying that it was easier to get a Samurai to roll over than a Labrador Retriever and that Suzuki should have bought every last vehicle back from owners. A complete circus of a lawsuit went on for years, and ultimately Consumers Union took a reputation hit while Suzuki threw in the towel in the U.S. market.
Is the rollover risk reputation legit? There was never a solid answer, with both sides literally agreeing to disagree, but after seeing this footage of a Sammy working a hilly off-road time trial course, we suspect that there might be a little bit of wiggle room. Overall, the run is just as you’d expect…right up until the driver has to back down a hill. Lesson of the day, readers: Back STRAIGHT down!
Call that an off-road course?
The street where I Iive has steeper hills and completely stock cars can actually drive up it.
These pussies need to watch rock racing – and then buy new underwear…