A common question we get asked a lot around here is, “What’s the best 4x4 ever?” That question is usually followed by a long debate about why a certain vehicle is better than another, and it usually ends with a roomful of angry people.
Well, we’ve decided to open up a whole different can of worms and have narrowed down the worst 4x4s of all time. That’s right, we’re going to give you good reasons to overlook some of the biggest brain farts in the off-road world. Now, before we start, let us remind you that we could build an Oldsmobile Cutlass into a Trophy Truck with enough money, parts, and metal. We’re talking about generally stock vehicles here.
While these choices are sure to anger some hardcore fans out there, we have a simple reply for that: Whah! Tough nuts. This is an opinion piece, and we can think what we want. If you think we’re nuts, feel free to write into off-roadweb.com and tell us why you disagree.
The Samurai
The Suzuki Samurai is one of those rigs that you either love or hate, and most people hate them! Some go as far as to say they wouldn’t take one if you gave it to them as a gift.
The 1.3L four-cylinder engine in the Samurai is not very powerful and the carbureted ones
It is actually quite capable off-road and its fuel economy is better than what some new cars can achieve. The Samurai came out-of-the-Crackerjack-box with solid axles and leaf springs all around, which were pretty heavy duty for stock tires. The interior room is actually decent (considering the size of the vehicle) and even those who are slightly over six feet tall can fit inside comfortably. If your Samurai doesn’t have carpeting, make sure your ignition tumbler isn’t worn out otherwise you’ll lose your keys to the drain hole on the floor board that’s directly underneath it (we have seen it happen on more than three occasions).
The solid front axle is pretty stout, but unless you do a spring-over-axle lift with a hig
Despite Consumer Reports’ claim that it rolled over too easily, some would say the handling is pretty good on the ’88 Samurai, because it came with better sway bars than the previous models. The power on these little trucks was incredible…for a sewing machine. In fact, the drivetrain is so bad the transfer case decided to get divorced from it! There’s also no way you can sleep in a Samurai, so it’s no good for camping either. The Samurai is a fun little 4x4, but driving one means you’ll get compliments like, “Cute car, my sister had one of those!” and “They still make those?” Or you’ll get people pointing and laughing uncontrollably at stop signs.