![]() ![]() Reaching 60 mph requires 18.7 seconds, and the Samurai tops out at a mere 77 mph in fourth gear. Acceleration from rest is reasonable, but it tapers off quickly as speed rises. Performance is the Suzuki's weakest area, for there is no way that its small engine can cope with its parachute-like aero-dynamic drag. On the other hand, it's not bad for a basic four-wheel-driver. Unfortunately, the Samurai is no match for a normal car in civilized environments. The short wheelbase also helps keep the chassis components from dragging over rough terrain.Īlthough its off-road capabilities prove that the Samurai is a real truck, not just a compact car in Jeep clothing, we suspect that most Samurais will turn most of their miles on paved roads. ![]() With its compact dimensions and short wheelbase, it can turn on a dime and slip through passes that would be too tight for larger vehicles. The Samurai also maneuvers well in the dirt. We wouldn't want to pull a heavy load up a loose-surfaced mountain with the little Suzuki, but it certainly has no problem hauling its own weight. Going downhill, the low range provided a reassuring brake on the Samurai's speed. On a dirt road, climbing a hill that got steeper as we went, the Samurai ran out of traction long before it would have run out of power-and it didn't lose its grip until we were so far up the grade that backing down was our only option. We took the Samurai off-road and were impressed by its pulling power. The output from this high-revving hummingbird is converted to low-speed grunt by well-chosen gearing. This modern engine develops 61 hp at 6000 rpm and 71 pounds-feet of torque at 3500 rpm, and it revs to a lofty 6500-rpm redline. Instead of a large-displacement, slow-turning, cast-iron pushrod engine, the Suzuki is powered by an all-aluminum, 1.3-liter four-cylinder version of the Chevrolet Sprint's 1.0-liter triple, complete with a belt-driven overhead camshaft. Under the hood, however, the Samurai departs from Jeep practice. All in all, the Samurai chassis couldn't be more conventional. The major components are bolted to a full-length ladder frame, which also supports the steel body with rubber mounts. An unassisted recirculating-ball steering gear directs the front wheels. The front and rear suspensions each consist of a rigid axle located by leaf springs. Underneath its skin, the Samurai is basically a compact copy of the Jeep. Although not the most sophisticated four-wheel-drive system available, the Samurai is easy to use and familiar to traditional off-roaders. To engage low range, it's necessary to come to a complete stop. If the manually locking front hubs have been engaged, the high range of four-wheel drive can be elected on the fly, provided the Samurai is traveling in a straight line. When the going gets rough, the part-time four-wheel drive can be engaged through a dual-range transfer case controlled by a floor-mounted lever. In normal driving, the rear wheels do the work. But even though it's been scaled down appreciably, the Samurai embodies most of the design features of the traditional Jeep. Compared with the classic Jeep CJ-7, itself no giant, Suzuki's mini-Jeep is about twenty inches shorter overall, five inches narrower, five inches shorter in height, and, at 2100 pounds, about 900 pounds lighter. What the Samurai is, in essence, is a pint-sized four-wheel-drive truck. Tested: 1996 Suzuki X90 Remains a Weird Idea.2020 Suzuki Jimny Brings Back the Cute Ute.Fortunately, the perfect machine for the job was already in the company's lineup: a mini-Jeep called the Samurai. For its first venture into the American market under its own nameplate, Suzuki wanted a unique product, one that wouldn't tangle head-on with any established competitors. The company's best-known car is the Cultus, which has been marketed here for the past two years as the Chevrolet Sprint. Its production last year totaled only 647,000 units, and the biggest car it builds is powered by a 1.3-liter engine. Suzuki, which has been building cars since 1961, is a relatively small carmaker both in volume and in car size. The first of these is Suzuki, the well-known motorcycle manufacturer. Mitsubishi and Isuzu joined the existing five Asian exporters in the first half of this decade when they set up their own distribution networks here, and at least two more will attack our market before the decade is out. There seems to be no end to the number of Far Eastern car manufacturers eager to hawk their wares in America. From the January 1986 issue of Car and Driver. ![]()
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