Forgotten 90s SUVs That Are Suddenly Cool Again

One of the biggest criticisms heaved upon modern SUVs is that they aren’t innovative enough. Designs have become increasingly homogenous, with a focus on comfort and efficiency above all else. It’s not entirely a bad thing, as the situation means you can walk into just about any dealership and find a compelling, polished product. However, the result is that SUVs aren’t as interesting as they used to be.

This wasn’t the case in the 1990s. Back then, car companies were still trying to figure out what customers wanted, and with every new segment comes bold designs and innovations that hope to win customers over early on. Automakers were willing to experiment, and while it did lead to more than a few models being killed off only after a few short years, it also led to the creation of SUVs that we would kill for today. We’ve chosen to highlight 10 1990s SUVs that have fallen off most people’s radars, and more than a few of them can be picked up cheaply today if you know where to look.

Ford Bronco II

1984–1990

Yes, the Bronco II was mainly a 1980s SUV, but it was sold in the 1990s, at least for one model year, so it made it on the list. The idea behind the model was a sound one by taking the Ranger platform and build an SUV on it. It gave Ford a product underneath the full-sized Bronco, and it offered customers a capable utility vehicle at an affordable price point.

Plus, just look at it: this model looks pretty sweet, with great boxy proportions and those awesome large side windows. However, the car was plagued with a scary safety record that ended up costing Ford billions in settlement damages. The company hoped that replacing it with the Explorer would improve its reputation. Still, if you know anything about the first generation of that model, you realize that the company’s problems were largely of its own making.

Suzuki Samurai

1985–1995

Tiny, cheap, and unfairly maligned, the Suzuki Samurai was an awesome car killed by time and controversial research findings. First, the good. If you’re looking at the Samurai and you think it’s reminiscent of the famed Jimny, that’s because it was one, albeit one designed for US audiences. It was the brand’s first 4×4 on US soil, and customers loved the small size, rugged design, and affordable price that undercut larger competitors.

For the single buyer, or even for a couple, it was all the 4×4 they needed, even if performance was leisurely at best. In 1988, the car received a redesign that made it even more comfortable and improved on-road handling, and while you’d probably dismiss this as just a normal update, it was at least partially in response to the scathing Consumer Union report that said the car “easily rolls over in turns“. Suzuki disputed this, and there’s evidence that the testing wasn’t correctly conducted, but regardless, it severely hurt sales. It was eventually replaced with the Sidekick, but that model lacked the edge of the Samurai.

Mazda Navajo

1991–1994

Of all the vehicles on this list, the Mazda Navajo is probably the most obscure. Many forget that Ford owned a stake in Mazda until the mid-2010s, and over the years, it saw the creation of quite a few joint vehicles. The Navajo was Mazda’s version of the first-generation three-door Ford Explorer, and the only real changes were cosmetic.

However, this didn’t stop the model from winning Motortrend’s Truck of the Year title in 1991, with praise being heaped on the car’s on-road manners, styling, and capability. However, either the sales weren’t there, or Mazda wanted to explore something different, because after only three model years, the Navajo was discontinued. This turned out to be for the best, because the Ford Explorer/Firestone tire controversy that popped up a few years later was a headache Mazda simply didn’t need. Regardless, it’s a cool, very rare SUV.

Isuzu Trooper

1991–2002

If you know anything about 4x4s in the 1990s, you know that Isuzu was a big player. The Japanese automaker knew how to make a rugged, comfortable SUV, and had learned a lot about what buyers wanted from the first-generation Trooper. When the second one rolled onto lots in 1992, it arrived with softer styling, more luxury amenities, and a solid design that gave drivers confidence.

It also offered solid ground clearance, a robust 4WD system, and powertrains that improved over the years. Sold all around the world, Isuzu realized it could make much more money from the model by selling the design to others, allowing it to become the most rebadged vehicle of all time. In the US, it was also sold as the short-lived Acura SLX, and we like the styling on that one just a bit more.

GMC Yukon GT

1992–1997

Two-door SUVs rule. Are they impractical? Yes, but when the proportions are just right, they really do make a design shine. This was the case with the Yukon GT in the 1990s, an attempt to break into the sporty SUV segment before it was fully fleshed out. It sat on the same GMT400 architecture as its cross-brand siblings, and it offered that sweet square body styling with a short wheelbase and large rear windows that really tied the SUV together.

The GT changes were mostly cosmetic, like the addition of decals and lettering on seats, but the weight savings from the smaller model meant that it was pretty light on its feet. We love the look of it, and it sounds great too, thanks to the V8 under the hood. While they’re tough to find, many owners have coveted them over the years, so it’s not that unusual to see one pop up in great shape.

Toyota RAV4 (First-Gen)

1994–2000

For one of the best-selling cars of all time, it’s surprising how much the first-generation Toyota RAV4 gets lost in the fray. The brand’s first compact crossover aimed to bring utility to the masses in a quirky design that manages to immediately capture your eye today. Available with FWD or a full-time AWD system, it boasted, at best, 120 horsepower, so the car certainly wasn’t speedy.

However, it could be ordered in a three-door design, with some of the greatest three-spoke wheels of the 1990s, and the brand even released a fully-electric version that became one of the very first production EVs in the US. As time wears on, these cars keep looking better, and they’re still rather affordable, too, making them a unique ’90s ride.

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

1997

If anyone ever says Mitsubishi doesn’t make cool cars, simply point them in the direction of the Pajero Evolution. This isn’t just an awesome homologation special; it’s easily one of the coolest cars of the 1990s because the brand didn’t hold back. It was built for rallying, and so it featured state-of-the-art everything, from a widened body, a high-revving MIVEC V6, upgraded suspension, improved handling, and everything else you’d need to dominate the Dakar Rally.

The car did just that, dominating and winning the rally a record 12 times. A little less than 3,000 of these cars were sold to the public, and no other SUV ever sold to the general populace has ever looked this wild, so today, they command their prices well. However, whatever they’re asking is probably worth it, because it’s not every day you get to own a legend.

Isuzu VehiCROSS

1997–2001

Bold, crazy, and a little bit insane, the Isuzu VehiCROSS was an attempt to reorder the status quo like we’d never seen before. From start to finish, the company bucked conventional thinking, letting its designers run free and greenlighting the most impressive design it saw with little to no external input. Production was accelerated because it utilizes ceramic dies, cutting down on time and cost, but limiting the number of cars that could be made, giving it an inherent rarity.

The VehiCROSS featured an advanced BorgWarner 4WD system, aerospace-grade external bypass shocks as standard, the crazy, futuristic looks you see above, and enough ground clearance to get over nearly any obstacle. Nothing looked like it before, and nothing has looked like it since, and whether you love it or hate it, you have to respect the confidence it took to press this into production. If you want something unique today, you really can’t do any better.

Infiniti QX4

1997–2003

When the Infiniti QX4 arrived, luxury SUVs were still a new concept in the US market. It was essentially a Nissan Pathfinder in different clothes. Still, the automaker made quite a few changes to visually and luxuriously set it apart, like adding better leather upholstery, wood trim, and a revised exterior that gave it a refined, pleasant look. The drivetrain was old-school, and it probably would have been better suited with a V8, but that wasn’t in the cards.

However, the suspension was softened to give it a better ride, and it utilized an advanced AWD system that was straight out of the Nissan GT-R. While power was poor at first, things improved substantially in a 2001 facelift, so if you’re looking to scoop one up, definitely find a later model. It may have been early to the game, but it deserves more respect than it gets.

Isuzu Amigo/Rodeo

1998–2003

The Amigo/Rodeo was Isuzu’s second attempt at offering a fun SUV in the US market. The first was just called the Amigo, a model that had a much better name in Japan, but the second generation gained the Rodeo name later on, and it offered a playful alternative to mainstream SUVs that wasn’t as odd as the VehiCROSS. It was a body-on-frame SUV with two uncomplicated powertrains offered, an optional 4WD system, and a two-door Sport version that could take the rear roof off.

It’s reminiscent of the Pathfinder of the time, and Honda sold it as the Passport, but it never found too big a market share because buyers were looking for more comfortable SUVs at that point. It’s hard to find clean examples these days, but they’re a blast from the past that deserve more respect.

Sources: Suzuki, GMC, Ford, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Mazda, Toyota