Cars you Can't Have - Suzuki Jimny

There are interesting cars throughout the world that, for some reason or another, you can't buy in the US.  Some just wouldn't sell (station wagons), and others don't pass safety regulations.  But that doesn't at all mean that they're inferior.

Journey to Central America, Southeast Asia, or anywhere else with unpaved roads, and there's a good chance you'll be renting one of these quirky little SUVs.  The Suzuki Jimny, in production since 1968, was actually available in the US, briefly, as the Samurai.  It's very much the Japanese version of the Jeep Wrangler: simple and rugged as hell, but smaller and lighter. 

The interior is about what you'd expect: A wheel, seats, and some pedals.  Power?  A robust 80 horses from a tiny four cylinder.  But make no mistake, the Jimny performs as advertised.  It can handle some seriously rough terrain, all the while blasting frosty cold from the A/C.  It'd be terrifying to drive down the Jersey Turnpike, but when you never get a chance to get above 40 MPH,  it suits the bill just fine.

To drive such a car is a breath of fresh air.  It's a reminder of just how basic cars used to be, and that wheels, seats, and some pedals is all you really need.