The Suzuki X-90 is a two-seat off-road car with sports car styling, built between 1995 and 1997. It was derived from the Vitara, had a removable T-top roof and replaced the Samurai in the United States.
Suzuki X-90 at a glance
| Production | 1995–1997 |
|---|---|
| Type | two-seat off-roader with sports car styling |
| Basis | Suzuki Vitara |
| Roof | removable T-top |
| Engine | 1.6-litre 16-valve four, 95 PS |
| Drive | rear- or four-wheel drive |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual or automatic |
| Equipment | dual airbags, ABS, optional air conditioning |
| Japan sales | 1,348 |
| US imports | 7,205 |
| Australian imports | 484 in 1996 |
History of the Suzuki X-90
A concept that made production
The X-90 debuted as a concept car at the 1993 Tokyo Motor Show, and Suzuki put it into production in 1995. It went on sale in Japan towards the end of 1995 and in western markets in April 1996, replacing the Samurai in the United States. Mechanically it was a Vitara, but with a much rounder two-seat body, a separate boot and a removable T-bar roof.
The spec
The engine was a 1.6-litre 16-valve four with 95 PS, driving through rear- or four-wheel drive and a five-speed manual or an automatic. The X-90 had dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, optional air conditioning and a dealer-installed six-disc CD changer. Suspension used MacPherson struts and coil springs at the front and coil springs with wishbones and trailing links at the rear, with a space-saver spare in the boot and extra storage behind the two seats.
Sales and reputation
Suzuki sold 1,348 in Japan and imported 7,205 into the United States, nearly two-thirds of them in 1996, with 2,087 in 1997 and 477 in 1998. Australia took 484 in 1996, and the car was also sold in Europe; by the middle of 1997 the retail price had fallen by a quarter, imports stopped and the last cars were sold in 1999. Towards the end a European Philippe Cousteau Special Edition added a body-coloured bodykit with a bull bar, running boards and wheel-arch extensions, 16-inch wheels and decals numbering it out of 3,000. The X-90 also served as Red Bull’s advertising vehicle with a 1.5 m mockup can over the boot. In 2013 Top Gear Magazine listed it among the 13 worst cars of the previous 20 years, and in 2022 Motor Trend put it first on its list of the 25 worst cars of the 1990s.
Design and features
- Vitara underneath: real off-road mechanicals in an unusual two-seat body.
- Removable T-top: an open roof without a full convertible.
- Well equipped: twin airbags and ABS in a small niche model.
- Polarising: a commercial flop that became a cult oddity.
Suzuki X-90 versions
- X-90 (1995–1997): the standard two-seater.
- Philippe Cousteau Special Edition: European version with a bodykit and 16-inch wheels.
The X-90 was built on Vitara mechanicals and replaced the Samurai in America. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.
Video: Suzuki X90 conquering the Stair Steps at Hollister Hills
Video by rubicon4wheeler on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki X-90, English Wikipedia: history, specification, sales, reception
