10 Iconic Trucks & SUVs That Don't Live Up to the Hype!
We still love every one of these trucks and SUVs. But, for the money they cost to buy today, they don't live up to the hype!
Intro
Today we are taking a look at trucks and SUVs that collectors and enthusiasts love, but in reality, just don’t live up to the hype. For this list we include vehicles that are outside of the Ford Motor Company. Don’t get us wrong, for the most part we like the vehicles on this list. Some of them we love. But if we are being honest the driving and ownership experience doesn’t justify that love.
Image: Ford
10. 1993 - 1997 Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender was a worldwide off-road icon for decades but one that Americans only got for a few brief years. As such it built up this mystique. It has rugged good looks and is capable off-road. But it is really not much more than a piece of farm equipment. These things are as rudimentary as you can imagine. Yet, some people pay big money to park one in their driveway. If these were ten or twenty grand, we would not have a problem with them. But when the price climbs past $50k like it does for many examples, they just don’t make sense.
Image: Land Rover
9. 1986 – 1995 Suzuki Samurai
If you love rad era JDM SUVs then you likely find the Suzuki Samurai endearing. It is small, efficient, and has a plucky personality. But these little SUVs have an awful ride quality combined with a propensity to tip over if pushed a little too hard. And it is dreadfully slow. Car and Driver tested the 1986 version, and it took 18.7 seconds to reach 60 mph. And in top gear it took over 42 seconds to accelerate from 50 to 70 mph. As a fun bauble to look at, these are fine. But to actually drive, they are dreadful. This one recently sold on Cars and Bids for $13,200. A lot of money for a toy.
Image: Cars and Bids
8. 1992 – 2006 AM General Hummer H1
The Hummer H1 is on the complete other side of the coin when compared to the Samurai. The H1 is simply absurd. We do have to admit that deep down we love it for that. But this vehicle is fine if you are Arnold Schwarzenegger living on a ranch, and pretty much worthless for everyone else. It is cool, in a way that an M1 Abrams is cool, but driving your kids to soccer practice in a tank is not very practical. The H1 is enormous, it gets single digit gas mileage, it is slow as hell, and some people spend over $100K for them. The dream of driving an H1 is far better than the reality. But if you really want to drive around in a yellow school bus, this one that recently sold on Cars and Bids was a “bargain” at just over $40K.
Image: Cars and Bids
7. 1955 – 1986 Jeep CJ-5/CJ-7
The Jeep CJ-5 and CJ-7 both have classic Jeep styling. That alone is enough to draw people to these iconic machines. Nothing wrong with that. And the values of these older Jeeps have been climbing. The CJ-5 with the shorter wheelbase has a choppy and harsh ride. The CJ-7 has a longer wheelbase and a slightly better ride. But both of the you can hear rusting around you. The frames were never protected from rust and it shows.
Image: Stellantis
6. Mercedes-Benz G-Class
We didn’t put any model years here on the G-Class because even the new models have the same issue. That issue is these rigs are just silly expensive. Even a G-Class that is 10+ years old and has well over 100K miles is going to be a $50K or more purchase. A new one is going to be $200K. And for all that money, you are getting a vehicle that is great off-road but was designed more for the military than the wealthy elite. So, the driving dynamics and ergonomics tend to be far short of expectations when you are dropping this kind of money. These are cool rigs, but they don’t justify the price.
Image: Mercedes-Benz
5. 1960 – 1984 40-Series Toyota Land Cruiser
These old Land Cruisers are extremely collectible, and you could spend over $100K for a fully restored example. The Land Cruiser pictured here is a slightly modified 1963 version that belongs to a friend of mine. I have been in it, and I have driven it. If you just want to cruise around a beach town in it, then it is fine. But these are loud, uncomfortable, and slow beasts of burden. If you get a deal on one for $15K or so, then you are alright. But if you splash big cash on one of these you are not going to get a driving experience that justifies the price.
Image: Joe Kucinski
4. 2002 Lincoln Blackwood
In 2002 Ford decided that the world needed a luxury pickup truck that was entirely impractical. So, as you would expect it sold poorly and was killed after just one year. But collectors are intrigued, and prices are starting to climb. Climbing prices for a pickup truck with a carpeted truck bed and double rear doors instead of a traditional tailgate. Power is a just adequate 300-hp from the 5.4L V-8. And it gets sent to the rear wheels only. It is just not a very good pickup. People knew that back in 2002 and the truck has not improved any since.
Image: Ford
3. 2003 – 2006 Chevy SSR
Chevy saw the strange Lincoln Blackwood, and said hold my beer. In 2003 they gave the world the SSR. Twenty years later we are still trying to figure out what it is. Is it a pickup truck, a street rod, a sporty convertible? Who knows, and who cares? Well, collectors seem to care because there are some folks that really love these SSRs. They are unique and have a style that promises performance. The problem is that performance just isn’t there. When the SSR was released, it came with a 300-hp V-8. That engine was not up to the task of pulling a nearly 4,800-pound truck. 0 to 60 takes nearly 8 seconds. Chevy would eventually give the SSR more power, but it didn’t matter much. The example pictured here recently sold on Pcarmarket for $20K.
Image: Pcarmarket
2. 2005 Dodge Ram Daytona
We love powerful and sporty pickup trucks. Even if they are built by Dodge, we can appreciate the effort. And in 2005 we got the Dodge Ram Daytona. The 5.7L Hemi V-8 made 345 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque. It could hit 60 mph in about 6.8 seconds and could tow 9,300 pounds. Not bad. Except for one major flaw. Dodge decided to put form over function and slapped a giant rear wing on the back. This rear wing hampers the practicality of the pickup. This might be why this version failed to meet reserve at a recent Bring a Trailer auction.
Image: Bring a Trailer
1. 1966 -1977 Original Bronco
We had fun ripping into vehicles by other manufacturers, but it is time to turn our attention to Ford. And look, we love the original Ford Bronco as much as anyone. It was a game changing SUV. And for the time it performed extremely well. But here we are in 2023. And in 2023 the prices of these early Broncos have gone through the roof. And if we judge how these SUVs perform compared to the price being asked, we can’t in good conscience omit them from this list. The Bronco is capable, and we love it, but it is getting overpriced for what it is.
Image: Ford