Another year, another Tokyo Auto Salon, and another batch of cool vehicles that we can’t get in the States. Sigh. Even though the chances of these excellent pint-sized rigs from Suzuki ever appearing in the US are slim to none, we couldn’t help but geek out on these builds. Each is themed around an outdoor pursuit, and the concepts do a great job of proving that you don’t need a huge rig to enjoy the great outdoors.
The star of the show has to be the five-door Jimny build, which can be a bit deceiving at first. You might think it’s themed around the concept of exploration or possibly a Pacific Island motif with a sand texture, tribal graphics, and other designs worked into the wrap. However, a closer look, specifically at the tag, denotes that it’s a callout to the popular video game franchise Monster Hunter. Regardless if you’ve heard of or even played the game, it’s an attractive design. Up top, a platform rack provides plenty of cargo room, or even a rooftop tent if you need to elevate your sleeping situation while “monster hunting.” Along with the Jimny, Suzuki also displayed a DR-Z4S motorcycle decked out with the same design theme and appropriate accessories.
We’ve seen plenty of vans decked out with gear to make it easy enjoy mountain biking, but this has to be the cutest bike-themed van we’ve come across. Three Strider bikes for a trio of tiny shredders are mounted onto the roof rack alongside storage cases and a lightbar. The Every Wagon Wanpaku Rider concept is blacked out and features aftermarket wheels and all-terrain tires. If you wanted to get some small mountain bikers onto a friendly flow trail, we can’t think of a better way to do it.
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The next concept, dubbed the Super Carry Work & Play Pro, encompasses everything kei truck fans rave about. Even though it’s small, there’s a ton of room for hauling and organisation for both utility and recreation. You could park this concept in the tightest city lot without an issue, but there’s still room for a kayak on the rooftop, organization or tools mounted to the MOLLE panels, a surprisingly large bed, especially considering the footprint of this cab over truck.
Wrapping up Suzuki’s “Life with Adventure” display is a model that might not be familiar outside of certain countries. The Suzuki Xbee, pronounced cross-bee, is a crossover design to mix capability with ease of driving in a package that’s dwarfed by the Jimny. This concept is called the Xbee Nature Photographer and features a roof rack with integrated LEDs, a rear ladder, custom wheels, and a bedliner paint job. The connection between this and nature photography isn’t inherently obvious, but we imagine you can use the ladder to climb onto the roof rack for an elevated point of view.
Again, the chances of these pint-sized adventure rigs making it to the US are practically nonexistent, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dream. While kei trucks are only street legal in a few states, and you can still track down a decades-old Samurai to scratch the itch for a Jimny, it would be great to have these as an option for a daily driver or minimalist adventure rig. If you’re heading out on an international trip and need a rental car, you should check the offerings because a Jimny makes a fun travel car, and you can hit some dirt roads if the opportunity arises. Just don’t tell the rental company, and neither will we.
