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© History Oasis
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Discontinued: 1996
The Ford Bronco pioneered the modern American SUV market. The Bronco was created to compete with the Jeep CJ. Ford designed the Bronco with removable tops and off-road capability. It quickly became popular with outside enthusiasts. Later, the Bronco gained notoriety during the infamous 1994 O.J. Simpson cop chase. Declining demand for two-door SUVs led Ford to discontinue the original Bronco in favor of the four-door Expedition. In modern times, Ford has released a new Bronco with a new design and features.
Discontinued: 1994
A revolutionary SUV design for its time, Chevrolet’s K5 Blazer adopted a shortened pickup truck platform. The design choice created more interior space than compact competitors. The Blazer even offered removable hardtops until 1976, when Chevrolet switched to a fixed roof design. The K5 Blazer innovated and became the template for modern SUVs. It proved that utility-type vehicles could be attractive to mainstream buyers.
Discontinued: 2014
The Toyota FJ Cruiser paid homage to the legendary FJ40 Land Cruiser. Known for its retro styling and modern engineering. The FJ Cruiser still has quite the cult following. Toyota built the FJ Cruiser on a modified 4Runner platform, blending a unique look with serious off-road capability. Nothing like it had ever been seen on the road. Despite its hardcore following, declining sales and poor fuel economy led Toyota to end production after just eight years.
Discontinued: 2015
Designed for adventure-seeking Gen Xers, the Nissan Xterra was designed with rugged styling and practical features like washable interior surfaces. Nissan built the Xterra on the Frontier pickup platform. The Xterra was best enjoyed for offroading. Rising safety standards and poor fuel economy forced Nissan to discontinue the SUV after 16 years of production.
Discontinued: 1980
Before the Ford Bronco made its debut, the International Harvester Scout was the SUV of choice for recreational four-wheel-drive vehicles. International designed the Scout with modular body styles and enough durability for the most intense farm work. Despite selling over 532,000 units, the Scout never achieved mainstream recognition. International later doubled its efforts on commercial vehicles, leaving its consumer vehicles in the dustbin of history.
Discontinued: 2016
The Land Rover Defender evolved from the original 1948 Land Rover. With a similar design to the original. Land Rover built the Defender with a best-in-class off-road capability and utilitarian design. It was a favorite of the military and explorers worldwide. Tightening safety regulations finally forced Land Rover to end production of the original design.
Discontinued: 2006
The Hummer H1 brought military Humvee technology to civilian buyers, offering unmatched off-road capability in an extremely wide package. The original Humvee was the ultimate expression of automotive excess and capability. New emissions regulations for diesel engines forced General Motors to discontinue the H1. Its military-spec powertrain couldn’t meet civilian standards.
Discontinued: 2009
The Hummer H2 delivered military styling on a more manageable Chevrolet Tahoe platform. Finally, Hummer ownership was accessible to the masses. General Motors designed the H2 to capture the H1’s imposing presence while offering better on-road manners and reliability. The 2008 financial crisis and rising fuel prices killed demand for large, thirsty SUVs like the H2.
Discontinued: 2010
The Hummer H3 was a smaller version of the original Hummer. It was designed with a similar look and still offered off-road credibility. General Motors built the H3 on the Colorado pickup platform, making it the most fuel-efficient and affordable Hummer. However, the H3 still couldn’t achieve acceptable fuel economy, and GM discontinued the entire Hummer brand during its bankruptcy reorganization.
Discontinued: 1984
The Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser gave Americans access to Japanese-built quality and reliability in an off-road vehicle. Toyota designed the FJ40 with simple, durable engineering that could handle extreme conditions worldwide. The FJ40 became Toyota’s best-selling model in America from 1961 to 1965. It proved that Japanese utility vehicles could compete with its domestic counterparts.
Discontinued: 2001
As a pioneer in unibody construction in SUVs, the Jeep Cherokee XJ offered car-like handling with the ability to switch from the road to the off-road. Jeep designed the Cherokee to be lighter and more fuel-efficient than body-on-frame competitors while maintaining Jeep’s trail-rated performance. The Cherokee’s 18-year production run with minimal changes showed that it was a winning concept that generations of Jeep fans still love to this day.
Discontinued: 1993
The Dodge Ramcharger was Chrysler’s answer to the Ford Bronco and Chevrolet Blazer. Dodge built the Ramcharger on the D-series pickup platform with a removable hardtop for open-air driving. Despite solid capability and competitive pricing, the Ramcharger never achieved mainstream success like its competitors.
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