The Pontiac Sunrunner was a Canadian-market rebadged mini-SUV built at CAMI—Canadian Automobile Manufacturing Inc., a joint venture between Suzuki and General Motors of Canada—assembled in Ingersoll, Ontario to avoid the U.S. 25% "Chicken Tax" on imported trucks.
Suzuki's North America entry began with the 1986 Samurai, a Jimny-based off-roader offered as hardtop and convertible that undercut the Jeep Wrangler YJ on price and sales.
Consumer Reports rated the Samurai "NOT ACCEPTABLE" for rollover risk, prompting a lawsuit by Suzuki and an out-of-court settlement, while NHTSA tests did not single the model out.
A more car-like successor launched for 1989 as the Suzuki Sidekick and the Geo Tracker in the U.S., while in Canada the vehicle was sold as the Pontiac Sunrunner—the only light truck ever to wear a Pontiac badge in that market.
Read the full article at theautopian.com.
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