Looking more like an RC car than real, this is the Sciuki iQ 4×4. Never heard of it? That’s because there is only this one. It is a mashup made from part of a 2012 Scion iQ city car and a 2000 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Remember the iQ? It was a small city commuter that never really sold in great numbers in the US.
The Sciuki iQ is a Scion-Suzuki mashup
Sciuki iQ off-road 4×4 | Storz
And the Grand Vitara? It was the last of Suzuki’s foray into the North American marketplace. It was larger, and more mainstream than Suzuki vehicles before it, and that’s because it was also sold as the Chevy Tracker. But by then, the company was sliding into ignominy. In some ways, these two models got crossed up. The little Scion was more like a Suzuki, and the Vitara more Toyota-like.
Anyway, Scion owner Eric Storz decided on a plan. He took the full-frame Grand Vitara with its V6 engine and automatic transmission intact and bonked his iQ onto it. First, he had to hack almost 18-inches out of the middle of the frame. Then, another 16-inches behind the rear axle. For those keeping score, that’s 34-inches removed.
Combining the Scion and Suzuki also meant combining wiring
Sciuki iQ off-road 4×4 | Storz
After that, he made some mounts to attach the body, and then mated the two. The center console from the Suzuki was also modified to fit inside of the Scion. Then, the hard part was ahead of him, combining the wiring from both vehicles.
That entailed using parts of the Suzuki wiring harness for engine functions, and that of the Scion for interior stuff. You know, like the air-conditioning, heater, lights, power windows, etc. And yes, the Suzuki V6 does fit under the iQ’s hood. Barely.
The Sciuki suspension got some serious upgrades
Sciuki iQ off-road 4×4 | Storz
A 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee gave up its front end, with Storz fabbing the rear end mostly from stock Suzuki parts. Both ends are suspended with a three-inch lift kit from Altered Ego, with SoftRide coil springs and SuperFlex rear links. The axles also got lockers front and rear.
Tall 31-inch Cooper tires are wrapped around 17-inch aftermarket wheels. The ground clearance that resulted, along with the super-short wheelbase, makes this almost invincible going off-road. We don’t know how well it handles in town, but that’s not the point. This is about stares and thumbs-up around town, conquering every sand dune, and climbing every rock in sight off-road.
Because you can doesn’t mean you should, but…
Sciuki iQ off-road 4×4 | Storz
In all, the conversion was around $7,500, he told CarScoops. That included the vehicles themselves, and every component or conversion as well. An estimated 90-100 hours were needed to complete the project, with Stroz doing all of the work himself. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should, but we’re glad that Stroz did. How many vehicles do you see that look crazy but fun at the same time? Thanks to CarScoops.
Keyword: Turns Out the Sciuki iQ 4×4 Might Be the Best Off-Roader Ever