Lifted Suzuki X90 Off Road Build with 90s Vibe

A Suzuki X90 is a pretty unique and quirky 4×4. While Motortrend and other automotive press labeled it as one of the ugliest cars of the 90s, it’s actually teetering on the edge of being genuinely cool. After all, what other vehicle can claim to be a 2-door, 2-seater, targa-top off-road sport coupe with big tires? Its roots trace back to the legendary 4×4 models from Suzuki, just wrapped in a fancier package.

Even though many might perceive it as a “Barbie car,” the X90 comes with a solid set of off-road featuere —which isn’t surprising for a vehicle that replaced the discontinued Suzuki Samurai (yes, people often modify them into crazy rock-crawlers). The X90 is a body-on-frame, tiny SUV with a part-time four-wheel-drive system featuring high and low range transfer case capabilities for serious wheeling.

Knowing the potential hidden within this compact SUV, I’ve been on the lookout for a worthy example to feature in our Suzuki Off-road section. The moment I stumbled upon the lifted Suzuki X90 off-road build by Justin Morris I realized it’s a perfect candidate for our feature. This little beast has been transformed from quirky to awesome with decent modifications that enhance both its capability and appeal pushing it’s 90s character to the max.

Key Modifications:

• 30″ Off-road Tires
• Custom Suspension and Body lift
• 90s Exterior Stling Theme

The Build

Justin’s journey with this X90 started as a $3,000 purchase with just a few minor issues to address. After handling the basics—alignment, belt squeal, and AC repairs—he dove headfirst into transforming this forgotten 90s oddity into a trail-ready machine with unmistakable retro flair. Let’s take a closer look at how he built this seafoam green head-turner piece by piece.

Suspension

Justin’s approach to the X90’s suspension was focused on practicality and looks rather than extreme upgrades. He fitted a 2-inch spacer lift for both the front and rear, sourced from Low Range Offroad, which added the so much needed bump in the ground clearance to clear larger tires.

For the rear, he upgraded to DT3000 Series shocks, which offer improved dampening and level up the rear. Since it’s not another unibody crossover, Justin had an option to add a 2-inch body lift too (also from Low Range Offroad), to get even more space in the wheel arches. This clever combination of suspension and body lift allowed him to fit significantly larger tires. The result is a balanced setup that enhances the X90’s off-road performance and making it look much beefier.

Wheels

For the wheels the owner chose 15″ Nomad Convoy wheels in white finish with old-school design and wrapped them in tried and tested 30″ BF Goodrich T/A KO2 all-terrain tires. This combination significantly improved the overal ground clearance of the X90 and really tailored that cool 90s-inspired look.

Exterior

To accommodate the 30″s, Justin cut the fenders a bit and added fender flares up front for a more finished look. The most striking change though is the seafoam green tintable Raptor Liner paint – a pretty cool choice that offers both protection against chips and rocks and adds that unmistakable 90s style.

Custom freestyle vinyl stripes complement the paintwork, enhancing the period-correct aesthetic while adding that cool neon vibe. Up on top youll notice the Sky Ridge tent which looks absolutely enormous on this thiny SUV.

Due to the unique coupe body styly mounting it was real challenge, so it was decided to create a custom platform that anchors on the hitch. Although due to the imperfections of this setup, Justin is currently developing the second version of it, suggesting this build continues to evolve as he refines his vision.

List of Modifications

Suspension

• 2 inch spacer lift (front and rear) from Low Range Offroad
• DT3000 Series shocks (rear)
• 2 inch body lift from Low Range Offroad

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Wheels

• 15″ Nomad Convoy wheels
• 30″ BFG KO2 tires

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Exterior

• Cut fenders to fit larger tires
• Tintable Raptor Liner paint in seafoam green
• Retro vinyl stripes (freestyle design)
• Fender flares
• Tinted windows
• Sky Ridge Rooftop tent
• Custom tent rack setup (version 2 in progress)

Interview with the owner

Why did you choose a Suzuki X90 for your off-road project?

– I just saw the car on Marketplace and thought it was so weird and quirky that I just had to have it. I wasn’t even sure what plans I had for it to be honest.

How does it compare to other vehicles you’ve driven off-road?

– With the budget lift kit and rooftop tent it rides extremely stiff. I’ll probably upgrade to new springs struts and shocks eventually.

What was the most difficult part of the build?

– The most difficult part has probably been the rooftop tent. Although it’s also been the most rewarding. I could have just had someone weld brackets to the roof and be done with it, but I wanted something entirely modular and removable that doesn’t damage the car.

What do you like the most about your X90?

– This car makes almost EVERYONE smile. Guy or girl, young or old. It seems like people are always pointing it out and smiling/laughing. I know it’s ridiculous looking and I just lean into it. Whether they’re making fun of it or love it because it looks like an overgrown HotWheel, I just like that it makes people smile.

Conclusion

Justin’s Suzuki X90 build represents an excellent balance of the style and off-road capability. Starting with just $3,000 for the base vehicle, he’s created an absolutely awesome machine that punches well above its weight class in terms of off-road performance and visual appeal.

The thoughtful combination of practical upgrades like the lift, All-terrain tires, and bright exterior mods it became a headturner and a fun to drive vehicle no matter the road surface. What truly sets this build apart is how it transforms what many considered an automotive oddity into something genuinely cool and capable.

With an imprssive level of capability (it scored high 45 out of 70 possible points), this X90 proves that distinctive character and real off-road capability don’t require an extreme budget—just vision and the right modifications.