Introduced for the 1974 model year, this full-size two-door SUV was created from the brand’s truck underpinnings and aimed at buyers who wanted pickup-truck toughness with enclosed utility. It arrived as part of the era that also produced Ford’s Bronco and Chevrolet’s Blazer, and it became known for its short-wheelbase stance, rugged character, and available four-wheel-drive hardware. Through the first production run, which ended after the 1993 model year, it evolved through several updates in styling and equipment while staying true to its basic formula as a truck-based utility vehicle.
The nameplate later returned in a separate production period for Mexico beginning with the 1999 model year, using contemporary Ram pickup architecture and reflecting the market’s continued appetite for a traditional body-on-frame SUV. That later version was a different historical chapter rather than a continuation of the original U.S. run, and it helped keep the name alive into the early 2000s before disappearing again after the 2001 model year.
Because the nameplate had two distinct production eras separated by a gap, the overall history should be treated as a revival rather than a single uninterrupted line. Enthusiast interest has remained strong thanks to the model’s classic square-shouldered design, its truck-derived character, and its role as one of the better-known full-size two-door SUVs of its time.