The Most Unique Cars In the World That You Can’t Own In The U.S.

The Suzuki Jimny, Toyota Century, Alpine A110, and Hyundai Casper represent some of the world’s most distinctive cars that remain unavailable as normal new U.S.-market vehicles. Federal import rules can eventually open the door for some older models, but newer cars face significant safety and emissions hurdles – Shutterstock

Some of the world’s most fascinating cars never make it to American showrooms. While U.S. buyers can choose from everything from giant luxury SUVs to fire-breathing supercars, several wonderfully strange, clever, and downright desirable machines remain tantalizingly out of reach.

The reasons vary wildly. Sometimes American safety and emissions requirements make a small overseas market too expensive to serve, while other times automakers simply decide that the business case does not work. And then there are cars like the Suzuki Jimny, which seem almost tailor-made for American enthusiasts, making their absence feel especially cruel.