trucks

International Harvester

USA · Founded 1902

The farm equipment giant that built the original American SUV. International Harvester was making trucks tough before tough was a marketing slogan.

Heritage

International Harvester made tractors and farm equipment. They knew how to build machines that worked hard in rough conditions. When they applied that philosophy to the Scout, they accidentally invented the modern SUV. The Scout predated the Bronco, the Blazer, and the Cherokee. It was built for farmers and ranchers who needed something smaller than a pickup but tougher than a car. The brand is gone, but the Scout's DNA lives on in every crossover on the road.

International Harvester Vehicles (1)

1971 International Scout II

$12,000-45,000 Truck

Engine: 304ci V8

Power: 133-193 hp depending on engine

Trans: 3-speed manual

Years: 1971-1980

The Scout invented the SUV. International Harvester, a farm equipment company, created a vehicle for farmers and ranchers who needed something between a pickup and a car. The Bronco and Blazer followed, but the Scout got there first. The Scout II refined the formula with more power and better on-road manners. These were genuinely capable off-road vehicles built by a company that knew heavy equipment. The Scout is the grandfather of every crossover on the road today.