Japanese cars have always been regarded as some of the safest, tech-laden, and reliable cars on the market. It’s been that way pretty much since the country began importing vehicles to the States. However, not all Japanese cars or SUVs are created equally.

While we acknowledge that there’s pretty much no such thing as an unreliable Japanese car, we are discussing safety here. Apparently, the Suzuki Samurai SUV lives up to its name and is incredibly dangerous.

Editors at GoBankingRates studied safety ratings from various outlets that focus on vehicle safety and discovered the small by mighty off-roader was rated as “not acceptable” by multiple resources. The Samurai tended to flip when making sharp maneuvers.

Additionally, the NHTSA reports the 1989 Suzuki Samurai had two safety-related recalls. One for the tires, and the other for the seatbelts, which were both said to “not adequately protect occupants in a crash.” There were also issues with the suspension and engine cooling.

The SUV’s successor was only marginally better

The X-90 followed the Samurai in 1995, and the crash test ratings weren’t much better. It didn’t have as many recalls or engine cooling issues, but it did have the same tendency to roll over. If you fast forward to 2009, however, the ratings are much better.

The NHTSA gave the X-90 a five-star rating in frontal and side collisions. The rollover resistance score for the SUV was dramatically improved to a four-star, with a 17.9% in rollover resistance.

It also isn’t as cool-looking as the Samurai. Let’s be honest on that one.

All of this is to say: be careful when buying used

The intent of looking into these ratings was to give those looking into buying a used car a head start. Especially if people are going into used car buying thinking, “It’s a Japanese SUV, there’s no way it’s unsafe.”

These cars are old, but they’re becoming popular due to their size and low entry price. If you’re looking for a reliable and safe used car, you can never go wrong with a Toyota or Honda—unless it’s the Paseo or CRX Del Sol.

Editors also suggest steering clear from the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Mazda RX-8. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong. Just be sure to run VINs, ask about service history, and trust your gut.