Overview & Reviews

Just about every automotive manufacturer produces a sport-utility vehicle today. But back in the early 1990s, there was only a sprinkling of truck-based, off-road vehicles to whet the appetites of those trendsetters who were ahead of their time in appreciating elevated seating heights and macho styling. The Isuzu Rodeo was one of these pioneers; a midsize SUV with ample room for five passengers and a comfy ride. Compared to more rough-and-tumble models from Jeep or Chevy, the Rodeo was much easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and it quickly became a best-selling import SUV.

For the second-generation Rodeo, Isuzu concentrated on weight reduction, noise deadening, passenger comfort and improved on-road driving dynamics that all made the Rodeo a more livable daily driver. Thanks to a generous warranty, it was initially one of our top choices in the segment, but quickly found itself outclassed by newer competitors despite some minor updates.

Although a well-maintained used Isuzu Rodeo should satisfy shoppers on a tight budget, those willing to spend a bit more would be better served by more refined SUVs such as the Nissan Pathfinder or Toyota 4Runner.

Most recent Isuzu Rodeo

The second-generation Isuzu Rodeo midsize SUV arrived in 1998 with the same basic shape of its successful predecessor. The spare tire was now attached directly to the hatch (rather than a separate swinging tire carrier), or it could be mounted under the truck for a cleaner tail end design. These two configurations also reduced weight, which was a key design goal for Isuzu's engineers. In total, 285 pounds were shaved off the Rodeo by reducing frame and engine weight, by switching to rack-and-pinion steering and by using a five-link rear suspension design.

This reduced the burden on the four- and six-cylinder engines, which despite going up in power, were hardly known for providing quick acceleration. The standard 2.2-liter inline-4 engine available on the base S model made an anemic 129 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque, and could only be coupled to a five-speed manual. The 3.2-liter V6 available on the S and standard on the LS and LSE produced 205 hp and 214 lb-ft and was mated to either the manual or a four-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive was standard with four-wheel drive being optional on all trim levels, but only with the V6.

The base S model with the four-cylinder engine was essentially a stripper (though antilock brakes were standard) with only a few options like air-conditioning available. Standard and optional equipment on upper trim levels included alloy wheels, a limited-slip differential, full power accessories, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, keyless entry, moonroof, leather upholstery and a six-speaker stereo with cassette or CD player.

In 2000, the Isuzu Rodeo received more than 200 changes, including an aggressive styling refresh, updated seating and an optional Intelligent Suspension Control (ISC) system that automatically selected one of 17 shock rebound and compression rates depending on road conditions. A new Ironman LS package included sunroof, alloy wheels, ISC, special decals and a Best of Black Sabbath album (wait, that's a different Ironman). A transferable 10-year/120,000-mile powertrain warranty also became standard in 2000 and a two-door Rodeo Sport model was sold from 2001 to 2003.

When that second-generation Rodeo debuted, we considered it one of the top midsize SUVs on the market. We were particularly impressed with its quality interior, silky V6 engine and roomy backseat. After a long-term test and two years later, however, we were no longer so enamored (quite the opposite, really) and thought that in general, recently introduced SUVs were much better choices than the Rodeo.

While the V6 and ample space continued to score points, our long-termer's three breakdowns, shoddy build quality and numerous electrical gremlins were simply unacceptable and we began to view the interior plastics as increasingly cheap compared to those in the newer competition. We also complained about the vehicle's paltry gas mileage, low towing capacity and rough-riding suspension.

Past Isuzu Rodeo models

The original Isuzu Rodeo was introduced for 1991. Like its replacement, it was available with four- and six-cylinder engines and a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive. With its long wheelbase, this Rodeo offered one of the best rides and largest backseats on the market.

Initially, both the 3.1-liter V6 and 2.6-liter inline-4 made only 120 hp. The V6 made 30 more lb-ft of torque, but its upgrade to 175 hp in 1993 was certainly welcome. The four-cylinder remained unchanged. Early Rodeos were also not very safe, receiving poor crash test scores and offering almost no safety equipment. Antilock brakes were standard, but were rear-wheel only with four-wheel ABS becoming an option in 1995. That year also saw front airbags added along with a redesigned dashboard courtesy of Honda, which rebadged the Rodeo as its Passport SUV a year previously. The only other significant changes for the Rodeo occurred in 1996 when Isuzu bumped the V6 up to 190 hp, added a shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system and improved the vehicle's ride quality.

User Reviews:

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  Very Nice - 2000 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Douglas - September 15 - 11:06 am

  This has been a pleasant purchase for me. As an owner of only small cars before I was not sure if I would like this vehicle but I have. I have had a few things repaired (all under warranty) and have no real major complaints. Its fun and comfortable to drive but not nearly as stable as a car. I never do anything abrupt for fear of losing control. Excellent in the snow and off road. Has a great stereo. even though it had to be replaced once. Have gone coast to coast with no problems.

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  Better than I Expected - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By JPQuick - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Pros- Build quality (rattle free!) Comfort (compliant suspension) Off road capability (4WD, limited slip) Warranty (10 years, 120k on powertrain) Financing (1.9% for 84 months!) Cons- Price / value Cloth upholstery (cheap fabric) Handling Notes- This vehicle provides a tremendous amount of feature content, but at a price. Invoice is about $4k too high. Steering response is probably a little below average for this class, but traction on the mud/snow tires is excellent. Build quality was unexpectedly good. More tightly constructed than my G35. Edmunds needs to re-evaluate this vehicle.

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  Great Light SUV - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By grobinson2 - September 3 - 11:40 pm

  I love my Isuzu and have beat the hell out of this thing. Rolled it once on ice, smashed into a fence post, and ran over the guard rail when I fell asleep on the way home one night. It keeps on ticking with out any issues except using some oil. Horrible gas mileage but other then that great SUV!

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  well built - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By smilies - August 15 - 2:00 am

  great truck that is very reliable and fun to drive, have had no problems, smoth rideing enigne

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  My "Beater with a heater" - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By quagmire86 - August 8 - 2:55 am

  I bought this rig that ran but had an overheating problem. Previous owner said the water pump was bad. I paid $600 for it cuz it was in poor shape. I replaced the water pump and timing belt but it still overheated. Common problem with the Rodeo (3.2L)V6 were bad head gaskets. Since it was a project vehicle, I had time to work on it. I spent many weeks going from head to tail repairing/replacing issues with it. The SUV is somewhat unrefined (due to age) but I love driving it. Major issues with this car is the frame rusts out from rear axle back and is a recall/safety issue. I love my Rodeo and though I dont "Off-Road" with it, it is great even with 206,000 miles on it. Love it!

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  Isuzu forgets your name after the sale - 2001 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Onerobertone - August 3 - 7:40 pm

  I bought this car new. Never again will I buy an Isuzu. Nothing but problems since day one. I still have a check engine light that comes and goes and that nobody can figure out what it is. When I called Isuzu to talk to them about it, the guy on the other end of the phone fought with me about stuff like whether I said "a car" or "the car". It was the worst case of customer service ever!

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  2000 LS-V6 - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By olaktal - August 1 - 2:00 am

  Maybe my comments will help some people with their purchase. I have a 2000 Rodeo V-6 LS. My main complaints would be rattles and ride quality. I changed the stock shocks to Monroe Sensi Tracs, huge improvement to ride and handling. I can deal with a few rattles for the excellent reliability and warranty. I do 20k miles a year and have only done oil changes. Powerful engine that goes with the fuel economy 18-21 is all I get. The Rodeo pulls trailers well and drives excellent on the highway. Factory stereo is crap, changed that immediately.

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  185k and still going - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By zack_morris - July 21 - 3:10 pm

  Have had this car for 185k and Im pleasantly surprised that its still kicking. Sure, repairs have been needed, but the transmission and engine are still good. The 2 major issues were a defect where the steering column wore through a brake line (covered under warranty), and the ECM on-board computer failed at 165k, causing the engine to missfire and transmission to go wacky, took a while to troubleshoot that one. But overall Im super pleased with the longevity, versatility, ride, cargo capacity, and perfect size in this mid-sized SUV. Im planning to retire the old boy at 200k, and Im having difficulty finding a similar sized SUV with a V6 and the same interior space/cargo room

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  Big Mistake! - 2001 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Josh - May 7 - 2:26 pm

  I bought this car used at an affordable price. Now I know why it was so affordable. Once the fuel gauge gets below 3/4 tank, it constantly floats down to empty and back. Im never really sure how much gas I have. The check engine light comes on constantly and my mechanic says its an exhaust problem. The 4 wheel drive only works some of the time, other times it kicks itself out of gear and makes a horrible grinding noise. Also, the handle to make the passenger seat recline will not stay on, and the front speakers blew after I had the car for 6 months (I dont even listen to the radio much).

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  BEST MID SIZE SUV EVER - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By gsxkid - April 27 - 7:10 pm

  I have the 3.5 direct injected motor. It has plently of power without hurting fuel mileage. My wife drives 85 miles to and from work everyday and it gets 24 mpg. I took it down the 1/4 mile track for fun and it run a 14.88@90 mph. I have taken it camping 1 time I went off road with it; it did great, I even pulled an 07 hummer h3 out of the mud. JUST GREAT SUV.