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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  Great car, just the best - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By luke702 - March 14 - 2:59 am

  Ive had over 20 cars including high end (such as MB S600, etc). This car has outlived every single one, and Im sure it will outlive military tanks! Recently I had to sell it, which I didnt want to do, at the time the car had about 280K miles and was still running strong. Loaned the vehicle to a friend who abused it for a couple of years, and still the car NEVER had ANY problems. The VERY FEW things that I had to fix were minor.

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  love the rodeo - 2000 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Connman27 - March 13 - 10:00 am

  i really enjoy the isuzu rodeo

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  Overall - 2000 Isuzu Rodeo
  By answerinstl - March 13 - 9:10 am

  I have put over 35K miles on my Rodeo in less than 2 years. I love this SUV. It is comfy, roomy, and economical. 95K miles currently and still going real strong with no signs of slipping. I would buy another no problems here.

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  Rodeo - 2001 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Ralf52 - March 13 - 2:00 am

  I havent had any problems. My service has been excellent and I drive every day 60 miles. The car has now 10000 miles.

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  Do Not Buy ! - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By RodeoOwner - March 7 - 10:00 am

  In 1998 it was the only SUV with 204 HP, and it beat all the Mid-side SUVs out there. For the Price it was great BUT ever since I purchased the car Ive had problems. To mention a few (under warrenty): Cd-changer replaced 5 times (lost 6 cds), All 4 wheels, Temperature sensors, Transmition, clutch, Alternator )almost killed myself when it was cutting of by itself losing power steering and braking AND NOW OUT of Warranty The Engine. What else can go wrong? !

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  RETIAL - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By ROSENDO DIMAS - March 7 - 10:00 am

  LOVE IT ,BEST BUY FOR MY MONEY

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  Big Mistake! - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Remorsed - February 27 - 2:33 am

  Overpriced for little value. Bad resale value. Rattles and air noise is awful. Moonroof very cheap, dealer says not worth fixing. Passenger door needed fixing 3 times. Plastic parts all over the place. Car will nickel and dime you. Gas guzzler. Oh, most important, the car surges forward on its own in snowy cold weather! Dealer cant find problem, so they blew me off, 3 times! Very dangerous. Cant wait to get rid of it, but Im upside down, big time. My daughter bought a used 2001 in 2003 and it didnt even last a year before it dropped its engine from a broken bolt, fixed that, then it blew a gasket, threw out oil, and blew the engine. We put in another engine just to unload it.

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  Good value for price - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By RLM - February 24 - 2:00 am

  Good performance, fair fuel economy, fair turning radius, nice with leather, wood trim, sunroof, Premium sound. 5 speed makes it a fun SUV to drive.

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  GREAT SUV!!!! - 2003 Isuzu Rodeo
  By smiley - February 13 - 10:00 am

  great sporty suv, fun to drive, no problems well built

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  Not that great - 2001 Isuzu Rodeo
  By gad1 - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Paid 23K with leather, 2WD. I bought this SUV because I liked the looks and style. But after 3 years, I am sick of the noisy, bouncy ride. Brakes constantly squeal. Steering wheel constanly shakes despite new tires. I Like the room with the rear seat folded, great for trips to Home Depot for Fence/deck lumber. Overall, no major mechanical problems, just toons of squeeks, road noise, and crapy handling. I will NEVER buy a second one...