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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  2004 Rodeo 4 door - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By hitmark - June 1 - 10:00 am

  Good suv for the price, Nice size. Good Looking

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  Good, Reliable Car - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Tim Ralston - May 31 - 2:13 am

  I bought my second Rodeo in 1999. I have had it for 10 years (140K miles). I have maintained it well, and not had any significant problems. It is a V6 with a manual transmission and 2 wheel drive. It is a great city car and good in the mountains and dirt roads, fun to drive, has very good power, gets reasonably good mileage (18 city, 22 hwy) and has been very reliable. Downsides - the seats are a little Spartan, and it does have a truck-like ride (also a positive, since it is one rugged vehicle). Also, at about 100,000 miles, it did start to use some oil - I have to add a quart about every 2,000 miles, so not quite enough to get by between oil changes. I am going to miss it.

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  Great Car - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By jt979 - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Great solid car with pleanty of pulling and acceleration power. Pleanty of torque.

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  Great Car - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By wanker - May 20 - 5:00 pm

  Bought it new in 1998, on the recommendation of Edmunds.com and have never regretted it. The engine is truly incredible. At 125,000 miles it hasnt leaked oil, lost power or experienced any reduction in the gas mileage. It just keeps going. Like any car, you need to perform regular oil changes, and a 100K mileage service check (e.g., to change timing belt, fuel pump etc.), but Ive experienced no major problems. As a used car purchase, it would make a great beater car for an outdoor enthusiest/college student.

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  Not Great just Good - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By R.K. - May 12 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Rodeo for almost 4 years. I have read other reviews where people complain about vehicle not being reliable. However I have had no major problems with mine. My Rodeo has been very reliable. Only three complaints. First is the seat and headrests are very uncomfortable on long trips. The second is the number of recalls the vehicle has had. Lastly too rough of a ride.

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  rodeo is best for suv for your money - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By sccrkeepr - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Had a rodeo for the last 8 yrs - i have never had a serious problem with it ever. They had a window arm problem but aside from that nothing. The customer service is awesome and the salesperson i bought it from calls me 2 or 3 times a yr to make sure everything is ok. The car handles great and the inside is very comfortable. My BF is 62" and has plenty of leg and head room. Its fun to drive and its soo cute. Splurge on the sound system and the power package.

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  The most undervalued SUV on the market - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Waltzon - April 19 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely love our Rodeo! Styling actually looks different than the dozens of other boxes in the parking lot, great interior ergonomics, sensible, economical use of interior space. Love that it has factory skidplates, cant believe anyone would buy a Trail Blazer, Explorer or Pathfinder when they could have a Rodeo!

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  BAD ENGINE! BEWARE! - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By John - April 13 - 4:50 pm

  My Rodeo drove ok. Power not bad for a V6. But LOOKOUT when you get some mileage on it. At about 93,000 miles the engine started losing coolant. I could not see it leaking anywhere. I took it to the shop assuming the head gasket was leaking into the cylinder and burning there. If that was the problem, it would have been a $3000.00 dollar fix. The repair shop called with bad news. A head bolt broke in the block and could not be repaired. A second hand engine with 70,000 miles would have been a $5000.00 repair. After paying $3000.00 for AC work I decided not to fix it. When just out of warranty, the Isuzu rep did not replace my rusted out fog lamps. I DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING ISUZU!

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  rodeo please what a wast - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By luke m. - April 10 - 2:00 am

  bought my rodeo in 98 so far. Oxygen sensor rep. twice. Everyone in nj charges me $34 for oil change. Trans change costs $260 to change. now has 76,000 Needs new motor mouse, rear bridge, oxygen sensor again, timing belt, water pump the list goes on. Get a pathfinder if u want an suv. DON`T BUY RODEO !!!!! PLEASE WHAT A PICE OF SSSSSSS. 25K FOR A S. PUT $2100. LOOKS GOOD BUT BREAKES

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  Disappointed - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By kc - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Seems to wear a lot worse than other vehicles Ive owned, at only 30,000 I had to replace the fuel sending unit as well as a number of lesser items to the tune of $700... replacement parts are much more expensive than similar vehicles and it seems to need to go into the shop for a few hundred dollars worth of work every few months... parts take longer than average to be obtained as well. We wont be keeping it long.