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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  I love mine - 2003 Isuzu Rodeo
  By wendy - May 24 - 8:03 pm

  Ive had my car for about 3 years, I still love it. Only problem Ive experienced is with the passenger window getting stuck up or down. Its very roomy and comfortable.

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  Loving it - 2001 Isuzu Rodeo
  By HGW - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Weve had virtually no problems, we love this vehicle. This is our second Rodeo (97 LS got wrecked, we loved it too, RIP). Weve only just recently had a nuisance problem with the back windshield wiper (gets caught when closing back glass, then gets out-of-whack a little, now its only working hit-and-miss, I havent taken it in for service yet). The transmission has just recently started shifting funny too (seems to shift up/down a gear for no reason at low speed), so Ill get it looked at asap too. Neither of these problems are bad enough to shake my faith in my Rodeo though!

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  My Review on 02/10/2007 - 2001 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Harry - May 18 - 12:56 pm

  Purchased my 2001 Rodeo LS 4WD used on 10/02/2002 with 15,000 miles on it. The 4WD did not work right off due to a bad actuator that had to be replaced. About a year later the Transmission Position Sensor went out and had trouble putting in gear. Ran fine for the following 3 years without one problem. About 6 months ago the TPS went out again, and fixed it myself by cleaning out the dirt. About a month later or 5 months ago at 78,000 miles, the transmission had to be replaced at a cost of $2000.00. Aside from the transmission, cant complain too much. Power is good, the integrity of chassis is good, and rides a little bumpy. Would not purchase again though.

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  good suv for the price and warranty - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By herrerahnj4 - May 6 - 10:00 am

  nice exterior look,interior looks a little plain but acceptable. over all truck looks pretty sharp

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  No Major Complaints - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By alrich - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Bought one of the first "new Style" rodeos in late 1997 just after the birth of my first child and now after 2 other kids just cant get rid of it. The damn thing keeps going with just doing regular mtc. no major repairs or down time. Never babied it either. Still have it today as my "beater" an will drive it over my 2003 Audi A4 and 2003 Honda Oddyssey on occassion cause it feels so damn good. I wish I could fit all 3 car seats in it and I wouldnt have bought the van.

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  Extremely Disappointed - 2003 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Disgusted at Isuzu - April 11 - 10:00 am

  I guess theres a reason why they say you get what you pay for. However, by buying the higher end model of this vehicle, I expected to get more. Ive had numerous troubles with this SUV including noisy brake system, whining in the engine, flutter noises in the tired, hesitation starting and a bad odor coming from the vents....just to name a few.

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  10 years and still running strong - 2000 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Dale Fieber - April 4 - 10:03 am

  I bought my Rodeo new in 2000, that was 10 years ago. It now has over 156k miles on it. Aside from normal maintenance, I have only had 400.00 repair of a leaking plug on transmission. at 150k, the brake pads still had 30% wear left - incredible. Its still spunky, and has enuf power. Cd changer went out - I hear that is common. Too bad resale at this point is not real good - at KBB prices, it will be a great deal for someone should I decide to part with it.

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  I love my rodeo - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Linda - April 1 - 3:33 am

  I have owned my rodeo almost 12 years. I am the original owner. There have been minimal problems with it. I debated getting a new vehicle after five years and again after eight years and again after ten years; however I just cant part with it and now I would never get enough money out of it to make it worth selling. I have never been left stranded with it. I have done all the maintenance as required and been proactive to do repairs before necessary. I take good care of it and it has always been garaged. Everyone has always thought it was new. I will probably never get rid of it . I have 160,000 miles on it and it still looks great both inside and out. I love it.

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  2nd Rodeo Ive Owned - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Ron Webster - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I got 300,000 miles from my 93 Rodeo. The 02 Ive got has done well with not mechanical problems. Daily avergage mileage is 350 miles of city and over the highway.

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  Regular Rodeo - - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By SD - March 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Rodeo for about a year an d a half. Has been fairly reliable. There has been a few things that have came up that frustrates me. 1) The ABS light stays on - sensor 2) Now my gas gauge stays on E most of the time. 3) I have had 2 situations where it did not start but after trying 5 - 7 times it started right up. Had battery checked and it is fine. Can not be the alternator due to it doing this at the initial start up. Has only happened 3 times within the past 6 months???