Overview & Reviews

For now, Isuzu SUVs and trucks are all that you'll see at your local Isuzu dealer; it's been quite a few years since there's been an Isuzu car. The company's specialized lineup is more a function of circumstance than choice. In recent years, Isuzu has seen its share of hard times; a lack of funding for both new product investment and marketing has forced the company to rely heavily on its partnership with GM. Both of the models in its line are derived from existing GM products.

Isuzu, which means "50 bells," is the name of a river that flows through a province dotted with ancient Shinto shrines in Japan. The company's roots date back to 1916, when Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Company first decided to broaden its business to include automobile manufacturing. The company forged a technical union with the U.K.-based Wolseley Motor Company in 1918. Its debut licensed offering, the A9 car, soon followed, as did its first truck, the CP. By 1949, the company's name had been changed to the more succinct Isuzu.

In the postwar years, production of Isuzu trucks boomed. The company's vehicles played a significant role in Japan's reconstruction effort, and were used to ferry clothes, food and other essentials. In 1953, Isuzu rolled out the Hillman Minx passenger car, the product of a technical union with Rootes, a U.K. outfit.

The 1960s saw the launch of passenger cars like the Florian, the Bellett and the 117 Coupe, as well as trucks like the WASP. In 1971, Isuzu entered into a partnership with General Motors. The Gemini, released a couple of years later, was the first Isuzu vehicle to be produced from the pairing.

By the 1980s, Isuzu had landed on American shores. The Pup was the first Isuzu sold in the U.S. market. The Trooper, an SUV available in two- or four-door form, was introduced in 1983 and quickly became popular in that new market segment. The company entered into a joint venture with Subaru in 1987, a union that spawned the Isuzu Rodeo and the Isuzu Pickup. Less popular than the trucks were the cars, such as the dated I-Mark sedan and the handsome, Italian-designed Impulse sport coupe.

The company's sales were relatively strong in the 1990s, thanks in part to the increasing success of the Trooper, which by that time had grown in size and luxury. The Trooper was one of the models responsible for the massive popularity of the SUV vehicle category during that decade. In 1999, GM upped its stake in Isuzu to assume the role of majority shareholder.

The new millennium brought bad news, however. Previous bestsellers like the Rodeo and the Trooper were outclassed by newer, fresher competition, and sales plummeted. The Rodeo and the Axiom (a crossover SUV) were dropped from the lineup in 2004. Currently, Isuzu's lineup comprises just two vehicles — a truck and an SUV, both of which are based on GM products.

User Reviews:

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  Fun to Drive - 2002 Isuzu Axiom
  By William - March 5 - 7:50 am

  Truck is fun to drive, could get better gas mileage. Plenty of torque.

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  Generally Sastified. - 2004 Isuzu Axiom
  By Jimbobalina - March 3 - 10:00 am

  Drivers seat does not go back far enough.Tight leg room on drivers side.Drivers seat back does not pivot at base,instead it pivots at mid back area.

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  The best vehicle I owned. - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By bobbi23 - February 23 - 10:00 am

  This is the 6th vehicle I have owned. All were bought new from a dealer. The Rodeo is the first one that never had any problems. The only money spent was oil changes every 3,000 miles and tire rotations every 6,000 miles, dealer servicing at 15 & 30,000 miles. It is a great car. The only complaint I have is the seats are uncomfortable for long distance driving.

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  Amazing - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By terry b - February 17 - 5:30 pm

  I love my Rodeo I had a 91 Rodeo an loved it, it now has over 200,000 miles so i just had to check out the newer model an suggest you do the same this truck is super reliable

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  4cyl 5 speed - 2001 Isuzu Rodeo
  By polarzu - February 5 - 4:03 pm

  Bought new, have 60m miles on it. Not bad for the price. It has lots of cargo space and seating room with a strong ac/htr system that blows ice cold air or hot air. Have had several problems though. Ignition spark missing, odometer counting to fast(still not right),rear windshield wiper quit/front ones stalling, very expensive/inconvenient to have worked on,no one repairs except dealer 50 mi away. If youre wondering why cars are passing you at 65, its because youre really going 57. Its a pain to figure out what speed youre actually going. Also for a 4 cylinder this is terrible gas mileage.

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  stay away - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By mikepe - January 20 - 10:00 am

  bought new in 99. replaced fuel guage $500--at 40,000 miles---at 25,000 the manifold gasket went which kept the car idle at 4,000 rpm--try to stop when your doing 55 on highway, almost killed myself, fought with isuzu to replace it or i was going to take them to court and papers---they fixed it the next day, obviously they know there is a problem, other than that the car has been fine, love the ride, the looks, and the truck comes in very useful to haul stuff.---you get what you pay for---i would not recomend this truck nor will i buy isuzu again. life is a lesson and the lesson here is stay to the top 3 manufacturers--honda, toyota, and nissan

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  2002 Axiom - 2002 Isuzu Axiom
  By Rev3Racer - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Bought the Axiom the week they came out. I was in the market for an SUV to pull my new bigger boat. Just had my 30,000 mile check-up. The vehicle has been flawless. In 30,00 miles, Ive had one driving light go, and thats t. I use Mobil 1 synthetic every 5,000 miles. The truck pulls my 23 foot boat with no problems. I would say my only complaint is the ride stinks on bumpy roads. It is great for highway diving, and handles way better than the other SUVs I tested. Overall, Im very happy with my decision. If you told me 3 ears ago, I would be driving an Isuzu, I probably would have laughed out loud. I was wrong. Its been a very good experience.

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  Fun rig -- great in rain -- gas hog - 2002 Isuzu Axiom
  By toby - December 26 - 1:56 pm

  This rig is a real fun ride. Two suspension modes allows different choice of rides. Switch over to the TOD - this an excellent vehicle for wet conditions and fast take offs at stops. Push button HP boost allows more push for uphills and passing. After 35k miles my only problem with my Axiom is that - going 55 on a flat road - you will only get 22 mpg at best. In the city 11-17. This engine is inefficient. My GMC 1/2 ton Denali gets as good of gas mileage as this much smaller V6. All in all - this ride has got a stylish look, plenty of power for driving around town, moderate interior room, and multiple suspension modes for fun travel. It will keep you looking for cheaper gas.

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  powerful V6 - 2004 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Johnson Enmanuel - December 24 - 2:00 am

  good improvements, like the cruise control and volume/ch&trk buttons on steering wheel, smooth ride, powerful engine

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  My second Rodeo - 2000 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Lane - December 16 - 10:00 am

  I did a ton of research before I bought my latest Rodeo. My wife and I had to replace our 91 Rodeo after having driven it over 100k miles. I read consumer reports and did a lot of research on this site as well. For the money the Rodeo came out on top again. So we test drove it. Compared to everything in its class it was the hands down winner. Best things are the great seats and the great stereo we got w/ the 6 CD changer. Worst thing is the gas milage. Doesnt get 20+ MPG at 80 MPH (DUH!).