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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  2000 Isuzu Trooper S 4x4 - 2000 Isuzu Trooper
  By sastzh - October 6 - 1:40 am

  So far so good. The only problem Ive had with the vehicle so far is an intermittent problem with the computer performance module. It has had to be reprogrammed three times. When problems arise it starts to buck and idle rough when cold...

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  2 year owner - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By CW - October 2 - 5:56 pm

  I was overall somewhat satisfied with this car. It was easy to load and unload since the floor of the cargo area was up higher than say a minivan. It was extremely reliable, who wouldnt love that?

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  never lose in a parking lot - 2001 Isuzu VehiCROSS
  By circmand - October 2 - 6:46 am

  Awesome vehicle attracts attention from everyone. The lack of space to get in the back seat and the typical bad seat belt retractors, plus poor visibility are the only drawbacks.

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  Its a Winner! - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Texasgal - September 29 - 8:06 pm

  When I bought my rodeo, it already had 100,000 miles on it. I am at 168,000 now and driving strong. No problems at all except had to replace tires and alternator. And I have crack in the radiator. But other than that, it is very dependable and handles well, especially on dirt, hilly roads. I just wish it got better gas mileage, only get about 260 miles per tank now. Use to get almost 300 when I first bought it.

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  Ive owned 3 of them - 1999 Isuzu Trooper
  By leedavidyoung - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Troopers are great. Shocks can be soft. Many owners replace with Rancho 5000 or 9000 which offers a great improvement. Consumer Reports roll-over test was proved to be unrealistic and is simply not true. Resale value is low but expect 200K miles from this vehicle with no major problems.

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  Isuzu Trooper 2002 - 2002 Isuzu Trooper
  By nick - September 26 - 12:26 pm

  Ive owned my Trooper for over 3 years now, still drives great. Bought it used in January of 2003 and just reached 55,000 miles. No major problems. Only thing Ive replaced are the battery at 50,000 and the tires at 52,500. The only thing I have to watch is the oil level as it occasionally gets low after 4-5 months. Its a great hassle-free SUV to own. Plan on owning it for many more years.

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  A Very Happy New/Used Owner - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By VAV - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I shopped for over six months, just looking and test-driving various SUVs, in all price ranges. My daughter and I really enjoy this classy and responsive vehicle. Go ahead and buy one. Youll be pleased.

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  What a great SUV - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By gabbyu - September 24 - 6:36 pm

  Since I bought this truck in May of 2007 with 182,000 on it, I never had a problem except changing the oxygen sensor which the truck had when I bought it. It has remained very reliable ever since. One complaint though is that the front seats are not that comfortable on a long trip. Will still get another one to keep since they dont make them any longer. A real bargain for a used SUV. Buy one and you will be happy.

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  love it - 2006 Isuzu Ascender
  By scuba1600 - September 23 - 10:00 am

  Love it so far, but it is new. Im coming from a Mitsubishi Outlander, so anything probably would be luxury and wonderful to drive compared to the Outlander. Hopefully I get many, many good, comfortable miles from my Ascender. I like the power, soft ride that it gives. Just wish the base model came with cruise control and floor mats, and not having keyless entry in the base model is ridiculous.

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  Great car for the price... - 2004 Isuzu Axiom
  By WilmaSnickerbocker - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I love my Axiom. I looked at a lot of V4 and V6 SUVs and I got the most for my money with the Axiom. The dealer service has not been as good as when I owned an Infiniti. Dealer service could be improved. But, the car offers a lot of leg room and is overall very, very nice for the money. The cost was a lot less than the Toyota Highlander, but the interior is much roomier and nicer. And, it pulls 4500 lbs which is great if you tow trailers. Gas mileage averages at 15 MPG, which is worse that I expected. I get lots of complements on this car.