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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  Great SUV - 2001 Isuzu Trooper
  By Troopin guy - November 10 - 4:00 pm

  I bought a 2001 Isuzu Trooper Limited with 144k on it and it runs great. Its power heated mirrors come in real handy when its foggy or you want to get into tight spaces. The 4x4 is very reliable for off-roading. THE SUNROOF IS HUGE! It is very smooth and luxurious for long trips and the towing capacity is great too. Its acceleration is better then most vehicles and the winter and power drive modes are very useful. And I love the seats; they are so comfortable and good-looking. Another impressive thing about the Isuzu Trooper is its huge cargo space; it could and will swallow anything (except another TROOPER). I love this vehicle, it is the best. I test drove its successor the Isuzu Ascender and it stinks!

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  STAY AWAY! - 1999 Isuzu Trooper
  By Jeff - November 10 - 9:16 am

  I bought a 1999 Trooper expecting the same performance as I had with my 1992. Boy was I wrong! I ran my 92 Trooper to about 150,000 with very few problems. The engine died at 68,000 on my 99 Trooper costing me over $4,000 to repair. How ironic that my warranty ended at 60,000 miles. Isuzu has known for a while about the inherent engine problems with the 1998 and 1999 Troopers. However, they refuse to do a recall.

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  Problem after Problem - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By DAL - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Has an irratic idle problem which even the dealer cant seem to fix...causes car to idle at higher than normal RPM. Its totally random, never know when it will occur. Because of irradic idle, when car is stopped or trying to stop, it will want to lurch forward, not allowing you to stop properlly and promtly. Very scary. At ~30k miles, ABS motor went on and kept running until it drained the battery. At 53k miles need to replace fuel sender (~$50 part, 2 hrs labor). At 56k ABS light is on and need to replace entire ABS module to fix ($250 part, 2hrs labor). Loud muffler. Doesnt handle well in snow or rough mountain roads. Will not keep much longer.

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  Does What I want - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By glen allen - October 30 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the Rodeo because my 2WD Ranger liked to bury itself in boat launches. Pros: Great job in snow up to about 36". Great on icy roads. Does a good job of hauling the boat and is adequate with a 6x12 Uhaul. Good cargo and passenger capacity. Excellent visibility. Does very well off road. Has been very reliable for 50k miles. Both dealers Ive dealt with have been good. Cons: Had the ABS problem at 45k miles. Seating is uncomfortable on long drives.

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  What next? - 2002 Isuzu Rodeo
  By NY Mary - October 26 - 3:26 am

  I bought my 2002 Rodeo in Dec. of 2002 and I had high hopes for it as I had previously owned a 1999 Rodeo. The first one had a defect in the paint that Isuzu never took care of but the car ran great. Unfortunately, my 2002 Rodeo had what started out as an oil leak that the dealership could never find and ended with a new engine having to be put in. My warranty covered everything but the inconvenience and aggravation of bringing it back each time was too much. As for the body, every time I look at it I see new dings and defects in the paint which Ive grown accustomed to. The interior is cheap plastic which youre always finding mystery bits and pieces.

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  Excellent Buy - 1999 Isuzu Trooper
  By Koldshower - October 18 - 2:00 am

  I am very satisfied with this vehicle. It rides great and handles much better than the competition. Quality is everywhere.

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  This truck rocks! - 1998 Isuzu Rodeo
  By Sam Handy - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I bought my truck used last November and have had it now for about 6 months. I love the truck, it handles nice, looks good and is very comfortable, plus the chicks dig it! The only problem Ive had is that it burns about a quart and a half of oil every 3000 miles. I only have 40000 miles on it. A little high but Ive heard its common with the Rodeos. Otherwise, the truck is a lot of fun and I plan on keeping it for a very long time.

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  Fun - 1999 Isuzu Rodeo
  By JerryB - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is great fun to drive, peppy and looks great. The front seats are too short (not adequate lower thigh support)for comfortable long distance driving. But most of our day-to-day driving is local so this is not an issue. Would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for reliable, fun, good- looking transportation. We camp and it hauls a ton (not literally) of stuff and drives well on desert and mountain roads.

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  Isuzu Axiom - 2002 Isuzu Axiom
  By Axiom_Owner - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding car. Still not seen on the streets too much, which is great. Excellent ride and very good power with a car this size. The value with the features that are standard on this car are top class. Many many small things that you have to pay as extras in other cars. We really love this car and its a major step away from the Rodeo.

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  Much better than I originally thought. - 1999 Isuzu Trooper
  By Pyric - October 12 - 6:10 pm

  At first I did not like the Trooper at all. The body roll felt extreme and the acceleration felt weak. However, I found that this was an illusion. The suspension is actually tighter than it feels, so even though the roll is excessive at 30 mph, it does not roll much more at 60. As for the acceleration, the ride is so smooth that it feels slow, but it has nor problem getting a jump on traffic or climbing a hill. As for off-road and bad weather, it performs better than any Ive ever driven.