1998 Isuzu Rodeo
It's The Real Thing

By Joanne Brickman

History: In 1916 Isuzu began building Japan's first cars. But their real success came with trucks. Today, Isuzu is the largest producer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the world. In 1990, Isuzu introduced America to the 1991 Rodeo sport utility vehicle. It attracted immediate attention and by 1993 was the segment leader. Over the past seven years, the number of sport utility vehicles available in the U.S. has more than doubled and SUV shoppers have become more and more demanding. These factors, and others, contributed to Isuzu's decision to give the 1998 Rodeo its first complete make-over ever. The Isuzu Rodeo is built at the company's shared Lafayette, Indiana plant along side its twin, the Honda Passport.

Vehicle Type: four-door sport utility vehicle

Base Price: $17,995

Test Vehicle PRICE: $31,480

Engine: 2.2- liter , 4- cylinder , 130- horsepower ; 3.2-liter, V6 , 205-horsepower

Transmission: 5-speed manual ; 4-speed automatic

Mileage: 16 city/20 highway

Safety Features: Dual airbags, four-wheel ABS , child-safe rear door locks. Thank you, Isuzu, for displaying an airbag warning prominently on the glove box where it's impossible not to see.

Buyer Demos: Those with an interest in a truck-based sport utility. Will also have a serious off-road intent.

Model Availability: 2WD or 4WD "S"; 2WD or 4WD "LS"

We Looked At:

Roominess And Passenger Comfort: The 1998 Rodeo boasts more interior room than the previous model, including increases in legroom, headroom and shoulder room. The Rodeo seats three comfortably in the rear and offers good visibility out the front thanks to raised rear seats. One complaint. While the front cupholder has been re-designed to fit everything from an over-sized drink cup to a standard-sized coffee cup, there are no cupholders in the rear. Oh well, drinking out of any sized cup is next to impossible on an off-road trail.

Driving Position: The high-up driving position provides an excellent view of the road, yet the floor plan is 2 inches lower than many other SUVs, making entry exceptionally easy. Seat adjustments are plentiful. The controls are logical and easy to access. However, the 4WD button is located right next to the cruise control button -- not good. The side mirrors are large and that is good because it's extremely difficult to see out of the rearview mirror, especially when the full-sized spare is mounted on the truck's backside.