Another in a series of my reviews that appeared in the online version of African Americans On Wheels, a now defunct automotive magazine that was included as an insert in the Sunday newspapers of major cities.
The tragedy is that as the U.S. market turned to trucks, Isuzu still couldn’t make it work. Too bad, because their current lineup looks appealing. Unfortunately, the D-Max would be subject to the chicken tax, but the MU-X looks like it could work. William – what’s the mood regarding Isuzu down under? Are there any other country songs about foreign vehicles?
The following review was written on March 28, 1999.
This has to be significant: “Little Red Rodeo” by Collin Raye, as far as I know, is the only country-western song in which the star is a Japanese truck. Middle America has obviously taken to the rough, rugged little SUV.
The Rodeo was originally intended to be a budget alternative to Isuzu’s upmarket Trooper. Available only as a four door and based on the old P’UP compact truck, Americans preferred by a wide margin the Rodeo’s sleeker shape and broad stance to the Trooper’s upright and squarish ambiance. A redesign last year gave the Rodeo a more formal appearance without sacrificing much of its rugged character. Its four-wheel drive system is part-time only, activated by the push of a button for off-road or foul weather conditions only. High- and low-range may be selected via a console-mounted shifter.
The 205-horsepower, 3.2 liter V6 is the perfect match for the Rodeo, offering lively acceleration and a 4500-pound towing capacity. The optional four-speed automatic transmission shifted smoothly. A 2.2-liter four cylinder is standard only on the base S with two-wheel drive and a five-speed manual.
The interior on our LS is standard truck issue, with purpose but without pizzazz. The step-up to get inside is modest, but you feel like you’re sitting much higher. Rear passengers have an impressive amount of legroom for a mid-size SUV, although the small 33-cubic-foot cargo area (with the rear-seat up) is the obvious trade-off for all that legroom. The split tailgate is a nice feature, but the bottom half swings out, which can make loading dock maneuvers difficult.
Its truck-based platform becomes evident on the road, where there seems to be a constant bouncy sensation even on smooth roads. This didn’t bother me as it seemed to suit the Rodeo’s character. Its short overall size and small turning circle makes this one of the easier SUVs to drive.
The Rodeo’s popularity is evident in its price, with the top-of-the-line LSE actually costing several thousand dollars more than the Trooper. But if you like the look, the base S starts at just over $18,000. Lots of choices, which is just the way Americans like it.
For more information contact 1-800-726-2700
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Four-door Sport-Utility Vehicle
Engine: 205-horsepower, 3.2 liter V6
Transmission: Four-speed Automatic
EPA Mileage: 16 city/20 highway
Tested Price: $30,385
It looks just like the old Honda Passport 🙂
I like these, and find they still look great today. In fact somehow I’ve developed a serious longing to own an Amigo (or Rodeo Sport as they became known toward the end of the run). They’re out there but good ones seem to not be as dirt cheap as Rodeos anymore.
Both generations of Rodeo are plentiful in junkyards around here (as well as Trooper), showing just how well they sold. And why wouldn’t they, good value, stylish, rugged, powerful enough, and durable (although transmissions seem to be a sore spot).
Are they still in your junkyards? I think their time as parts cars passed many years ago here. I certainly didn’t see any at the PickNPull last week, where I bought the Cap, Cowl Top Side that I lost washing my car. Last time I helped someone keep a Rodeo on the road was 2006. I was shocked how poorly it had held up, and that was when I noticed that they’d gone from ubiquitous to scarce. There are zero Isuzu Rodeos on ebay at the moment. To put that in perspective, there are ten Fisker Karmas and three Suzuki Samurais.
Yeah, tons of them. Rodeos, even a Passport or two and Troopers all the time, both generations of each. Lots of Mitsubishi Montero Sports as well, every once in a while a big Montero too.
Slightly off-topic, but I wonder this every time someone mentions the Honda Passport…
You see, this looks nothing at all like the Honda Passport I used to own. Mine was a 1980 Honda C70 Passport, known to the rest of the world as the Super Cub. (Honda couldn’t use the Super Cub name in the US, because Piper Aircraft already owned that name.)
And I still wonder if any other manufacturer has ever re-used a model name on two more wildly divergent vehicles.
This is a 1984 Honda FL 250 Odyssey. It is pretty different from a minivan. Triumph made TR6 and TR7 motorcycles as well as cars. Probably some others too.
At least both Odysseys have four tires!
Maybe not as divergent as those two, but Ford used Ranger for both a small truck, a trim level on a standard size truck, and on a large mid-range sedan.
The Passport was a rebadged Rodeo.
I would advise against ownership unless you’re willing to subject yourself to constant parts searches. Most maintenance items are easily found, but the more nitty pieces, say steering rack bushings, have to be ordered through Isuzu. The biggest drawback to these trucks are the 4L30E transmissions. Most owners had failed to drain and refill the transmission fluid every 20,000 miles. Average full rebuild costs $2,000+ now.
On an upside, they are so satisfying to drive. My Rodeo based Axiom is by far more fun and comfortable than my GMC Yukon.
Transmission fluid change every 20k miles? Yee! Suddenly it’s 1957.
The styling has aged really well on these old Isuzus/Hondas SUVs. Slap a ridiculously large and gaudy chrome grille on it and it could pass as a modern crossover.
Did you get a chance to review the Volkswagen Jetta, Mr. Dixon?
Unfortunately, I didn’t review a Jetta during my time as a journalist. However, there is a GTI review coming up, and this was still when the Jetta was little more than a Golf with a trunk.
I recall a You Tube video of a crash test of a Chinese knockoff of one of these.
It didn’t do too well. The nagging question for me, was it just the design? Or something else? I realize it was a knockoff of a 15 year old design, but would a bonafide version have done better?
That’ll be the Jiangling LandWind. Subtitles from German unavailable (and unnecessary):
Shortly after this bloodcurdlingly pathetic showing, the European importer of this unroadworthy deathbox held a press conference at which he threw around all kinds of excuses and accusations of unfair tests, etc. Then someone Chinese from Jiangling took the microphone and tried, with limited success, to say the vehicle passed all Chinese safety tests (very reassuring, eh?) and sort of chanted/cheered “LandWind is a right choice, LandWind is a right choice, LandWind is a right choice!” repeatedly. That video I’ve not been able to find again.
The genuine item was not near the top of anyone’s list of safe vehicles, but it did a whole lot better:
I liked the Collin Raye song when it came out, but I couldn’t help thinking that an Isuzu Rodeo was a rather obscure vehicle on which to base a song. I wonder why it wasn’t written as “Little Red Cherokee?”
But the Isuzu reference didn’t seem to hurt the song much; if I recall, it was one of the most popular Country songs of the year.
And while I can think of numerous Country songs that reference foreign cars (lots of references to Mercedes, especially), I can’t think of any other song in which a foreign car features so prominently, let alone in the title.
The first generation Rodeos were huge sellers, often at relatively low prices compared to Explorers, Cherokees and 4Runners. I don’t recall the second generation ones ever being particularly common.
Having heard the song so many times (Raye’s CD was a staple on long car trips back then), I don’t see it working with Cherokee due to the way he drags out the name Rodeo:
Oh, how fast can I go, gotta catch that little red ROOO-DEE-OHHHH
She drove off with my heart, I’ve gotta let her know
I need the girl in that little red ROOO-DEE-OHHHH
Texas plates, candy apple red ROOO-DEE-OHHHH
I miss Joe Isuzu. My brother worked at a Mopar dealer back in the 90’s that also sold Isuzus. The Isuzus sold well and had a high percentage of repeat buyers.
I probably wouldn’t dislike the onslaught of modern Crossovers if they had the more boxy truck like proportions and big tires/fender openings these 90s models had. I mean the 16 city, 20 highway rating spells out why the segment has mostly moved on from it but at least these had the vestige of rugged off roaders.
Make mine the Amigo though, I still have the commercial playing in my head!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bRnT-TklALk
My mom had a 97 Rodeo – 2WD, V6 and manual 5 speed.I remember it having grey cloth interior with a gunmetal grey exterior, and basic rims – but it was a very comfortable truck, and well screwed together for the few years she had it. Grandpa Max, who had a 1998 Cherokee, commented that he liked it better than the Cherokee since it felt roomier.
Much to my dismay, mom’s next set of wheels was a Miata – which wouldn’t have been so bad if I didn’t have to wear a bike helmet while riding around.