You pronounce the name of Isuzu's mid-size SUV like a Texan, not a Beverley Hills dilettante. American versions were built in Lafayette, Indiana from parts imported from Japan, which made the Isuzu Rodeo an import in the eyes of the government despite being screwed together in the United States. It was powered by an anemic 2.6-liter inline four-cylinder producing 120 horsepower unless the
...You pronounce the name of Isuzu's mid-size SUV like a Texan, not a Beverley Hills dilettante. American versions were built in Lafayette, Indiana from parts imported from Japan, which made the Isuzu Rodeo an import in the eyes of the government despite being screwed together in the United States. It was powered by an anemic 2.6-liter inline four-cylinder producing 120 horsepower unless the 3.1-liter V6 was ordered. This GM-sourced engine produced a more palatable 175 hp.
Like almost every other Isuzu vehicle sold in the U.S. it was offered in S, XS or LS trim, with the four-wheel-drive system on the S using manual-locking front hubs, and the XS and LS automatic-locking units. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes were still something of a novelty for light trucks in 1991, so the Rodeo made do with rear-wheel ABS. And those in search of ultimate fuel economy could order a four-cylinder S with rear-drive and a five-speed manual transmission.
In 1993, Isuzu dumped the GM V6 for one of its own design, a single overhead cam 3.2-liter V6 that by 1997 was producing 195 hp and 193 lb-ft of torque. Other areas stayed obstinately the same, like using a floor-mounted transfer case lever at a time when the industry had moved to an instrument panel-mounted switch. However Isuzu did ditch the manually locking hubs, recalibrated the suspension for a better on-road ride, and increased the standard equipment on all trim levels. In 1994, Isuzu even began producing a version for Honda, which was called the "Passport".
In 1998, Isuzu replaced the Rodeo's folded-paper styling with a more rounded and modern shape for the second generation model. An Intelligent Suspension Control system allowed the driver to flip a switch to adjust the shock absorber damping between Normal and Sport on the fly. Tire size increased from 15 to 16 inches, cruise control was made standard on all V6-equipped models, output for the 3.2-liter V6 increased to 205 hp, and the top of the line LSE, a new model, came standard with both a V6 and an automatic transmission. In 2004, the displacement of the V6 was increased to 3.5 liters, direct fuel injection was added, and output jumped to 250 hp. However, this would be the end of the line for the Rodeo in North America, but not the last that would be heard of the vehicle. The first generation Rodeo reappeared in Europe just after the turn of the century as the Chinese-built Jiangling Landwind. It was the first vehicle ever to fail Europe's New Car Assessment Program crash test.
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