(first posted 4/12/2013) I knew there must have been a reason why I had a marked impulse to shoot this Amigo the other day – for Isuzu Spanish Names Day.
So what was this monster that the “mentally warped Isuzu engineers” created by “attempting to fuse a sports car with a truck”? (note use of the word “attempted”). Well, at the time, it was something a wee bit different, since the closest thing like it was the substantially smaller Geo Tracker (Suzuki Sidekick). Compact but trucky 4x4s were coming into their own little hot fad, and the Amigo was there to spur it on.
Quite obviously, the Amigo is just a shortened and shorn Rodeo, whose depths we plumbed just the other day. But somewhat oddly, the Amigo arrived first, perhaps to set up the Rodeo before the Hombres arrived.
Most Amigos sported bold and gaudy striping and other appliques. The stripes on this one are almost invisible now, but the little pinkish one on the gas cap is a reminder of times when this Amigo was young and frisky.
Safe from the sun’s rays, the interior has aged better. The Amigo was powered by the same 2.3 L Isuzu four, and it was best to have it backed by the slick-shifting five speed, as all Isuzu trucks tended to be a bit heavier than average, and needed plenty caning to keep them traffic-friendly.
This one is looking a bit less cheerful than average; having lost its the color in its bold striping and sporting an uncharacteristic black/white theme. Who needs a somber friend?
Isuzu MU or Mysterious Utility to use its correct title so all over the planet under various GM brands, the 3.1L TDI is fairly common here these being JDM imports the power train is shared with the Big Horn and the local version of the Rodeo.
That’s what I’m used to seeing them as too. Never sold here new but a lot have been brought out from the JDM. Quite a handy size for an off-roader if you don’t want to carry 4/5 people at the same time as their gear, with the exception of the torsion bar IFS to keep the hard-core away.
I had an Impulse to leave a comment, but now I’m not sure what to say…
Well, what’ your impulse?
Probably all over the Spectrum.
I mark this as a new low in CC comment puns. Wonder what Mike Piazza would have to say about it? (That’s stretching it, so I hope someone gets the reference.)
So where’s the Vehicross CC?
Being Clubbed, Ace.
Let’s see JPCavanaugh’s opinion on these car puns. He creates tons of them himself! Just read this article he wrote:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1993-eagle-vision-desoto-2-0/
I mark this as one of Isuzu’s high points. (edit – Oops, I see CFClark was here first.)
cfclark: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-outtake-isuzu-vehicross-the-ultimate-anti-corvair/
Piazza being the Impulse’s name outside of North America….
Apparently the Impulse was a Guigiaro design for the 2nd gen Scirocco but then VW decided to design it in-house and the design was sold to Isuzu…
“I had an Impulse to leave a comment, but now I’m not sure what to say…”
Well, be a Trooper and shout out your thoughts to the world.
All I remember about the Amigo is this:
that was a good commercial. Don’t remember that one…
I was in college when those commercials came out and to be honest, it made me want to buy one.
(Not that college kids have any money.)
Same here, but now I have an ear-worm that won’t quit. I’ll play with my Slinky till it goes away.
My old man had one of these several years ago. Absolutely no idea why. I used to borrow it when my GLI 16v wasn’t running (so often enough). Oddly dorky and butch at the same time, larger tires helping the latter. The convertible pickup idea and function was very cool though often impractical. Always felt self conscious driving it. The cool wheels, big tires, flared fenders, and chrome bumpers just couldn’t overcome the inherent sillyness of a short wheelbase truck. I think Isuzu came to embrace this truth with the second generation, which was more girly.
The Amigo drives like a much bigger car than it looks. Having had experience with the Amigo, a first gen pathfinder, an early Cherokee, both nissan harbody and tacoma pickups, I can ABSOLUTELY see the appeal of car based crossovers over old-style smaller “real” SUVs (big F-150s and Tahoes still have their charms).
No desire to be it’s friend. Just never really saw the point of this truck and I think it’s because I did like the rodeo a lot.
I liked these when they came out, I though they looked like a fun vehicle. Its really the same concept as a domestic full size SUV from the 70’s shrunk down to a compact size, right down to the removable rear roof like a K-5/Bronco.
I had forgotten all about these too, until I snagged one in a parking lot a couple of months ago. I think I will let our Isuzu-fever die down a bit before I come back to it. These look like they would be fun cars to have if you don’t need to drive it every day.
I cross-shopped these with the Wrangler and Sidekick for use as a daily driver with meaningful off-road capability. I don’t think I ever got as far as driving one though. Eliminated it for price, being too big, mileage under 20mpg, and having all the disadvantages of a convertible but still stuck with a steel roof overhead.
CC effect in action … I saw a nicely kept-up shiny red Hombre on the highway today.
OMG!!!! My dad had one of these when I was a kid..It was a 1989 purchased early in the winter after the calender turned 1990..It was reliable for about 6 years then the 5 speed manual transmission started giving him problems..It came to a head when the transmission died on the off ramp to 117 from 684 in Mt.Kisco,NY..Two weeks later my dad was the owner of a Honda CR-V and never looked back..
It did give him over 100,000 miles of reliable service in six and a half years though
Yikes that’s a scary place for it to die, coming around a blind corner like that
Okay, this is an old post, I realize that. I have loved these ever since I was little. It also was the first vehicle (along with the Suzuki Vitara) I blatantly recognized as badge-engineering aside from the FoMoCo twins.
I was in Europe, and we were in Madrid, and one of these was an available rental car, as.. yep, an Opel Frontera. I’ve been on a quest to find as many of these things as I can and shoot them. I’ve also wondered why they never bothered with a Passport convertible, either.
Back to the Amigo; here in Minnesota, they’ve all but vanished. They do pop up, but very rarely. I like the second-generation trucks more, as I currently have a ’99 that I bought for a song. No, it’s not fast, but being able to take the top off is quite nice.
I was raised on Trackers, so naturally, I go for this type of trucklet. I can only hope that more survive.
On my recent trip to Equator I think I saw every possible kind of Isuzu, Suzuki, Daewoo, Opel (and Chevy) with Chevy badges, but no Amigos. Lots of Isuzu pickups of this gen, as well as Troopers, and one or two Rodeos, but no Amigo. So the only Isuzu (well, aside from Hombre) with a Spanish name, apparently not sold in Latin America?
In 1996, somebody got Isuzu’s representation here in Uruguay, and brought over a load of Hombres. Which were brand engineered, American-made Chevrolet S-10s….when GM was marketing the Brazilian, diesel-engined version. If I remember correctly, all of them were king cabs. But around here, people will either buy a crew cab, or a single cab. So, not much success, as they were competing against GM…currently, if anyone says he wants to drive an Hombre, people will understand something quite different than intended. No Amigos, though.
Also called a Honda Jazz, one of their many rebadges,
I vaguely remember the code name for AMC’s upcoming rotary engine car was “Amigo”, in early 70’s MT mags. Eventually, the ’76 Pacer.
Interesting application of the original K5 Blazer concept on a compact pickup platform. Ended up being a more substantial vehicle than it’s competitors. A good off-roader too.
Hola Amigos!
I had an (I-)Marked Impulse to comment on this Amigo, as the Hombre who wrote this put Amigos from two distinct colors of the Spectrum. Two of them in the same place? That’s an Oasis!!! You should have asked the owner to p’up the hood and see the engine. I would LUV to see it, and there would be a Storm of comments.
OK, too much caffeine
What’s your astrological sign? Gemini?
HA! Nope, just wishing to start another Rodeo of Isuzu puns