(first posted 8/27/2014) Here is one of the more obscure competitors from the beginning of the Great SUV Boom of the ’90s. The result of a lot of hard work by its maker, it is possibly the most ambitious product offered by utilitarian Isuzu, designed with its eye on high-tech bubble-economy Japanese glam, unlike its very no-frills predecessor. Paul does not like the ’92-’02 Trooper if I recall correctly, but I feel rather differently, as you might imagine. Perhaps he might reconsider, given this very basic, five-speed equipped example (which would look so much better in red or dark blue).
Or perhaps he might not, since they lack the hyper-utilitarian appeal of the trucks they replaced. To that end, I won’t disagree; it’s hard to top the charm of such a unique original. But the second-gen Trooper nonetheless remained highly capable and tough, even if it added a healthy dose of convenience and isolation (and weight) to make a more obvious case for its purchase.
The first Trooper II was incredibly crude, after all, as lovable as it was. And with the Rodeo taking over as mass-market Suburban transport in the US, moving the Trooper upmarket made sense. Unfortunately for those of us who loved scrappy ‘utes, it seems the market decided that austerity (or maybe restraint and good judgment) was out.
One thing both the Trooper and Rodeo required was a powertrain superior those of the outgoing Trooper II. For starters, the 1.9, 2.3 and 2.6 liter four-cylinders which motivated it were increasingly unacceptable in the face of resurgent consumer expectations, let alone when asked to carry a more complex rig. The 2.8 liter Chevy V6, which served as the top-drawer engine, certainly isn’t a bad motor; it’s perfectly satisfying in transverse, MPFI fuel-injected form. But in TBI form, against Nissan’s VG three liter and Toyota’s 3VZ, it wasn’t enough.
In the new 4,250-4,500 pound Trooper, it definitely wouldn’t cut it. The unusual 75-degree, all-aluminum V6 Isuzu designed to replace it would offer a thoroughly up-to-date option, without which neither the Trooper nor Rodeo would be make it until their discontinuations in 2002 and 2004, respectively. It would also live on as one of the first direct-injected gasoline-powered engines (in the US) in both models’ disappointing successor, the Axiom.
In basic, single cam form as seen here, the 3.2 made 175 horsepower; upmarket quad-cam versions made 190, and final versions made 215 after getting punched out to 3.5 liters in 1998 (with 230 lb-ft of torque). That might not sound like enough displacement to move such a bluff, heavy vehicle, but it was enough to compare favorably with the likes of the 4.0 Explorer, Range Rover and Grand Cherokee, in addition to 4Runners (pre ’96), Land Cruisers and Pathfinders.
Tricks like a variable intake and low gearing made power better-than-average for the day, even if fuel economy was atrocious (remember how cheap gas was in the ’90s?). It wasn’t as fast as the 5.2 litre Grand Cherokee or 4.3 Vortec Blazer, mind you, but not much was. In a recent Car And Driver test, the 7.1-second-to-sixty Legacy 3.6 was deemed slow, so it’s funny to think that as recently as 2000, the Trooper’s engine was considered peppy enough (oh wait, that was almost fifteen years ago–dear Lord).
Suspension was via a predictable coil-sprung four-link rear axle and double wishbone/torsion bar set-up in front; unlike Jeeps and some others, a unibody wasn’t part of the deal. As you can see, underneath all that luxury was a pretty traditional truck frame; I’d like to see one of these trucks put through today’s IIHS small-overlap crash test. Incidentally, the Trooper garnered a reputation for poor safety even before such stringent demands were placed on the average car’s safety systems.
Even though it had dual airbags (after 1994) and ABS–a big deal at the time–a Consumer Reports avoidance maneuver in which its Acura SLX clone lifted two wheels off the pavement helped damage the Trooper’s already flagging fortunes.
Though not comparable to the damage the 60 Minutes “scandal” did to the Audi 5000’s reputation (before word of those cars’ atrocious initial quality got around), it was of no help to the company, who’d already abandoned selling their cars and small pickups in North America.
In truth, it might not have mattered too, too much. The Trooper remained a thoroughly Japanese proposition, much in the same vein as the Mitsubishi Montero, with a tall, narrow body, and if the customer so desired, lots of bronze-tinted glass, a gigantic sunroof, switches galore, and plenty of velour upholstery (or your typical industrial-looking mass market leather–yuck). Later versions would benefit from the BorgWarner Torque-On-Demand system, which combined manual, dual range 4WD with active all wheel drive in place of the 4WD Hi setting on the transfer case, offering much faster response than systems using a viscous coupling while still offering a real low-range. Selling the Trooper loaded was easier than expected during the peak SUV boom years and many came so-equipped.
But even Toyota, who could only justify the Land Cruiser in the US market as an expensive, high-end option, never sold its smaller variant (the Land Cruiser 70-series, which has just been re-released in Japan for one year only!!) in the US. Next to more orthodox competition, proportioned more along the lines of the 4Runner, Grand Cherokee and Explorer, the Isuzu was poorly adapted to American needs, V6, creature comforts or otherwise.
In terms of character, however, the ’92 Trooper stood out and retains a loyal following today. Hardcore offroaders confirm that in terms of its suspension articulation–especially important without a solid front axle, its approach/departure angles, its minimum ground clearance and the stoutness of its differentials and axles, it’s as good as it gets. It also won the support of the press outside the United States, where its mission as a more off-road capable, tough truck, in conjunction with big turbodiesels, made the limits imposed by its hefty weight and bulky proportions less of an issue.
Differing expectations played a role, as well; plenty of buyers in Europe and Japan at the were happy enough in station wagons if they wanted a carlike experience (though crossovers and mini MPVs are tremendously popular in both places today). As Isuzu was firmly ensconced in the GM empire at the time, the Trooper was rebadged as an Opel, a Vauxhall, a Holden, a Chevy, as well as a Honda and Subaru, enabling it to be made in significant numbers and represented in most major markets.
But this, unfortunately, came to become one of the bigger obstacles Isuzu faced; its products’ existence as frequent GM rebadges rendered them anonymous, robbing them of brand equity. Despite peddling often thoughtfully engineered, uniquely purpose-built vehicles, few understood the joy of being an Isuzu partisan. It’s the opposite problem Saab faced, where an excellent reputation was destroyed by years of inadequate development funding. In such a situation, charging big bucks for a semi-premium “no name” SUV didn’t make sense to most consumers, especially in such an image-conscious segment. For the properly initiated who go off-road regularly, however, the rarity and obscurity of these solid trucks only adds to their cult appeal. And these days, they can be had for a song.
Related reading:
Curbside Classic: 1988 Isuzu Pickup – No Soup For You!
Curbside Classic: 1991 Isuzu Rodeo – Passport To Success
CC Capsule: 1986 Isuzu Trooper II Veggie-Oiler – Envious?
When I was a kid and these were new, I sort of liked them. Though they always came off as a budget LandRover Discovery to me, they could actually be rather luxurious for a ’90s SUV. Especially the rather curious Acura SLX. An interesting feature which I’m sure was available on the Trooper was power-folding outside mirrors. I know this is popular on luxury cars today, but I had no idea you could get it on a 1998 Isuzu product.
Anyway, as time has gone by, my positive feelings have gone away. These SUVs (and most later Isuzu products) exude the feel and status of a ’90s Kia or Hyundai. You called it a “No Name SUV”, and I think that’s a huge part. There really is value in buying a car from a solid and reputable automaker. By the late-’90s, Isuzu was neither of these. As the American public was turning on Isuzu, Isuzu rapidly began to back away (I’m not saying this in a critical manner, just stating). They stopped investing in the vehicles they sold here, and the possibility of them exiting the U.S. passenger vehicle market seemed very real. Residual value plummeted even further. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to buy an Isuzu.
Acura SLX – I haven’t seen one of those in a while! I had no idea they made them for four whole years – how many did they sell?
I don’t think that many. Totally guessing, but I’d say less than 10,000 over those four years combined. I’ve probably seen only ever about 5 in person.
Also badged Honda Horizon, theres on on the cohort I prepared earlier, good trucks though the 3.1 Turbo diesel can give problems there are huge numbers of these alive and well i NZ.
We got it as Holden Jackaroo.
It’s not just the multiple marque identities that make this so anonymous, the body styling is the blandest 4WD I can think of. Reminds me how good the Jeep J2000/Cherokee really looks.
I kind of liked the boxy, no-nonsense styling. Refreshing in a way. The base versions with the black grille looked better than the higher-trim versions though, due to the businesslike look.
A co-worker in my first job after college had one, blue with the black grille and bumpers, gray interior. The examplar of the no-nonsense Trooper (though it did have the power folding mirrors). He complained about the gas mileage, but other than that, he loved the truck. So much so that he replaced it with another Isuzu–a Vehicross, his personal dream car. One of the few of those that I’ve ever seen on the road. That was back in 2005 or so but it wouldn’t surprise me too much if he still had it.
The first generation Troopers used the GM 2.8L engine, not the 3.1L.
You’re right–that was the Rodeo.
Did these have the frame rust issues that caused Isuzu to recall (and in some cases, buy back) Rodeos and Amigos a few years ago?
http://www.examiner.com/article/gone-but-not-forgotten-isuzu-recalls-rodeo-rodeo-sport-and-axiom-suvs
I would imagine not, else they’d be mentioned in the same recall. The Axiom was built in the same factory along with the Rodeo, and was basically a Rodeo chassis with the late Trooper engine + DI.
Paul didn’t like them, neither did I.
Not much else about Isuzu I liked except the three-wheel trucks I saw on Okinawa many years ago!
You’ve almost convinced me to soften my feelings about these, Perry. This is a rather conflicted vehicle, thus my conflicted feelings. No doubt its off-road potential was very substantial, but its soft body style and its target market in the US as a faux-luxo-SUV really undermined that, as well as its weight.
Given how there’s hardly any BOF off-roaders of its kind left (Toyota 4Runner), I can see how it’s developed a cult following.
BTW, that engine cutaway is fascinating. I didn’t know that the two-cam version had hemi/pent roof heads, So why did the bother building four cam heads? Seems like a lot of additional expense.
I’ve rarely had such a change of feeling from one generation of a vehicle to the next; I really loved the Trooper II. And I’d still prefer one to one of these. As is the case with a fair number of others here in town: there’s still quite a few Trooper IIs on the streets here, but nary one of these. Unloved, and undesired.
That’s a good question. Maybe to make room for DI hardware? Maybe because they knew the people buying the high-end versions would flogging them on-road on onramps and such? Maybe to make a quad-cam version not all-that-different? Who knows? Nissan and Toyota would be putting quad-cam V6s in their SUVs soon enough and with the Rodeo sharing the engine and lasting ’til ’04, it must’ve made sense on some level.
That plain white box at the top and the fairly bland interior in picture #2 sure remind me of a 4Runner I know. I always liked these but don’t think the lifespan of the power train is Toyota like. Oh well, a bird in the hand – think I’ll keep what I have.
Not that it matters much, but wasn’t the really abysmal fuel mileage so bad it didn’t even make it into the double-digits? Seems like that, alone, would be enough to kill off a mass-produced vehicle in the last quarter of the last century, no matter what its virtues might otherwise be.
OTOH, I suppose an owner could brag that the fuel mileage of his Trooper was in the same league as the most expensive stuff from Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Lamborghini, et al.
I’m pretty sure it wasn’t that low.
I drove one once with the 2.8L GM V6 which struggled just like it did in the S10 Blazer. Great engine in a 1980 Buick Skylark, crappy one in a truck.
Count me in as a fan of the boxy styling, though my favorite from this era is the Pathfinder 4-door preferably with the later MPI engine and 4-A/T.
I would have liked it better if they had called it the Trooper III.
Can’t say I ever really thought about these. I think I kind of like it.
That begs a question. On the 1st-gen model, wasn’t the original setup that the 4-door version was just called “Trooper” and only the 2-door models were “Trooper II”? Or were they all “Trooper II” in which case, what happened to the original?
I was never a fan of the round-lamp fascia on the 2-door versions either. Seemed at odds with the rest of the car. I think later ones had the same rectangles as the 4-door versions but I could be wrong about that?
The circular lights looked dorky to me as a kid in the late ’80s but now seem so, so cool. I was determined to include a picture of a Trooper II so equipped.
Reminds me of the 1980 Subarus, in a good way. I love how these look, all tough and cuddly at the same time:
The first version was called Trooper II, oddly. And it initially only came in a two-door version; the four door was added later. There was also a swb version, not commonly seen hereabouts.
If the 2-door came first and was the Trooper II from the get-go, when the 4-door came along they should have called it Trooper IV. Then the second-gen could have been the Trooper II II and the Trooper IV II…or not. Starting to sound like DKW around here.
Was the SWB version sold in the US? I know of it, but I never remember seeing one on the road.
I think for 1989 only.
I’ve owned two of the Trooper II’s in my time. Loved them both! Then again, I’m not a normal person. I wasn’t looking for luxury, I wasn’t looking for a station wagon. I was looking for a utilitarian vehicle that I could beat up, use and abuse and the Trooper II fit the bill exactly. I bought both of them used, but they were in good shape. They both had the 4 cyl in them which if I recall correctly was the preferred engine.
The first one was one of the Trooper’s that had the gold/bronze tinted windows and the nicer interior, which I didn’t really care if had or didn’t have it. Unfortunately the head warped on that first one, which prompted me to buy the second one a few years later.
Picked up the second one at auction for a fair price and it was in great condition. I’d still have it to this day… But! I’m the only person in my house that can drive a manual and my daughter needed a ride for her new job. 🙁 Sold it and got a Chevy Celebrity so she could to get to and from work. I really miss that last Trooper. We used to take that thing up in the hills in eastern Washington, or off road in the Moses Lake area for camping. It was a bumpy ride, but it never failed me.. If there was an obstacle in the way, Trooper overcame it.
There’s a huge following of the Trooper in South America. Found out when I was looking for after market parts for mine.
I wasn’t fond of the later models of the Trooper… I didn’t like the rounded edges and rounded corners. It kind of defied the original boxy/utilitarian look that I had fallen in love with.
Respectable off roader, no question.
Nice article which along with the great selection of photos makes a strong case for this Trooper. I’ve never had anything to do with one; I do remember when I happened on an episode of “Car Talk” in which the brothers claimed they loved Isuzu Troopers because they’d put their kids through college with the money they got from working on them. I don’t remember if they said which generation they were referring to.
I once read that Trooper overall quality was too variable, but that engine valve trains were the biggest problem. From that point, I have always stopped to listen to the engine noises when next to one at a traffic light or in a drive-thru lane. If you do the same, I bet you will hear plenty of tappet noise.
We gave very serious consideration to this generation of Trooper when we ended up buying our Explorer in 1998. I think my wife still would have preferred the Trooper, I wanted the V8 in the Ford. Both of us really like these though and they were very popular in the SF Bay Area at the time. You don’t see too many anymore but they had a lot of space (a big box will do that), had good materials inside and since I’d had an Isuzu before was not at all averse to the brand. Nice find, they are getting rare.
Perry, you touched on a point that I have wondered about for some time – it would be very interesting to see today’s crash tests (with today’s parameters) but conducted with a variety of yesteryear’s cars. I do recall seeing the one with the 50’s Buick (?) a few years ago but recall much debate about what lever of rust and otherwise compromised structure it may have had. In any case, there are so few of those around it’s not relevant.
But to see today’s battery of tests performed on cars from ten years and perhaps twenty years ago for example might be eye opening. Then show it back to back with the current version. 2004 Accord, Tahoe, Cobalt, MB E350, RX300 etc, then the 1994 Accord, Blazer, Cavalier, MB E320, 4Runner. It should be easy enough to find structurally competent versions. The question would be who pays. Maybe IIHS should purchase a second version of every car that is tested and store it, I don’t know. It would probably do more for the new-car market than any cash for clunkers type of scheme would.
IIHS seems to have plenty of money lying around, but they’d have to select representative models pretty carefully because they’re not a museum. But after the Malibu/’59 Caddy test, I think they made whatever point it was they were aiming for.
I would like to see how some cars that were perceived as very “safe” for their time, maybe late 80’s or early 90’s versions – I’m thinking Volvo 240 & 940, Mercedes E-class, ‘box’ GM B-body & panther, etc. – and see how they do with tests scored using the current system.
Because, right now, I don’t care so much for myself. But when I have kids it will be a whole different ballgame. I used to think that something old but not so old as to be unreliable, and considred “safe” for its time, could be a good second family vehicle so as not to have double car payments. Something like a mid 90’s Volvo 945 or V90. But I’m willing to bet what was probably a five-star vehicle in 1996 (if they even had star ratings then) might be a one-star vehicle today and therefore something you’d never dream of putting your family in on a regular basis. Kind of unfortunate, that, but I do suppose there is a point in getting the newest DD you can afford even if it means giving up the “interesting” factor.
And, as Jim mentioned, finding one that is unmodified, un-corroded, and a worthy test subject might be hard enough. But maybe it’s better if it’s not perfect, as a more accurate representation of cars that have spent 20+ years in the real world.
Jack Nicholson driving a late model in The Pledge. Only time I can recall one in a film. Never heard anyone whose owned one complain about them. Said they were really bulletproof.
There was at least one in Spy Kids, in addition to the Axiom concept (“ZXS”). The second “Spy Kids” had the production version of the Axiom.
Perry – Great job on this write up…I was just threatening Paul with my own and I hadn’t gone back far enough to see yours.
I have an ’01 bought new, 250k miles. I love the thing to death, if only because of the far superior sight lines, ride height, and bus-like seating position. Always averaged 16 mpg no matter what I did. I have the mid-level LS – heated cloth seats, huge sunroof, single color (two tone cars drive me nuts). 13 years after I bought it my Trooper it still seems like a simple, timeless design.
Downsides? It liked batteries (18 months max, but the Houston humidity always takes it’s toll…thank God for long warranties…), starters (mine is on it’s 3rd), and transmissions (as well as on it’s 3rd). The tranny is the Trooper’s glass jaw. A French-made, GM-sourced 4 speed that BMW used back in the mid-90s for the 5 series.
Did you know Isuzu briefly carried a two door model of the 2nd series? I’ve only seen two in person, and they would seem atrocious to drive with that cabin height but stubby proportions.
Last summer my kid and I road tripped it to my brother’s place in New England, where it is to serve it’s remaining many days out as our vacation car.
After putting $1500 into a mapping sensor and tires etc this June, we took it on a road trip to Canada, Virginia, Rhode Island, and a few other places. Alas, we met a deer in broad daylight in upstate NY, and my baby is severely wounded, perhaps fatally. The calamity of a serious accident (thank God no one was hurt except for the stupid deer) in the middle of nowhere on a Friday afternoon is perhaps a story for another time.
After the assassination attempt….
Anyway, great write up!
Here’s the aforementioned 2 door. It was only sold in the US for 3 years:
I have heard these exist but I’ve never seen even one! Although it’s kind of awkward looking I would love to have one just for the rarity of it.
Here’s my super clean ’94. Love this vehicle. I bought it from the original owner and it only has 95k so far. It has a fundamental solidity to it that is enormously appealing to me. And it’s fun to drive such a large vehicle with a manual transmission!
Americans really missed out by not having diesel engines. The 3 litre turbo diesels fitted in early SUVs pulled like a V8 but sipped like a 4 pot and ran for ever, on recycled chip fat if you were that way inclined. I still remember my 2nd gen Toyota Surf (4-Runner) with great affection.
“I do remember when I happened on an episode of “Car Talk” in which the brothers claimed they loved Isuzu Troopers because they’d put their kids through college with the money they got from working on them. I don’t remember if they said which generation they were referring to…..” (pfsm, posted August 27, 2014)
One of my friend had a Isuzu “Pooper” that was always in the repair shop. He said the same thing: The mechanic who worked on the “Pooper” said it helped paid off his house mortgage.
Otherwise I thought it was handsome, no-frills SUV with that unique asymmetric 70/30 rear side opening tailgate door.
I worked at an Isuzu dealer in Maine when these came out. I remember the first sub-zero cold snap of the winter came, and all six or eight that had been sold in the town were towed in for a no-start condition. The Trooper II (and Rodeo and Amigo) also had 3 big weaknesses: rear disc brake calipers that got sticky and wore pads and rotors down to nothing, a tendency in manual trannies to wear out first or third gear, and self-locking front hubs that would turn to pudding after a while. Otherwise, we techs liked them as basic honest non-crap.
We had these as the Vauxhall Monterey for a few short years. It sold better as an Isuzu in the UK though and quite a few came in as grey import JDM spec Bighorns. I used to notice quite a few with Lotus badging as well. I believe this was to denote a few suspension tweaks.
Bought one in ’01 with 42k miles when we lived in VT. The PO was a restaurant owner who’d used it for deer hunting. These are really excellent off-roaders, just ask my sons who’ve put the various dents still on the sides and roof. It’s till in the family at about 240k miles. The cold-weather problem referred to was a weird issue with the intake manifold gaskets, in very cold weather they’d rupture and leak causing rough running and hard starting. After the Isuzu dealer fixed it 2 times, it would go bad bad again after a year or 2 year when it got cold. It was finally repaired by an independent mechanic around 2006 who’d had Isuzu factory training and it’s been fine ever since. Gas mileage was around 15 around town and 17 maybe on the highway. Never had any trans problems except for a 500 mi trip hauling a 23 ft boat when the trans got hot and had to sit for awhile to be cooled down. The gas tank had to be replaced about 10 yrs ago and it’s developed a fuel leak somewhere out back. She’s still sitting in teh VT woods and doubt my son will let her go. Replaced by an Xterra, another true BOF SUV, in ’09, and yet another Xterra 3 yrs ago. Troopers have since become sort of a cult vehicle among serious off-roaders, but are still way underappreciated by those unfamiliar with how good they really are.
I still have my day runner with close to 700ks give or take 20k due to a replacement engine apparently in its infancy. 1997 version with lotus tuned suspension whatever that really means and known as Isuzu Bighorn here in NZ.. Have had now going on 20 years and no reason to part. Earlier on had its little sister as well a 2 dr known as isuzu ….. The current runs 3.1 diesel has wipers on headlights, heated seats, electric Mirrors and on its second drivers seat which was also purchased 2nd hand. Love it to bits and would happily spend coin to keep going if needed .