Isuzu Trooper SUV | Crossover
Isuzu Trooper SUV | Crossover
[Oct 15, 2000]
J Green
Model Reviewed:
Limited
Strength:
T.O.D Torque On Demand 4wd
Weakness:
Front Seat doesnt go far enough back (I'm 6' w/long legs) I highly recommend the Trooper, but ONLY if you buy the Luxury version with Leather. I owned a 1998 Trooper (almost identical), but got rid of it in a year because the seats were so damn uncomfortable. Before buying my 98 Trooper I test drove the Pathfinder, Four Runner, Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Rodeo...and none of them felt nearly as solid on the road as the Trooper. This time around, when deciding to get the 99, I actually thought I was going to go out and buy a Xterra or Pathfinder..Drove them both, and they were both SLOWER AND way more bouncy/shaky on the road than the Trooper!I was surprised because the Trooper is so much heavier than those 2 vehicles I expected it to be slower..I went and looked at the 4-runner again, but they were literally $10,000 more for a "similarly" equipped car. Remember the 4-runner does not even offer 4 wheel disc as an option, which comes std on the Trooper. The difference between my 98 and my 99 Trooper is really the leather package, and the new Torque On Demand system which is awesome in the rain! Anyway, the leather seats are much more comfortable than the cloth ones, and that little armrest makes a world of difference on long drives...anyone with a regular Trooper knows you really need an armrest on the inside of the seats..by the way, my dealer here can get your regular seats retrofitted with aftermarket armrests...Anyway, as one other person said, go drive a Trooper for a week, I'd be very surprised if you weren't sold on the vehicle by then! Similar Products Used: 1998 Trooper |
[Oct 16, 2000]
Lee
Model Reviewed:
Isuzu Trooper S
Strength:
Very solid vehicle. It's almost too relaxing to drive. Very reasonable performance for a 4500 lb. truck. Great brakes help mask the weight. Unlike some SUV's the Trooper is not a car masquerading as a truck.
Weakness:
A/C is insufficient for Arizona. I paid $15750 for my '98 with 35K miles. Since I bought from an individual, there was no sales tax or license fees. Used Troopers take a big hit on deprecation making them a bargain on the used market. Based on my first impressions I expect for this truck to be in the family for a long time. Our other car is an 2000 Audi A4. My wife and I used to feel sorry for each other when one of us would get "stuck" in the Pathfinder. Now we're equally eager to drive either vehicle. Similar Products Used: 1992 Nissan Pathfinder: The Pathfinder is built on a pick-up truck platform. It really shows in how it rides. Our 6 month old would wake up in her car seat when the Pathfinder would hit a bump. In the Trooper she sleeps.... well, like a baby! |
[Sep 15, 2000]
Matt
Model Reviewed:
Trooper 2
Strength:
Plenty of room (huge inside),can haul 4 friends very comfortably...goes great anywhere you decide to take it,but is the best in my opinion when taken into the woods...smooth steering..the back seat folds up to allow more space for cargo...can pull just about anything...has swinging back doors instead of tailgait type..engine is quiet..
Weakness:
not high enough off the ground ,I have only bottomed out once though...flat windshield,breaks to easy... used price was $1900 with trade in and it was worth it ...I would recommend it to anyone who likes to play in the woods..,but not anyone who doesn't like to look at the roofs of other cars..it sits up a little bit higher than your average car.. Similar Products Used: Chevy Blazer..it stopped going in the deep mud and I had to go around it..the Trooper spun a little but kept going |
[Sep 15, 2000]
Tom
Strength:
It's big for starters. But I also like the Torque-on-Demand 4WD system in the winter & rain.
Weakness:
RELIABILITY!!! I've made numerous service trips to the dealer from day one. Also the gas mileage is lousy. I would not recommend this vehicle for purchase. I have been led to believe that the reason ISUZU is not a big car here in the US is due to the fact the vehicles are not reliable or well made. I have had the disc changer replaced as well to speakers due to problems (I don't listen to music very loud either) the 4WD system has had to be fixed 3 times for various problems, the windshield washer pump had to be replaced, the gravity sensor on the anti-lock brakes had to be replaced. This is since i first picked the vehicle up in Oct. 98 the vehicle has 34,000 miles on it today. Thank the lord that the warranty covered all the repairs. Similar Products Used: This was my first SUV purchase (actually lease) thank god. I decided on the Trooper due to the $3000 incentive on it and due to the price being considerably lower than most similiar size SUVs |
[Sep 14, 2000]
Joseph Ferrin
Model Reviewed:
Isuzu Trooper
Strength:
This is a real truck! Full ladder frame chassis,True low range 4WD,Plus all
Weakness:
none that I have found yet, except that it is a little top heavy. 2000 Isuzu Trooper Limited,$35000,After all the SUV's I have sampled I can Finnely say That I found A keeper! This Truck Combines a True capability SUV but with the refinement Of a luxury Sedan,And for thousands less.And with probably the highest reliability index Of all SUV's To boot. Its an unbeatable Value!!!!! Similar Products Used: Nissan Pathfinder(fell apart on me). Jeep cherokee and Grand Cherokee(both garage Queens,Spent more time at the dealer than in my drive way).Land Rover Discovery II,Another garage queen!! Mitsubishi montero( Good Truck But lacks refinement all around,hard truck to live with). |
[Sep 18, 2000]
Don Winzen
Model Reviewed:
Trooper SE
Strength:
Trooper is cavernous and rides like a dream. It really struts its stuff going up and down hills. Its excellent as a replacement for towing our trailer with our Grand Voyager and has the ground clearance we are looking for. The interior is very confortable (I am over 6 foot tall) and my three children can sit in the back with plenty of room. The remaining space will hold my Golden Retriever in her crate. WOW!
Weakness:
Gas Mileage (hey I am used to driving a sedan that gets in the mid 20s). But actually, everyone on this board reviewing complains about the mileage but brags about the amount of space. Has to be a trade off somewhere. I paid $11,450 and I would recommend it. But be cautious as you would with any vehicle. You never know what someone else has done to it. They may have thought they were a billy goat making the trooper jump from rock to rock. Similar Products Used: Rented other SUVs in the past and have ridden in many brands owned by friends. Would say that it is the best all around for the money. |
[Jul 28, 2000]
Cecilia
Strength:
1. Good looking.
Weakness:
1. The AC is weak, may be due to its spacious interior. Mine is a 1999 Isuzu Trooper w/ Luxury Package. MSRP = ~~$36,000. Bought new @ $28,000. Similar Products Used: Isuzu Rodeo. If paying the same amount, the Trooper is more luxurious. |
[Feb 15, 2001]
John P
Strength:
How could I even list them all?? Power, Speed, Mileage,reliabiliy,looks,options,cost compared to others,warranty,Isuzu service,comfort............................etc..........etc.........
Weakness:
Wish it came with bigger tires like the Toyota 4runner deluxe. Back window gets dirty in bad weather I love Isuzu. They make a GREAT product for a good price. We have a 1991 Rodeo with over 200,000 miles on it and it is still running great so in 1998 we decided to buy a Trooper. I do not regret it one bit. I was in Los Angles at the time and had to drive 30 miles each way on the worst highway in the U.S. for 2 1/2 yrs and the Tropper NEVER let me down! And believe me, that is something for those conditions. Then we got transfered to Oklahoma and we weren't here for two weeks before the snow and ice hit and during that whole time the Trooper never even flinced at it!! The streets were covered with ice and the anit lock brakes brought me to a grinding halt EVERY time. I could out accelerate almost anything on the ice, most of these people thought I was some crazed maniac because of how fast I was driving on the ice and snow all the time, well I wasn't it's just how well the Trooper works in bad conditions!! I don't know how many Ford explorers or Toyota Forerunners 4x4's I smoked during this time!! Funny to watch their faces when the light turns green and even though theres ice and snow every where I can just floor it and the TOD lets me just walk away from them!!! Them "Good Ole Boys" just can't figure out why their Big Bad Ford just got spanked!! Similar Products Used: Isuzu Rodeo(still have it and it still runs great!!!) |
[Feb 16, 2001]
Kat Browning
Model Reviewed:
Trooper II
Strength:
Height, easier to view rode ahead, better stability in wind gusts than vans, more interior cargo space at the time I purchased and better gas mileage than most suv's. Is a real work horse, utilitarian vehicle. I really pushed her past her limits more than once out of necessity in the 11 years I've driven her and she's always come through.Lots of ground clearance and tall narrow sillouette enable you to see and go, where most suvs can't on mountain trails.
Weakness:
head gasket went at 120,000, original brakes good but replacements don't last long. You need to replace with a special brake kit from Isuzu. If regular stock brakes placed on vehicle, every time you step on brake pedal you emit such a shreiking "ooooooot" everybody within a block turns their head in your direction. Other owners have reports of same problems. Also having to do with the brakes; If the truck sits overnight in freezing weather, when I apply the brakes for the first time in the morning starting out, I have none. It's like a cinder block is under the brake pedal trying to depress it. After stomping/pumping the pedal 3 times, I let the car go about another 50 feet before braking again and it works fine then and for the rest of the day. This quirk repeats itself every a.m. it falls below freezing. If the temp is warmer I have no problems. The cup holder in the front needs reworking. {too close to shift, not wide enough to accomidate reg. travel mug.} Also would like to see back door widened. Interior space is over 4' but to get a sheet of paneling, a bicycle,even a large kids toy, trough a 3' 6" door, you have to wrestle and gyrate at some weird angles to tilt it to fit in, then do the reverse trying to get it out. The truck is tall and narrow, but keeping that in mind, you shouldn't have a problem.Anyone who thinks so, try driving a vw bus. All in all, I've received good value and reliability, with only a few major mechanical problems over the last 11 years, but when I did have a problem it was difficult and time consuming to fix.It's as if the truck came from outer space. When something does go wrong, it takes a team of NASA mechanics to track down, pinpoint and diagnose the problem, short visit to repair the problem, then several more short trips back to fine tune the fix. Similar Products Used: old vw bus-now this baby could TILT, even rolled her over once,but a bunch of guys lifted her back on her wheels and off we went.Driving and handling is similar to the trooper, small tight turning radius{at low speeds only!} Sparse on the inside, utilitarian and runs like a truck, not a luxury car. Also drove Ford econoline van, more room in back than a cargo hanger, but real gas guzzler and she would switch lanes completely in a gust of wind, without the steering wheel ever turning in your hand,scary. |
[Jul 13, 2000]
James
Strength:
Reliability, Spacious
Weakness:
AC Performance, Front Seats This is my work vehicle. I use the Trooper regularly when I have to go off-road to look at vacant tracts or job sites. Mine is a 3.5L base 4wd. I compared 4Runner, Montero, Explorer & Durango before purchasing the Trooper. 4Runner was too small, Montero's engine on the weak side, Explorer too truck like (I have to drive a long way on Hwy before getting to the fun off-road part). Durango just came out then so price was high & reliability of 1st yr model was a concern. Troopers AC simply doesn't cut it compare to my partner's Explorer & Tahoe. I would like the front seats to go back farther. Other than these two issues, its been a very nice SUV, reliable, roomy, gets the job done for me. Similar Products Used: First SUV |