Very mechanically reliable, near water-proof electrical system, high overall build quality, excellent fit & finish.
The Trooper is a big, roomy, sturdy, truck
with a unstoppable 4WD drive train.
But the 2.8L V6 engine is a bit underpowered.

RUST!!! and RECYCLED, POOR QUALITY STEEL

ALL the problems ever had were do to salt and rust.
However, after 11 years of driving in the salt-belt the poor truck is rusting apart from the inside out! Had to replace sections of the frame because the rot was so bad. It's a shame because the engine and drive train are near perfect at 109k miles, and most likely outlast the frame.

Gone through 20" deep water, 2' of snow, pulled a stuck 7 ton logging truck
out of the mud, pushed a UPS truck up a snow covered exit ramp. Fell into a 4' sink-hole and survived, hauled a face cord of wood up a 200ft hill to the cabin, and still has been a comfortable, safe, family vehicle.

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Jeep CJ-7, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee all STINK for realibility
and have LOTS of electrical problems. Thier off-road ability is awsome but the Trooper is equal to or better than the Jeep.

The Trooper has loads of good things. Compared to vehicles in the same class the Trooper has more cargo space, and the split rear door makes it easy to get into. The spare tire bolted onto the door is easier to use than an internal spare, or one on a swing away bar. The 'greenhouse' design of the cabin guarantees excellent visability in any conditions. The engine is basically indestructable, and is dependable with routine maintenance (and head gasket, see weaknesses). The light vehicle and capable 4wd system mean it can go where larger SUV's, pickups, and work trucks can't, and handles well in bad weather (am used to driving in hurricane force wind and rain). The layout is pretty ergonomic: buttons and switches are easy to reach and gauges are easy to read. The truck is comfortable to use as a daily around-town driver and as a highway cruiser.

There are known and common problems with the engine: head gaskets will have to be replaced (mine blew at 150K, but I hear most go earlier), and these is a known problem with coolant loss. The radiator is too small to be used in hot weather (Florida summers), but can be corrected with an aftermarket electric fan or performance fan blade. Can be hard to buy parts for. 'Greenhouse' design makes it a plaything in heavy crosswinds, but this effect can be reduced by using the 4wd. Large windows can be hard to defrost or defog in inclement weather. Using 4wd can kill otherwise great mileage. Serious engine work can be harder to do on your own than American vehicles.

I've driven this Trooper now for almost 3 and a half years. This vehicle has done things off-road that I can only do with a Bronco or Wrangler, can handle conditions that only Hummers would be capable of, and is still comfortable and fun to drive. Maintainance can be a challenge, because parts can be hard to find, but a good mechanic that can jury-rig parts is good to know. Mileage (16-18 mpg city) is better than most other vehicles of this age, although using the 4wd can cut that to almost 10 mpg. Overall, one of my favorites.

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Easier to drive than '85 Suburban, '88 Bronco, with much better mileage. As fun to drive as '88 Cherokee, but with gobs more room. Better handling and 4wd performance than '92 Blazer. Of these, only the Bronco had off-road capabilities that met or exceed the Trooper's. Harder to work on than any of these.

good, reliable 4wheel drive. Lots of visibility out front. Tight turning radius. Reliable motor that has 188k and still going without problems. Good fuel milage for a rolling box. Front axle well protected by large skid plate.

Weak automatic hubs. Not a lot of power out of the 2.3liter 4 cylinder engine. High RPMs at highway speeds. Limited visibilty out rear due to split door and spare tire.

Great Vehicle, very reliable, good on and off-road. Joy to drive. Large amount of Cargo space. Stong construction.

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Cherokee-Reliability issues, less visibility, Uni-body construction(on same year model)

Can be driven as all wheel drive(Torque on Demand) all the time But also have lockable 4lo for serious off-road stuff. BEST TRUCK for the MONEY;got it for $6K off MSRP. Poor man's Range Rover WITHOUT the breakdowns and expensive repairs.

Weak AC - solved by tinting windows.

Used as daily driver, family hauler(3rd row seat from Littleseat), and off-road truck (Paragon adventure park, Blackwood area..in PA, Colorado San Juan Mtns, Uwharrie Nat Park NC, Island Beach State Park & Pine Barrens NJ).Member of East Coast 4x4 Experience based in So. PA, PlanetIsuzoo & 4x4wire.com. Currently have 54K;only problem so far was a leaking rear pinion seal at 22k after MUCH sandy excursions...repaired free under warranty..no questions asked..GO FURTHER ISUZU

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Compared to 'yota 4runner & Mitsu Montero.
Both were way too much $$$ for my taste.

Great on and off road performance. Spacious interior, comfortable captains chair seats, Torque on Demand is awesome on winter roads. Terrific value, super reliable. Great visibility. Great with kids and car seats.

Mine has a minor rattle in the center console area and the factory bug guard was poorly designed - it tapped on the fenders in the wind - later replaced it. No major weaknesses.

Great SUV. Equally at home off-road or on the highway. Luxury ride for an SUV and great articulation / wheel travel off road. Quiet ride. Exceptional fit and finish. I drove everything on the market and had to be talked into taking a Trooper for a test drive. I was "wowed" and immediately started researching Troopers everywhere I could. I just couldn't believe I could get this much SUV for the money. Turns out it was true. I got mine for 24K - it stickered at 31K. The S model is very well equiped for a base model. Torque on demand is a great all wheel drive system. Far superior to any of of the 15 or 20 4WD vehicles of all makes I owned previously or drove as company vehicles. High build quality.

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Compared to Toyota 4Runner - interior too tight, nice vehicle but way more expensive, especially if you compare options, harsh truckish ride. Jeep Grand Cherokee - smaller interior, twitchy steering, noisy transfer case, poor visibility, more expensive, reliability issues. Ford Explorer, not an off road SUV, back seats too small, less usable power, truck like ride, Nissan Pathfinder - disliked most everything, small interior, premium fuel requirement, cheesy interior, unibody frame - not really an off-road SUV, pricey. Dodge Durango, truck like ride, heavy cumbersome feel, space not as usable, roofline too low - blocks vision, poor mileage, reliability issues, unappealing interior.

Build quality, mechanical features, creature comfort touches, overall quietness, smooth ride, overall vehicle size, power, disc brakes, all the late ones have a limited slip rear axle, the awesome sunroof and overall packaging

No power outlet in cargo area, no retained power to accesories (windows, radio etc.)until door is opened as on many other new vehicles

Overall I give the Trooper a 9.2, when you factor the money it's a 10plus! Bought my 99S w/ moonroof and perf. package (most equivelant to the current LS model) slightly used. It's an unbelivieable amount of vehicle per dollar. The 3.5L engine is awesome, the ride was a bit soft for me so with some minor suspension changes (under $500) it's awesome. The build quality and quality of components easily equals Toyota. It's one of a very few vehicles that offers a low-range for off road and an all-wheel drive mode (TOD) for use in all conditions including dry pavement. You also can drive in just 2wd for max. mileage. It's also one of a very few vehicles in this segment that has 4 wheel disc brakes (they work great and have a 'good feel'). I have driven the vehicle about 19K miles since I purchased it and avg. mpg is 16 (15.0-19+) The only things the 4Runner has on the Trooper is the backdoor arrangement and a slightly better steering feel (due to the 4Runners rack&pinion type steering)... Let me emphasize the Trooper steers and tracks well just not quite as good as... Don't ignore the Trooper as an option. Due to the resale, even with my suspension mods I saved at least $4500 when compared with 4Runner of the same year, trim level and mileage. I'll close w/a good firend of mine has a 98 4Runner Limited that I've driven quite a bit that's why I have compared to that so much. It's an awesome vehicle just expensive, rough riding and smaller.

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More comfortable, bigger, easy to enter and exit, same gas mileage, better ride, much better 4wd system, slightly weaker climate control, weaker speakers than a 98 4Runner.

It has pretty good ground clearance stock. The trooper did very well off-road, and mudding. Has great power climbing over pretty good size rocks uphill. I think everyone should have an Isuzu Trooper if they love the out doors.

There are really know known weekness in my opinion, but I'd wish the trooper had came with 16x8" wheels stock rather then the 16X7" wheels.

I've taken the Trooper to many places where most people with SUV's would ever go. Its climb large rocks and ledges with no problem. Most of my friends call it the beast. My friend has a really nice 86 Jeep CJ7 with plenty of options ( large tires, lift kit ) , even though my trooper is all stock, its been to the same places the Jeep CJ7 went. Wish I could show you guys some video. So over all, I'm very happy and very surpised what an Isuzu Trooper S 4wd can go and do. I give it 2 thumbs up and 2 big toes up. :)

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Compared to the Jeep Cher. It has better looks, more room, and I feel that the Trooper has more power and torque.

It is the perfect size. The engine is strong and smooth (even with my oversized tires. The fit and finish of the truck is great. After 30K rough miles still no squeaks. And if I do abuse it too much it comes with a great warranty (even better w/2000+ models).

Small aftermarket, but I managed a 3" lift and 33" tires without too much effort. No third seat, but I didn't need one. There is an aftermarket option if you really need one

So far so good. Everyone that asks about getting an SUV, I point at my truck. $25K for a full size SUV that is well made.

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2001 Mitsubishi Montero is a little more luxurious (for $10K more). 1986 Chevy Suburban doesn't even compare

Lots of room, good ground clearance, decent V-6 power, automatic climate control, style and appearance, warranty, more afordable than competition.

no roof rack (on any modle), little tires, no "door-open" indicator, only the "LIMITED" has digital compass and outside temp indicator, erratic 6-disc chnager, no third row of seats (US modles), too much plastic around the body.

My wife and I purchased this vehicle a year ago after extensive online research. We norrowed it down to just two modles: the Trooper and the Montero. We chose the Trooper because after a side by side comparison it seams to have better features than the 2000 Montero. That was then. I'm not dissatisfied with the Trooper at all. But sometimes I wish I would had waited a few more months and get the gorgeous 2001 Montero. Now back to the Trooper, It is a fine vehicle. I have a fully loaded 2WD LS. Which by the way was very hard for us to find. So far it has performed as written on paper. The V-6 engine seams to be sufficient for a vehicle this large. Just don't try to race anyone. I'm not planning to be going to the great-outdoors any time soon, so the 4WD feature will not be missed. The limited slip rear differentilal, however, got me through snowy and icy situations just fine during my last vistit to New York. I only have a few complaints, besides the ones already mentioned above. Isuzu's customer service is not the greatest. At least not down here in VA. The take too long to respond and sometimes try to B/S there wayout of warranty related repairs. This is not the Trooper's fault, but Isuzu's in general. I just though I threw that in there to complement my review. Other than that, this is a great truck.

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92 NISSAN PATHFINDER

Interior room, sturdy construction, lots of character, much better price the Toyota or Nissan, very good off-road, does not pretend to be a car.

Chevy V6 is overmatched by weight and drag

Needed a 4 door truck that I could pay cash for, won't cause me much trouble and would be good off road without a lot of modifications. LS version come standard with 4.55 gears, skidplates, LSD, and all the power accesories. Only the Cherokee came close to the Trooper but it was too small inside.

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have driven many different trucks