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Almost Infamous: 1984-91 Isuzu Trooper

By admin ⋅ August 13, 2009 ⋅  Email this Article ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

by Raphael Leonard

The Background

Ask your average American what they think of Isuzus, and more often than not you will get a noncommittal “meh.” Pressed, your average Joe will recall some controversy surrounding a certain sport utility and a failed rollover test. Yes, in later, post-Trooper years, Isuzu of America was shamed to the point of making unmemorable badge-engineered GM products for profits. When the tired shell of the once popular automaker finally called it quits in the US of A, there was no remorse, nor was there fanfare. The tired branch of the company simply left the party through the bathroom window rather than return to the punchbowl and the likes of Honda and Toyota.

Cut back to the early 80s, and enter the Trooper. Having the aerodynamics of a Maytag, a somewhat underpowered 4-cylinder engine, and nothing remotely resembling luxury may not sit well in today’s world, but consumers of the decade were on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich, simply due to the low starting price and decent off road performance for those who needed it, and didn’t necessarily want or require anything else. While earlier models were only available with a four-banger and a manual tranny, Isuzu soon opted to change that when it saw the potential for sales. Eventually, the truck could be had with a slushbox transmission and a GM built V6 engine, both of which helped the import compete with American and Japanese rivals alike.

The Opportunity

The Isuzu Trooper can be a marvelous off-roader, as well as a fairly tolerable daily driver. However, the most compelling reason to buy one is often the price. Spend a few weekends perusing your local Craigslist or used car lots, and if you’re the mechanical type and find one that needs work, look into it. The styling isn’t the only thing that’s utilitarian; these SUV’s are notoriously easy to work on as well as being spectacularly Spartan (although you may be surprised by some thoughtful touches, like four wheel disc brakes on certain models).

While certainly not on par with most Japanese automakers, Troopers are known to be fairly durable in the long run. While you shouldn’t expect much from an example that’s been beat to death on off-road trails or blasting around your local barnyard, an average specimen should certainly be able to make it past 200,000 miles without trouble, assuming maintenance has been regularly performed.

The Downside

The downside of this vehicle has quite a bit to do with why Isuzu left America in the first place. What nobody involved with the corporation seemed to consider is that manufacturing a vehicle that is inadvisably tall and skinny may not bode well for those who enjoy their SUV’s ability to, you know… turn. As such, an Isuzu Trooper on the freeway feels about as sure footed as a drunken bearded lady on a tightrope. Take a turn too suddenly, and you may very well wish you’d gone for the Subaru from last month.

However, sport utility vehicles from the 1980s are rarely celebrated for their on-road drivability. While the Trooper’s highway manners are nowhere near impeccable, they aren’t much worse than you’d expect from your average twenty-something year old 4×4. Nevertheless, if the sole purpose of your vehicle is mall-crawling, the basic Isuzu is not for you.

The Hit

$500 – $2,300

In a Nutshell

It would be much easier to recommend the Trooper if the Jeep Cherokee did not exist, especially considering that a Cherokee equipped with the indestructible and delightfully torquey I-6 can be had for only slightly more than your average Trooper. On the other hand, if you aren’t looking to fit in with everyone and their redneck cousin, there’s always the option of being an oddball and opting for an Isuzu instead. Hey, why not?