The feeling of a spacious interior is more than just a feeling. There
is lots of room and it is well thought out for utility purposes, too. Thanks
to last year's interior redesign, the controls are logical and well-placed,
and function as they should without having to resort to the owner's manual
for directions.
We also appreciated the thoughtfulness of the discrete arrow on the
gas gauge on the dash which serves to remind the driver which side of the
vehicle should be facing the pump when it's time to refill the tank.
Cover the seats however you wish--cloth or an optional leather interior--they
are really comfortable. And as importantly, this is truly a five-passenger
vehicle with ample room in the rear for the heads, shoulders, hips and
legs of real people without crowding either the driver or the front seat
passenger. Even with a full passenger complement, there is ample room for
bags, boxes, sacks and satchels.
The cargo area has all sorts of handy tie-down anchors to secure whatever
you're carrying, as well as a security screen to cover stuff up. An option
on the Rodeo (standard on the Passport) which we found particularly useful
was the 60/40 split in the rear seat. This greatly facilitates the ability
to accommodate a variety of loads and/or passengers.
The Rodeo offers a choice between an optional rear spare tire mount,
or a standard inside mount, while all Passports carry their spares on the
tailgate. Neither arrangement is ideal. The inside spare eats cargo space,
the outside mount restricts vision to the rear, and we prefer underbody
spare tire stowage, which is on its way to becoming universal in this class.
The sound system--be it the standard AM/FM radio or an optional upgrade
with cassette or CD capabilities--is quite good. Air conditioning is optional
on the basic Rodeo, standard on the Passport. Both Rodeo and Passport also
offer the option of a large opening in the roof, called a sunroof by Isuzu
and a moonroof by Honda. So what's in a name? There's no night and day
difference here; they're identical in function.
The Rodeo and Passport perform equally well on paved roads, unpaved
roads or no roads at all, although eight inches of ground clearance limit
usefulness in seriously rocky terrain. The suspension provides an easy
ride for the occupants, regardless of terrain.
As noted, we strongly recommend the 3.2-liter engine for Isuzu shoppers.
The additional displacement and power simply make for a more satisfactory
throttle response under all conditions. We did notice that even though
Rodeo/Passport worked well in the off-road muck and mire to which we subjected
it, it seemed particularly happy and effortless cruising the expressways,
due in part to the shift points of the automatic transmission with which
our test vehicle was equipped. Besides its normal setting, the automatic
is set up for two extra modes of operation--Winter, which starts the vehicle
in a higher gear to reduce wheelspin on slick surfaces, and Power, which
raises shift points to maximize acceleration.
The Isuzu 4WD is a straightforward on-demand system, designed for part-time
use when extra traction is needed. It includes a 4WD low-range in its transfer
case, for creepy-crawly going, and it's been upgraded for 1997 with shift-on-the-fly
capability, which means you can engage the 4WD high-range at speeds up
to 60 mph. Engagement is accomplished by a traditional separate shift lever
for the transfer case.
Incidentally, another reason for stepping up to the LS model is that
its front hubs lock automatically when you shift into 4WD. The S version
still has antique manual locking hubs, which means you must climb out and
set them by hand, an irritating process if you happen to be hub deep in
mud or slush when you decide it's time for extra traction. Auto-locking
hubs are all-but universal in today's sport-utilities, and we're surprised
the Isuzu retains the outdated manual system.
Still another argument in favor of the V6 engine is its much bigger
appetite for hard work. With the four-cylinder, the Rodeo can tow no more
than 2000 pounds. With the V6, the rating goes up to 4500 pounds.