When I hear the term "Ironman," I think of the Marvel Comics' hero who wore a suit of high-tech, protective armor with enough tricks and gadgets to make Batman's utility belt look like a glorified Swiss Army knife. This guy could fly, deflect bullets, fire pulse lasers or just sit around looking cool in his slick metal digs (think C-3PO without the dorky dialogue, and you'll be close). Of course, the real question among comic book nerds was always, "What does he wear under his armor?" Guesses ranged from a three-piece suit to sweats to nothing at all. I always figured he just wore boxers with the words, "Home of the Whopper" printed on them. Ironman was that kind of a guy.
When Isuzu uses the term Ironman, they're talking about the Ironman Triathlon that occurs every fall in Kona, Hawaii. The event involves a grueling run, swim, and bike ride to see how much physical punishment the human body can withstand (personally, I'll stick with being a comic book nerd). As such, you would expect the "Ironman Edition" of the Rodeo to be a powerful, rugged and highly capable machine, right? Certainly that's what Isuzu wants you to think.
Well, two out of three ain't bad.
Our recent experience in a black and gray 2000 Rodeo LS Ironman Edition proved it to be a powerful vehicle. With 205 horsepower and 214 foot-pounds of maximum torque (available at a low 3,000 rpm), the Rodeo never felt overwhelmed and climbed several steep hills without the aid of 4-Lo. A clean-shifting five-speed manual transmission efficiently delivered power from the engine compartment to the wheels, further adding to the Rodeo's potent demeanor.
By comparison, Ford's Explorer and Chevy's Blazer offer higher torque figures, but both of these vehicles weigh more while offering less cargo capacity. The Nissan Xterra and Jeep Cherokee have less horsepower (though the Cherokee has more torque) but, once again, they can't match the Rodeo's 81 cubic feet of maximum cargo space.
Other Rodeo strong points include responsive steering, wide doors with easy entry/egress, a cargo area loaded with tie downs, and rear seats that fold completely flat. We also appreciated the two-piece rear door with flip-up glass because of its expanded cargo-carrying ability. It allows long items to stick out through the open glass area. The trade-off comes in the complex, multi-step opening system that requires you to push a button to release the glass hatch, then swing the glass up, then pull the handle to swing the lower half open. At least they removed the "hinge lock" this year so you don't have to deploy it each time the lower half is opened. Whew! Order a lower line Rodeo and you'll get a simple, one-piece rear door.
After several days of around-town driving, the comfortable, roomy and fast Rodeo was beginning to grow on us. Maybe our dreadful 1998 long-term Rodeo was just a fluke, or maybe Isuzu had really improved the vehicle in just two short years. According to Isuzu, the updated styling for 2000 is accompanied by numerous ergonomic and quality upgrades, not the least of which is a new Intelligent Suspension Control system that can adjust to one of 17 shock rebound and compression rates, depending on road conditions.
But as a company that brags about not making cars, we already expect anything with an Isuzu badge to score high when the going gets rough. This is where the Rodeo let us down.
A one-day off-road adventure with the Rodeo, along with a Land Rover Discovery and Nissan Xterra, was very telling. This was not an official comparison test because none of these vehicles are direct competitors. The Discovery is too expensive and the Xterra is too cheap. Nevertheless, it was interesting to note how both the Land Rover and the Nissan dealt with demanding off-road conditions far better than the Isuzu. Over minor ruts or bumps, the Rodeo actually did a superior job of controlling body roll and sway than the Discovery (the Xterra did better than both of them!). But once things got ugly, with large, offset ruts in quick succession, the Rodeo bounced and wallowed while the Discovery maintained its composure and, even more surprising, the cheaper Xterra simply rocked (in the good way). Looks like the Intelligent Suspension needs to be reeducated.
We're certainly not knocking Isuzu's Rodeo for being outgunned by a more expensive Land Rover, but when the Xterra proved more capable than an Intelligent Suspension Control-equipped Ironman Edition, we were a little surprised and disappointed. Adding to this poor off-road performance was a combination of plasticky dash materials, toy-like switchgear (particularly in the HVAC controls) and frightening instability when engaging the ABS for maximum braking tests.
The 2000 Rodeo is undeniably an improved vehicle compared to our 1998 long-term model. Control placement, steering feel, highway ride and cargo capabilities are all first-rate. We even like the new "aggressive" styling and 16-inch alloy wheels. It's ironic to think that this all-truck company has turned the Rodeo into such a mass market-friendly SUV, complete with car-like ride and handling traits. Too bad they sold its off-road soul in the process.
The real Ironman would not approve.
When Isuzu uses the term Ironman, they're talking about the Ironman Triathlon that occurs every fall in Kona, Hawaii. The event involves a grueling run, swim, and bike ride to see how much physical punishment the human body can withstand (personally, I'll stick with being a comic book nerd). As such, you would expect the "Ironman Edition" of the Rodeo to be a powerful, rugged and highly capable machine, right? Certainly that's what Isuzu wants you to think.
Well, two out of three ain't bad.
Our recent experience in a black and gray 2000 Rodeo LS Ironman Edition proved it to be a powerful vehicle. With 205 horsepower and 214 foot-pounds of maximum torque (available at a low 3,000 rpm), the Rodeo never felt overwhelmed and climbed several steep hills without the aid of 4-Lo. A clean-shifting five-speed manual transmission efficiently delivered power from the engine compartment to the wheels, further adding to the Rodeo's potent demeanor.
By comparison, Ford's Explorer and Chevy's Blazer offer higher torque figures, but both of these vehicles weigh more while offering less cargo capacity. The Nissan Xterra and Jeep Cherokee have less horsepower (though the Cherokee has more torque) but, once again, they can't match the Rodeo's 81 cubic feet of maximum cargo space.
Other Rodeo strong points include responsive steering, wide doors with easy entry/egress, a cargo area loaded with tie downs, and rear seats that fold completely flat. We also appreciated the two-piece rear door with flip-up glass because of its expanded cargo-carrying ability. It allows long items to stick out through the open glass area. The trade-off comes in the complex, multi-step opening system that requires you to push a button to release the glass hatch, then swing the glass up, then pull the handle to swing the lower half open. At least they removed the "hinge lock" this year so you don't have to deploy it each time the lower half is opened. Whew! Order a lower line Rodeo and you'll get a simple, one-piece rear door.
After several days of around-town driving, the comfortable, roomy and fast Rodeo was beginning to grow on us. Maybe our dreadful 1998 long-term Rodeo was just a fluke, or maybe Isuzu had really improved the vehicle in just two short years. According to Isuzu, the updated styling for 2000 is accompanied by numerous ergonomic and quality upgrades, not the least of which is a new Intelligent Suspension Control system that can adjust to one of 17 shock rebound and compression rates, depending on road conditions.
But as a company that brags about not making cars, we already expect anything with an Isuzu badge to score high when the going gets rough. This is where the Rodeo let us down.
A one-day off-road adventure with the Rodeo, along with a Land Rover Discovery and Nissan Xterra, was very telling. This was not an official comparison test because none of these vehicles are direct competitors. The Discovery is too expensive and the Xterra is too cheap. Nevertheless, it was interesting to note how both the Land Rover and the Nissan dealt with demanding off-road conditions far better than the Isuzu. Over minor ruts or bumps, the Rodeo actually did a superior job of controlling body roll and sway than the Discovery (the Xterra did better than both of them!). But once things got ugly, with large, offset ruts in quick succession, the Rodeo bounced and wallowed while the Discovery maintained its composure and, even more surprising, the cheaper Xterra simply rocked (in the good way). Looks like the Intelligent Suspension needs to be reeducated.
We're certainly not knocking Isuzu's Rodeo for being outgunned by a more expensive Land Rover, but when the Xterra proved more capable than an Intelligent Suspension Control-equipped Ironman Edition, we were a little surprised and disappointed. Adding to this poor off-road performance was a combination of plasticky dash materials, toy-like switchgear (particularly in the HVAC controls) and frightening instability when engaging the ABS for maximum braking tests.
The 2000 Rodeo is undeniably an improved vehicle compared to our 1998 long-term model. Control placement, steering feel, highway ride and cargo capabilities are all first-rate. We even like the new "aggressive" styling and 16-inch alloy wheels. It's ironic to think that this all-truck company has turned the Rodeo into such a mass market-friendly SUV, complete with car-like ride and handling traits. Too bad they sold its off-road soul in the process.
The real Ironman would not approve.
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