1998 Isuzu Rodeo

July marks the 21st month we've had our '98 Isuzu Rodeo in our long-term test fleet. We've enjoyed its SUV functionality, but the Rodeo has given us more than a few reasons to keep its glove box full of headache-killing Advil. If our Rodeo was a '50s-era British sports car, we could wax nostalgically about how its electrical system shorted out in the middle of a blizzard, or how it suddenly decided to relieve itself of coolant on a drive across the country. Too bad for the Rodeo; it's a modern vehicle that is supposed to have minimal problems.

Ah, but our Rodeo has been on good behavior the last few months. Other than body repair in May, we had no mechanical problems. The Rodeo has sailed past our two-year lease's mileage limit, so July saw the addition of only 564 miles.

Just like June, the Isuzu made its home in Colorado under the watchful eye of editor-in-chief Christian Wardlaw. In what seems to be one of the Rodeo's strongest attributes, Chris reports that the SUV continues to impress with its distinctive good looks. The bright silver paint and matching alloy wheels on our truck work quite well with the overall styling. In fact, when Chris took the Rodeo to be detailed, many patrons at the car-wash facility admired the vehicle as the attendants dried it off and applied tire dressing. Chris even admits that a bit of "pride of ownership" crept up on him as he walked toward the truck after the work was completed. But then he realized, of course, that he doesn't own it.

It seems that the Wardlaw family's impressions of the Rodeo took a turn for the worse after a Fourth of July holiday vacation. Another mechanical gremlin? More lacerations and bruises to the body? No sir, the Rodeo suffered thanks to one Dodge Intrepid. Holy Chrysler, Batman!

For the vacation, the Wardlaws loaded up the Rodeo with gear (luggage and such) and parked it in long-term at Denver International Airport. No problems there. The next 10 days were spent driving around Massachusetts in Edmunds.com's long-term Intrepid. After returning to Colorado, the Rodeo's deficiencies became much more glaring. As Chris points out:

1. The Intrepid's trunk swallowed our vacation gear with room to spare. In the Rodeo, we had to stack stuff high enough that the cargo cover wouldn't work.

2. The Intrepid has more room inside, and is far more comfortable to drive. Plus, it's more responsive, especially in the handling department.
3. The Intrepid gets better gas mileage.
4. The Rodeo literally crashes over pockmarked pavement. The Intrepid, in contrast, glides over bumps and holes.
5. The Intrepid cost about $9,000 less than our Isuzu.

Ouch! As Chris and his wife, Christy, bumped over potholes on the way home from the airport, they wondered how many times the Rodeo's 4WD system had actually been engaged since we've had it. And in a more cerebral moment, they questioned America's unquenched thirst for SUVs in general. In June, Christy was considering buying the Rodeo after the lease was up. The trip in the Dodge has eliminated that desire.

Onto more mundane matters. In July, we were notified of a recall on the truck. Evidently, the accelerator pad can come loose and fall off. Chris made an appointment at Courtesy Isuzu in Littleton for repairs in August. We've also scheduled to have the missing left rear mudflap and LS nomenclature from the right C-pillar replaced. Also, the dim right rear brake light will be investigated, and we'll have the dealership check out a possible exhaust leak. As reported last month, we still get an odd ticking noise during part-throttle acceleration.

Total Odometer Reading: 34,964
Best Fuel Economy: 18.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 16.3 mpg
Body Damage Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: No new problems.