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Road Tests: Long-Term Test
1998 Isuzu Rodeo
Wrap-Up
By editors at Edmunds.com
Date Posted 01-01-1999
Two years ago we got our hands on this silver 1998 Isuzu Rodeo LS. We chose it because we wanted to see if this newly redesigned SUV could muster enough evidence to prove that it could regain the top-selling import SUV crown it held briefly in 1992. The truck certainly has an appealing outer shell, with sheetmetal that gets plenty of attention. What of the innards though? And what of living with it for 24 months? Indeed we were impressed with the Rodeo we drove briefly before acquiring our long-termer, but sometimes things change when impressions are continuously logged over an extended period of time.
And, to sum it all up, our staff (for the most part) has changed their tune. The final verdict is that a silky, powerful V6, an attractive exterior, and tons of cargo space simply cannot make up for the host of bugaboos that plagued our Rodeo. Stranding drivers in the modern automotive world is a real no-no, and the Isuzu turned out to be Old Faithful in this department.
The Rodeo's certainly got the key ingredients that make for a successful entry in this market niche. Over and over again, drivers gushed about the V6 motor, which applies power quite smoothly to the wheels and has plenty of torque. It certainly rivals or surpasses other manufacturers' powerplants in these departments. Most SUV buyers don't buy their trucks for speed, but it's always nice to have that power when you need it. And besides, who wants to drive something that a Geo Metro can outdrag?
It's also got the looks, and we know all too well that styling can make or break a new entry in the marketplace. And with the SUV craze, an attractive skin is even more crucial with so many current offerings and more cropping up every day. A Lincoln and a BMW truck? Who'd have heard of such a thing just five short years ago? People, and most notably previous-generation Rodeo owners, simply stared, unable to remove their gaze from the bulges in all the right places. Attractive wheels and dark tinted glass made it even more aesthetically pleasing.
Another big plus for the Rodeo is its 81 cubic feet of cargo space. It bests just about everything else in its class here, adding that important "utility" aspect to the "sport" part of the equation. Add the rear glass that flips up, and you can transport long objects that wouldn't fit in an SUV with a standard liftgate. Let's face it, these are the station wagons of modern times. People are buying them to fill the same needs that the Ford Country Squire did years ago.
The rest of the fixins that make up the Rodeo recipe will not be savored by many (we'll leave room here for the masochists). It truly is painful to be unable to depend on one's automobile to get from point A to point B. Perhaps years ago, in an MG or an Austin Healy, a breakdown would be categorized affectionately as "character," but today it's simply unacceptable.
Well that's just what our Rodeo managed to do...THRICE! It dumped coolant all over the interstate when the radiator cap blew off. Later, it leaked its green blood while parked due to a faulty water pump. In both instances it stranded our drivers. And that's not to mention the time the dash and the taillights failed to illuminate as dusk fell, which forced our staffer to spend a night in New Mexico and left him battling a snowstorm the next day.
Electrical gremlins reared their unwelcome heads left and right, inside and outside the truck. Some were fixed and then reappeared months later. Fuses blew, shorts occurred, and wiring harnesses either broke or were faulty from the get-go. This certainly doesn't sound like a vehicle hatched by the Japanese. Which brings up another relevant point. Honda rebadges the Rodeo and sells it as the Passport. Honda's got a rock-solid reliability reputation. If we were them, we'd be more than a little hesitant to put our reputation on the line knowing what we now know about this Isuzu.
During the time we spent with the Rodeo, we were made aware of three recalls. The first pertained to the trailering harness, the second to the ABS dash light, and the third to the accelerator pad. In addition to these, we've caught wind of others that range from a tendency toward unintended acceleration (that sounds like fun) to an engine wiring harness that may cause an engine stall. Several major recalls? C'mon Isuzu, you can do better than that.
We needed bodywork on three separate occasions. Two of them were due to small accidents, or so we thought. Indeed, the baby in the Rodeo didn't even wake when we tapped a GMC Safari, but the Rodeo had other plans for the adults. We were wide awake when we saw the amount of damage and later the estimate to repair the front end. There really was an incongruous amount of damage when you consider the severity, or lack thereof, of the impact. After all, the Safari was unscathed save for a scratch or two. Isuzu needs to rethink those bumper designs, allowing them to actually absorb crash energy.
Our service experiences were less than pleasant, with the exception of one or two occasions. Parts were often not in stock, and took far too long to acquire. Most of the time we didn't get our truck back when promised. One dealer that performed bodywork for us previously told us that they no longer did that sort of repair when we needed another estimate months later. This certainly made us less than confident about the work that they had previously performed.
Fuel mileage was pretty dismal, and we never did get that fuel sensor issue resolved. The truck would register empty, and we would go to fill it up only to find that it wouldn't take more than 10 gallons of gas. The tank holds 21.1 gallons. Lame! Yeah, we know SUVs are thirsty beasts, but at least tell us what we've really got left.
The commanding view over the hood pleased all of our drivers, but this is praise that can only be taken in a general sense. All SUVs, to one extent or another, provide this kind of visibility. Accommodations once inside were pretty decent, and some commented that the Rodeo has a less plasticky look than some of the competition. The seats were another story though, with only one driver calling them comfortable. Most likened the low seating position to that of a beach chair, and a lack of back support sealed the deal of distaste. But the rear seats were comfortable to all that came along for the ride -- excellent in terms of comfort and support.
Engaging the four-wheel-drive system was easy enough, just push a button on the dash. However, attention must be paid to keep from pushing the identically shaped cruise control or fog light buttons which are located next to it. Moving the transfer-lever from 4-Lo to 4-Hi was simple enough as well.
Once in four-wheel drive, the Rodeo was eager to carve up trails. Brake feel is excellent, and the slow and sloppy steering pays big dividends off-road, where lots of play is required to stay straight. However, the rear end wanders easily on dirt roads in two-wheel drive, the truck rams over obstacles abruptly, and it is not suspended for serious off-roading. Also, the rear-mounted spare tire blocks visibility.
Rearward visibility is equally a problem on the pavement due to the tire on the hatchgate. And while drivers praised the flip-up glass, which allowed them to carry long materials they couldn't otherwise have done with a fixed rear window, in general, the hatchgate was a nuisance. To open the gate the glass must be flipped up, and then the door swung wide. And a three-step process was required to close it: first a hinge must be released, then the door closed shut, and then the glass secured again. Certainly not the best of designs, but in '98 this arrangement was standard with 16-inch wheels that wouldn't fit in the under-body well.
While not much of an issue off-road, the Rodeo rodeoed like a truck when on pavement. Those used to their sedans didn't appreciate this quality, and wished for a more serene ride. They also found themselves wishing for tires that would better hold the road in turns. Finally, powering around corners resulted in quite a bit of tire squeal.
A sunroof air deflector that was poorly designed, a squeak here and there in the dash, headlights aimed too high despite what Isuzu claims, an unresponsive remote key fob, and a host of other maladies ranging from a steering wheel shimmy to a broken center console latch further tarnished the few pleasant attributes of the Rodeo.
Ah, and then there was the lease return experience. Poor paint quality and unacceptable body work and repainting by the dealers resulted in hefty excess charges come lease end. We were slapped with a bill for $1,051.52! It should be noted, however, that we leased our vehicle through G.E. Capital. Still, there is no denying that the workmanship we received was less than par.
So when all was said and done, or almost done, drivers chagrined having to drive the Rodeo for fear that they would be stranded, or at the very least, be inconvenienced by a malfunction that forced them to make a trip to the repair shop. This lack of dependability positively kills most of the strong points that this Isuzu has to offer. Rodeo's got muscles to flex and a body to die for, but none of us would want to deal with its incessant whining and needy disposition. It simply exacts too great a toll.
What Edmunds.com says about the Rodeo:
Pros: Powerful V6 engine, roomy interior and copious cargo space, attractive styling, useful flip-up rear glass, commanding view of the road, easy-to-use 4WD system.
Cons: Unreliable (it stranded us three times), poor build quality, difficult hatchgate operation, poor rearward visibility, uncomfortable front seats and driving position, dismal impact-absorbing bumpers, paltry gas mileage.
Best Logbook Quotes:
"I used the Rodeo instead of the Xterra to run errands for a singular reason -- 81.1 cubic feet of cargo space and a flip-up rear window. The Rodeo allowed me to carry a sliding door screen to Eagle hardware for repair. With the Xterra's fixed back glass and substantially smaller cargo area, this couldn't be done. Chalk up a point for the Rodeo." - Christian Wardlaw
"You don't even have to be turning; the tires will scream just by hitting the gas pedal. You can't turn a corner--even at a snail's pace--without hearing that familiar SCREEEEE!" - Ingrid Palmer
"After six minutes behind the wheel, the first person flashed their brights at me. This would continue, in approximately 10-minute increments, every time I drove at night. Apparently, the Rodeo's lights are aimed too high and everyone assumes I'm driving like a jerk. When I flash my BRIGHT brights on them, they are probably stunned." - Greg Anderson
"Once the rear door is swung open, it locks into place, which is frustrating because then you have to reach into the hinged corner and pull on the little tab to unlock it, then get your fingers out before you close the door further, and then get out of the way before the door slams shut. Aaargh!" - Ingrid Palmer
"I heard a tapping noise from the engine. Within five seconds, the temperature reading pegged the red and steam and liquid came pouring out from the right front of the hood." - Greg Anderson
"I think our silver Rodeo LS, especially when washed and Armor-All-ed, is one of the most attractive SUVs on the market today, bar none." - Christian Wardlaw
"One-and-a-half hours into the drive, a horrible gut-wrenching NNNGGNNNNGGNGNGN noise -- not unlike the scene in "Men in Black" when Will Smith drags that metal table across the floor -- intrudes upon the cabin. I am scared wide awake, and it takes me approximately one hour to locate the source of the noise. It's the sunroof!" - Greg Anderson
What Owners say about the Rodeo
E-mail Commentary:
"I love the roominess and haven't found the driver's seat to be uncomfortable at all. The only repair done on it was the recall for the gas pedal, which I was told some people actually had fall off. I'm leasing the truck and probably won't keep it when the lease runs out in 2002." - K. Chaney, Cottonwood, AZ
"Overall I'm pleased with the truck. Would I buy a new one? Probably not. It's a perfectly serviceable SUV. It's just a little boring to me and doesn't have any real distinguishing features that make me love it. I'd give it a 'C,' and if there had not been such a good lease deal, I probably would not have bought it." - A. Iacobone, Turnersville, NJ
"The Rodeo is slightly underdamped, making it jittery over bumps and occasionally bottom out over large holes. This can easily be corrected with aftermarket shocks, which completely remedy the problem. This is not an inferior design flaw. 2000 year models have received an active damping system to correct the problem." - Anonymous, Marlborough, MA
"The floor mat recall/problem is in addition to numerous other complaints made to the NHTSA involving intermittent sudden acceleration of the '98 Isuzu Rodeo, including a number of similar incidents which resulted in accidents where the vehicle accelerated when the brakes were applied, as in my case. To date, Isuzu and the Fort Buick Pontiac dealership have disavowed any responsibility for the problem and refuse to even acknowledge the numerous similar complaints involving the intermittent sudden acceleration problem." - G. Papola, Jr., Churchville, PA
Town Hall Commentary:
Recently purchased a 1999 Rodeo that has been giving me problems. Basically, my engine light keeps coming on, and every time I take it to my local Isuzu dealer they keep telling me that there could be 22 reasons why it's coming on. Yesterday makes my seventh time that I had to take my Rodeo to the shop. I recently did some research on my lemon law rights in my state (GA), and I just began to start a claim. - smith69
Like a few people on here, I have been having problems, especially within the first six months of buying my new '98 Rodeo. I think the reason that '99 Rodeo owners are having fewer problems is because we '98 owners bitched and moaned enough about it that Isuzu fixed most problems by the time the '99 models rolled around. Like another user posted, I also have quite a few service receipts in my file (not counting the recalls) and the service is also terrible. They fixed one thing and messed up another. - fritzlam
Words cannot describe how disappointed I am with my Rodeo. I have a laundry list of service tickets in my glove box not to mention the six recalls. The body rattle that is mentioned a few times has been inflicted on me too. Dealer has no idea what to do. They have replaced the gas shocks on the glass hatch, siliconed the weather stripping around the same and made numerous adjustments to the glass. None have worked. - whiterhinostud
Buyer beware with the '98 Rodeo. I have a '98, and though I'm satisfied with it overall, I really wish I'd given the Nissan Pathfinder more thought. I think the quality of the Pathfinder is significantly higher than the Isuzu. Lots of small, annoying things in the Rodeo just bug me sometimes: high oil consumption (1 qt/1500 mi), annoying squeaks/rattles, steering wheel shimmy/vibration at 60 mph, many recalls/service bulletins, construction quality, long-term reliability. - PeterUbers
Summing Up:
Current Market Value*: $20,225
Depreciation: $12,432 or 38% of original MSRP
Final Odometer Reading: 36,472
Best Fuel Economy: 20.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 10.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 16.2 mpg
Total Body Repair Costs: $2,504.70
Total Routine Maintenance Costs: $614.44
Additional Maintenance Costs: $60.90
Warranty Repairs: 4
Non-Warranty Repairs: 2
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 4
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 10
Days Out of Service: 37
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: 3
Recalls:
1- Accelerator pad recall due to the fact that it may work its way loose and fall off.
2- Trailer harness recall to fix dim brake lights.
3- Recall on the ABS monitoring systems. (never performed)
Problem History:
Driver's side exterior mirror cracked due to frigid weather.
An electrical short cuts our dash lights and taillights, which forces a driver to be stranded. Fuses installed at dealership failed to curb the problem. Another dealer located the source of the short, a faulty passenger-side vanity mirror. The short was repaired.
Grip tape on running boards began to peel. Dealer replaced. Grip tape came undone again.
The ABS light haphazardly flickered on and off. Dealer found nothing amiss, but reset the computer to clear the codes. A couple months later the ABS light came on again. Dealer informed us of a recall, but did not have the parts. In lieu of the parts being available, the dealer reset the computer for the second time.
Trailer harness malfunctioned. Dealer replaced fuse. Later, another dealer performed a recall to remedy the situation.
The fuel level sensor never worked correctly. The fuel gauge showed that we were almost out of gas when there was consistently several gallons left in the tank. This condition was never remedied.
Driver and passenger vanity mirrors quit lighting up.
The panic button on our remote keyless entry fob quit working.
Our left taillight went out, was fixed, and then began to appear dimmer than the right one.
Steering wheel began to shimmy. It was fixed, but then reappeared toward the end of our lease. We paid $35.95 to have the tires rotated and balanced, but the shimmy remained.
Center console quit latching properly.
The remote keyless entry system's range became severely impaired.
Our bug guard came loose. Eventually, we removed it from the truck.
Driver's door began to squeak when opened and closed.
Our headlamps were aimed too high. A dealer looked at it and said they were up to spec.
Moonroof began to screech at high speeds. It was detected twice more, and one staffer cleverly removed the wind deflector which solved the problem.
Radiator cap popped off while driving, spewing coolant all over the road and stranding our driver. Dealer installed a new cap.
Anti-freeze began to leak from the truck. This stranded a driver while the dealer fixed a faulty water pump.
Rear wiper quit wiping. Dealer tightened the wiper arm nut.
A ticking noise was found during part throttle acceleration. An exhaust leak was detected, and the dealer replaced our muffler, which did not remedy the problem.
The passenger-side window began making a clunking sound when it was rolled down.
A mudflap and some LS nomenclature fell off. Both were replaced by the dealer.
Dealer Service Commentary:
Joe Tynan's Isuzu, Aurora, Colo.
"Overall, the people at Tynan Isuzu were generally nice and apologetic for their disorganization, but I wasn't impressed. The place seemed understaffed and generally chaotic."
Courtesy Isuzu, Littleton, Colo.
"So, a pleasant experience in terms of costs to the company-there were none. However, Courtesy needs to work harder to retain that name. When calling for an appointment, we spent 15 minutes on the telephone with a curt service advisor while he looked up the recall."
Key Isuzu, Warren, Mich.
"Upon arrival at the Key Motor Mall that rainy Friday morning, we were greeted promptly and courteously by the same service advisor we had spoken with on the phone. He not only remembered our name, but also the reason for our appointment."
Denver Isuzu, Denver, Colo.
"The trailering harness and antilock brakes were serviced under warranty. To our surprise, we picked up the Rodeo at the end of the day and found that the good folks at Denver Isuzu had washed our truck inside and out. Nice job, guys."
Rocky Mountain Motors, Santa Fe, N.M.
"Finally, the [service technician] got the lights operational, and the folks at Rocky Mountain Motors assured us that the lights would stay on as long as we didn't fiddle with the interior dimmer switch, which they suspected was causing the short. The lights shut down before we reached the I-25 on-ramp."
Changes to Rodeo since 1998
1999 --
Along with shuffling standard and optional equipment across the trim levels, a new luxury version of the Rodeo debuts. Called the LSE, the new top dog features a moonroof and leather interior as standard features.
2000 -
A mild restyling of the front and rear fascias highlight the visual changes. Sixteen-inch wheels, standard last year on the LSE, are now standard on all Rodeos. Adjustable shock damping, called Intelligent Suspension Control, is a new feature that is standard on the LSE and optional on the LS. ISC allows a driver to choose between Sport and Normal settings for the shock damping. Also newly available is an "Ironman" package for the LS that includes special graphics, black or white paint (with gray on the lower bodyside), and an upgraded roof rack.
Similar Vehicles:
Honda Passport
* based on Spring 2000 edition of "Edmund's Used Cars & Trucks," and expressed in U.S. dollars.
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