Isuzu Trooper

Isuzu Trooper was launched in the 1980s keeping in mind the needs of the mid load industries which needed to transfer materials from one place to another. According to the experts at Isuzu, its aim was to meet the utility and hence, it did not feature anything fancy and had very simple and plain design features. The first launch was a 2 person model with an engine which was proved to be very underpowered (2.2 liter engine with 4 cylinders). Viewing this, it soon witnessed a transformation to a 4 door vehicle with a V6 engine. Soon the public outlook towards vehicle started to shift and looks started to make a difference. People preferred ones with power along with sporty looks. Isuzu Trooper did manage to stay in competition till the 1990s by incorporating small changes and enhancing the looks but soon started to feel the crunch from the stiff competition.

The revamped model of the Trooper was a major hit and is what it is still known with. It had a boxy look with "round edges" and was not only wider but longer and taller too. To meet the competition, it had a powerful V6 engine (in collaboration with GM) and antilock brakes which allowed for extra security while driving. Pulling load was no more a problem and hence, the design lasted for more than a decade. It was in the year 2002 when the company decided to discontinue it production sighting falling markets which could not be put to normal again. (It was also suffering from bad reports in consumer magazines)

This vehicle was in true form good because of its off road abilities and superior exteriors. Its size allowed others on the road to see it from a distance and provided excellent room and space for the owners sitting inside. Because it was prices nominally and had a high depreciation value, buying either a new or a second hand Isuzu Trooper was a viable option for those who had their finances to keep a check on. The negatives were the poor fuel economy and not so user friendly drivability. Unfortunately, these two really ended up overshadowing the good qualities of this 4 wheel drive. Nevertheless, it would not be right to say that Trooper did not have its golden era. It enjoyed the headlines for the most of 1990s after which, it became obsolete and was bound to phase out to give way to the newer generation products.

If we look back at the years when Isuzu Trooper was on a roll, surprisingly, it never had to witness any major changes. Unlike its counterparts who kept changing to cope up, Trooper was a standard and its manufactures kept it the way it was. Little features like heated seats and power sunroof collaborated to make a huge difference much to its advantage. In the limited edition models, Isuzu provided facilities like improved suspension etc. for as low as a few hundred extra dollars. This make was launched as a truck and always performed like one.