Item: Used Isuzu Trooper 4x4 1998 - 2004
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

If you’re in the market for a pick-up truck, chances are you’ll have heard of Isuzu. The Japanese brand makes buses and lorries for markets all over the world, but it’s most famous for the D-Max.

A rival to the Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and Volkswagen Amarok, the D-Max pick-up is aimed at drivers who need rugged go-anywhere ability and lots of space, and for whom a conventional SUV just won’t cut it.

ISUZU

TROOPER

The value is appealing, but you can spend your money better

Used Isuzu Trooper 4x4 1998 - 2004

At any given age, the Trooper works out cheaper than the equivalent Land Rover Discovery.

In terms of other running costs, the Isuzu looks respectable, too. For example, the various models sit in groups 14 and 15 for insurance, which is almost identical to the Discovery and Shogun.

The V6 petrol engine in the Trooper is also much more fuel-efficient than the Discovery's V8, although the diesel's 26.9mpg does rather lag behind the 30.1mpg of diesel versions of the Discovery.

If there is a downside, it's that the short service intervals mean that routine servicing works out as rather expensive, particularly on the diesels.

However, on the other hand, unscheduled work should not be too dear. Warranty Direct tell us that Isuzu's labour rates and average repair costs are lower than average - and considerably lower than those for other 4x4-renowned companies such as Jeep, Mitsubishi and Land Rover.

The value is appealing, but you can spend your money better

The Trooper only ever had two engines: a 3.5-litre V6 petrol and 3.0-litre turbodiesel. As the Trooper is best as an off-road workhorse, the diesel makes the better choice.

It's the more fuel-efficient (although not by much), but most importantly it has more low-down pulling power, which makes it better suited to off-roading, towing or carrying heavy loads.

Steer clear of the three-door model. Not only do we think the five-door is better looking, the SWB car is effectively only a four-seater and the LWB car can take up to seven, with an optional third row of seats.

It's best to avoid the most basic (unbadged) trim in favour of the next step up, Duty, which has twin airbags and central locking. You can step up to Citation for air-conditioning (climate control from December 1999), or Insignia (from October 1999), which had leather upholstery and a CD changer. However, both are needlessly dear.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Large SUV

There have been two recalls on the Trooper, but both affect only the diesel models. The first concerned possible fires caused by the ceramic heater terminal, and the second was a result of problems with the fuel injectors.

Apart from that, there aren't too many problems to worry about. According to figures from Warranty Direct, the Trooper is one of the better 4x4s, with reliability levels above average.

However, when things do go wrong, there are three usual suspects - the fuel system, engine and brakes. Failed fuel injectors can be costly to fix, problems with the gearbox are not uncommon and the steering can wear rapidly if the car is used for towing.

Certainly, owners seem reasonably happy with the car. Reviews online barely mention any problems, and in its last appearance in the JD Power survey, in 2002, the Trooper was rated as fifth-best 4x4, with above-average ratings for its quality and reliability.

Along with the Mitsubishi Shogun, the Isuzu Trooper is almost the definition of an off-road workhorse. Although it normally runs in rear-wheel drive, you engage four-wheel drive via a button on the dash, with low-ratio gears for when the going gets really rough. In short, it's one of the very best in the sticky stuff.

Sadly, it's nowhere near as good on the road. There's loads of body roll through the bends, the steering is imprecise, and the ride never seems to settle. If you'll spend most of your time on the road, try a Honda CR-V instead.

However, if you're after practicality, you've come to the right place. At least, you have if you choose the long-wheelbase five-door model, which is much more versatile than its smaller brother.

In both versions, the swathes of black plastic on the dash make it look cheap, and the split rear door (which doesn't open the full width) is maddening.

Used Isuzu Trooper 4x4 1998 - 2004 review

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