Isuzu Trooper 3.5 S Review

Good Points
Built for actual utility, not just the appearance of "sport." Seems solidly built, well designed and well fitted. More cargo and passenger room than SUVs of substantially larger exterior proportions. Rear passenger foot room in 4-doors is better than most other SUVs, even compared to American behomoths like Ford Expedition and Chevy Suburban. Four-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and appropriately, and power mode maintains this smoothness while pulling harder with higher RPMs.

Bad Points
Periodic loud shriek at high RPMs means something is wrong; but what. Happens in neutral and in gear, and I cannot identify any particular circumstances that make the sound occur. Would like to think it's a loose skid plate or heat shield vibrating at a particular RPM level, but the shriek sounds like something worse. I'm worried. Any suggestions on what this may be? Gas mileage is poor, even when driving with a very, very soft foot on the accelerator pedal to the annoyance of drivers behind. Not available with 5-speed manual in U.S.A.

General Comments
Almost spent $28,000 on a new Toyota 4Runner, but when I saw the silver-and-grey 2001 Isuzu Trooper S auto, 4WD, 4-door with 19,000 miles for $17,000 U.S. in March 2002, I could not resist what seemed like a far better value. It was a prior daily rental. I added a class III tow hitch, fog lights and in-dash 6-CD changer. My existing Yakima roof rack system fits on top, so I can haul bicycles, lumber, Christmas trees and whatever won't fit inside. It's my daily ride for the five-minute commute to the office tower downtown. But on weekends, it's the adventure vehicle for my two kids and I to explore California's mountains, deserts, giant redwood forests, volcanoes and magnificent coast. With good clearance, what I understand to be a robust factory 4WD system and lots of room for kids and our outdoor gear, I'm eager to put my Trooper through the paces this summer. I'm looking for water- and mud-proof seat covers for the rear split bench and mud-eating floor mats all around. Any suggestions?