Isuzu Cars
JDM · 9 models
Truck specialist now, but the VehiCROSS, Trooper, and Impulse left a small enthusiast footprint that has not faded.
JDMIsuzu is one of the oldest Japanese vehicle manufacturers, founded in 1916. The company exited the North American passenger car market in 2009 to focus exclusively on commercial trucks (which remain a major business globally). For the brief period Isuzu sold passenger vehicles in North America (1981 to 2009), the lineup included some genuinely interesting cars and SUVs that have aged into cult status. The VehiCROSS (1999-2001 in North America, longer in JDM) is the most distinctive. A two-door SUV with aggressive plastic cladding, low-range transfer case, and a chassis derived from the Trooper. The look is polarizing, the off-road capability is real, and clean examples are scarce. Production was limited to around 5,950 units total globally, making it one of the rarest mass-produced SUVs of its era. The Impulse (1983-1992, marketed as Piazza and Aska in other markets) was a Lotus-tuned compact coupe. Lotus engineering provided suspension setup; later turbo and AWD variants were genuinely fast for the era. The Impulse Turbo and Impulse RS are now rare and underrated. The Trooper SUV (1983-2002 in North America) competed with the Land Cruiser and Pathfinder in the body-on-frame mid-size segment. Solid axles, low-range transfer case, and a reputation for off-road capability made it a quiet success in overlanding circles even after Isuzu exited the segment. On WhipJury, Isuzu submissions are rare. When they appear, they are usually VehiCROSS, Trooper, or Impulse builds, and the rarity tends to attract voter attention even when the build is modest.
Isuzu models we cover
The VehiCROSS
The VehiCROSS launched in Japan in 1997 as a concept-car-made-real. The exterior styling, with its bolted-on cladding and asymmetric design, was unlike anything else on sale. The chassis used the Trooper underpinnings: 3.5 liter V6, automatic transmission, low-range transfer case, and Recaro front seats as standard. Off-road capability was genuine; it was not just an aesthetic statement.
Sales were always low. The car appealed to a narrow audience and the polarizing styling kept it out of mainstream consideration. Production ended in 2001 globally. Today, the VehiCROSS is a sought-after used SUV among collectors of unusual factory-radical designs, and prices for clean examples have climbed significantly in the last five years.
The Impulse
The Impulse used a Giorgetto Giugiaro design (the same designer as the original Volkswagen Golf and DeLorean DMC-12) and Lotus suspension tuning. The first-generation Impulse Turbo with the rear-drive layout is the connoisseur pick. The second-generation went front-drive (or all-wheel drive in the RS variant) and lost some of the original character. Both generations are rare.
Isuzu on WhipJury
Isuzu submissions are uncommon. When they appear, the community generally appreciates the rarity and votes accordingly. A clean Trooper or Impulse can outperform much more powerful but more common cars in head-to-head duels. The VehiCROSS in particular always draws attention.
