1994 Isuzu Trooper Review (continued)
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Walkaround

As we said, this is a handsome sport utility. It looks exactly like what it is-a very capable on- and off-road vehicle. The profile is erect, even boxy. But it looks good. You notice details such as wipers for the headlights (an option); skid plates underneath to protect the radiator, transfer case and fuel tank; and a sturdy mount for the spare-tire outside on the biggest of the 70/30 split rear doors.

That's right, doors. No big liftgate here. No rear window that disappears into a drop-down tailgate. The Isuzu Trooper has rear doors. They open wide and stay open to provide access to rear storage. But if you want a liftgate protecting you from the rain, or if you're looking for a drop-down gate for picnicking, you won't find it here. We got used to the doors, except for the rear window in the small door staying dirty because the wiper/washer is on the big door. Our test drive version was finished in the popular-for sport-utilities dark green, called Golden Green Mica. Fit and finish are excellent all around.

Interior Features

From inside, Isuzu Trooper's upright stance gives it the feel of a minivan. Armrests flank the driver and front seat passenger, giving the front buckets the feel of those ubiquitous minivan captain's chairs. Front and rear seats with their optional leather trim are comfortable and supportive. And access to them through the side doors is good. The rear seat has a 60/40 split so it may be folded for long cargo, such as skis or golf clubs, while still providing seating room. And the rear seatback reclines to a 40-degree angle to allow rear passengers to really relax. Fold the rear seatback down and you have 90 cubic feet of cargo space-perhaps the most in its class.

Isuzu Trooper LS offers passengers several strategically placed handholds for entering, exiting or simply holding on in the boondocks. We liked these and wish more sport utilities had them. Most seem to provide one for the front seat passenger and let it go at that. The LS has a console between the front bucket seats that carries the shift levers for the automatic transmission and 4WD/2WD transfer case.

Gauges, switches and controls generally are well-placed. Our Trooper LS had the premium sound system with a CD and cassette player. This is a lot to mount in a dash unit, and Isuzu mounted the AM/FM and cassette player high in the middle of the instrument panel so passengers could see the system's clock. The CD player is mounted lower on the console. It's hard to load or unload CDs with the automatic transmission in park because the shift lever nearly blocks the CD player door.

One nice feature here we'd like to see on all sport utilities is the optional heated power outside mirrors. There also is a control on the instrument panel that enables the driver to fold the mirrors flat against the body for protection in restricted spaces. This is great, especially on an off-road vehicle going through brush or tight places. It is equally great for going through car washes or tight parking. You don't have to get in and out of the vehicle to fold the mirrors flat or adjust them.

Our Trooper had the optional electric sunroof. It is big-it might be the biggest in its class. Big enough for rear seat passengers to enjoy the outdoors too. Operation was quick and positive.