Isuzu Trooper / Bighorn 4×4 Review
Type: 4 door wagon, 2 door wagon
Years: 1981-2002
Toughness: 8.2/10
Availability: 7.6/10
Capability: 9.1/10
Price: 9.0/10
If ever there was a 4×4 that was under rated by the general populace, it was the Isuzu Trooper/Bighorn. In many ways this was understandable: it was a bit of an oddity.
Way back in 1988 it came equipped with features still not seen on many new 4×4′s today: 4 wheel disk brakes, a limited slip rear differential, axle breathers, heavy duty suspension options, auto and manual hubs, low range transfer case, independent front suspension, and a choice of three engines including (depending on which continent you live on) one of the best small diesel engines ever assembled–the venerable 2.8 litre 4BJ1 turbo-inter cooled diesel.
These days the MkI (or first generation, 1981-1991) Isuzu Trooper / Bighorn (as it was known in Japan) is something of a modern classic: utilitarian, simple, tough, cheap, and very capable off road. Isuzu has long been out of the car and SUB business, but Troopers are still going strong.
Well balanced and well equipped for off-road duty, the Isuzu Trooper / Bighorn was able to turn most of its torque into traction and crawl up, over, and out of just about anything.
The MkII or second generation Isuzu Trooper (1992-2002) was a far more refined 4×4 and possibly even more effective off road. Equipped with coil springs instead of leafs in the rear, axle articulation and traction were further improved, and with a choice of a new Isuzu-built 3.2 litre V6 and an all new 3.1 litre turbo diesel (and later 3.5 litre V6 and 3.0 turbo diesel), the MkII had more grunt where it was needed most.
Build quality on Isuzu Troopers and Bighorns was always excellent–where it counted. The interiors were not as refined or well constructed as some of the competition, but the body, chassis, engine, brakes, and suspension were on par with the best.
However fuel economy in the heavy Isuzu Trooper was poor with all engines; the diesels were better but not fantastic when compared to lighter models. On top of this, later 3.5 litre gasoline engines were prone to valve tick, and 3.0 turbo diesels suffered leaking injector seals.
Tough, capable, long lived, and (best of all) not very expensive to own, Isuzu Troopers make fantastic real world 4×4′s–and many tens of thousand are still going strong today.
