According to the folks who make them, inexpensive 2-wheel drive pickups are the mostsought-after members of the light-hauler clan. There are good reasons for that: Many
owners are first-time buyers, while others buy in large quantity for delivery fleets,
construction companies or other service businesses. Civilizing fancy stuff such as
high-powered stereos, 4-wheel drive and luxurious upholstery don't fit their needs
and/or budgets.
What these thrift-minded customers do demand (after the lowest possible price) is
reliability. After that, if possible, a modicum of comfort. Not to mention a bit of
style.
If those are the basic attributes you're seeking from a compact pickup truck, the
Isuzu Hombre is well worth a once-over.
Isuzu has long been a player in the entry-level compact pickup game. Its initial U.S.
offering was built for--and sold by--Chevrolet; the Chevy Luv truck competed against the
Mazda-sourced Ford Courier and Dodge/Mitsubishi Ram 50. As Isuzu established its own