The Rodeo and Passport are headed for big changes in 1998, when an all-newvehicle will make its debut.
In the meantime, the current editions continue to be attractive entries,
largely because of their superior roominess, solid engineering and better-than
average quality.
The choice between Rodeo and Passport comes down to price versus service
organization. Even if you eliminate the basic four-cylinder Rodeo S from
the equation--and we recommend that you do--the Isuzu lineup is less expensive
than the comparably equipped Honda offerings. Isuzu also offers more variety.
On the other hand, Honda has a much larger dealer network, and an excellent
reputation for service.
There are more sophisticated sport-utilities in this size class, offering
a variety of electroncially-activated full-time 4WD systems. But the Rodeo
and Passport still look good, their value index is still high, they're
tough and durable, they offer manual transmissions with their six-cylinder
engines, and they're tough to beat for that prime SUV factor--roominess.