As you'd expect in this price range, the Trooper is luxed up to a fare-thee-wellwithin, and handsomely so. The dashboard has a smooth, contemporary appearance,
even though it's been with us for five years now, and control locations
are generally good, with good graphics. We also liked our tester's huge
power moonroof, an $1100 option, which allows rear-seat passengers to participate
in the open air experience, when weather permits.
There are a few weak points. The audio controls are at the bottom of
the center stack, and the adjustment buttons are a little undersized, making
them awkward to use when the vehicle is moving. We were also surprised
at the absence of automatic climate control feature, which is now almost
universal among luxury sport-utes.
However, the Trooper more than makes up for any small interior demerits
with one big plus: space. Front and rear, this is one of the roomiest sport-utility
vehicles on the market, with real move-around space for three adults in
the back seat and plenty of space up front as well.
The Trooper also scores better-than-average marks for its cargo capacity.