ISUZU TROOPE SWB 3.1 Diesel Turbo Citation Price as tested:
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El 8,599 (inc-VAT) (Commercial £13,495 (ex-VAT). Engine: 3.1 litres turbocharged, 84kW (113hp).
GVW: 2,600kg. Payload: 700kg (780kg). Fuel consumption (unladen—but see report): 10.2 lit/100km (27.6mpg).
The off-road vehicle is like the Barbour jacket: while its functional origins have been forgotten, its fashion status has become inflated—and it is now seen as often in the city as in the country While Land Rover has entered this "leisure vehicle" area with the Discovery, its Japanese competitors are taking a stab at another part of the market.
Isuzu has aimed the Trooper Commercial, a two-seat version of the short-wheelbase model without rear windows, at those who might previously have bought a Land Rover, so even the basic trim level is relatively luxurious, and the £13,495 Commercial could be seen as an overpriced plaything rather than a serious van.
Despite launching it as the only all-new commercial vehicle at the NEC Motor Show, Isuzu has no Commercial on its press fleet, so we tested the SWB Trooper Citation. This was no hardship, as it is the top-of-therange model (above the Standard and Duty), with extras such as air-conditioning and heated seats. But the Commercial shares the Citation's chassis and drivetrain, as well as features such as cloth seats and a good stereo, so we could get a good idea of its capabilities on the road and off.
The Trooper has selectable two or four-wheel drive (but no differential locks), a dual-range gearbox and a 3.1-litre charge-cooled four-cylinder diesel, so it seems well equipped for off-road use.
The Isuzu looks like a Tonka toy—it's stubby but very tall at 1.84m— and outdoes even the Range Rover in street presence but it must prove itself economical and refined enough for road use.
Productivity The Trooper as tested amounts to a luxurious four-seat estate car with limited carrying capacity: the load space, at a height of 737mm, is small but easily accessible, with asymmetric rear doors— the larger door locks open—and the 60/40 split rear seats fold easily. Unusually for a passenger vehicle, there are rubbing strips and tie-down hooks on the load bed.
The Commercial offers a load volume of 1.73m3 and a payload of 780kg—more than the Land Rover Defender 90 (625kg) or the Daihatsu Fourtrak DNB Hardtop (530kg)—so it shows good practical potential.
It is tempting to work the smoothrevving turbodiesel hard, but fuel consumption is bound to suffer. Battling through torrential rain and a howling gale on our Kent test route, albeit unladen, the Trooper put up an average of 102 lit/100km (27.6mpg); better than either the Land Rover or Daihatsu.
Average speed on the Kent run was an unremark able 64.91un/h (40.3mph) due to the weather and traffic, but hillclimbs gave a better indication of its performance: the Isuzu bounded up our M20 test section in top at 113km/h (70mph), with plenty of torque in reserve.
On and off the road The Isuzu's most notable feature is its refinement: the turbo is hardly evident (apart from sounding like a distant police siren), the engine just feels like a large petrol unit, with no discernible turbo-lag and less engine braking than one would expect from a diesel.
There is an appreciable exhaust note, but the motor is smooth at any speed above 1,500 rpm, and never feels strained. Peak torque arrives at just 2,000rpm: 70mph in fifth corresponds to a leisurely 3,000rpm, and acceleration is strong even at motorway speeds.
In traffic there is enough torque and enough visibility to take advantage of any spaces that appear.
The Trooper behaves remarkably well on the road for an off-road vehicle. The suspension has front wishbones and torsion bars, while the live rear axle's coil springs replace the earlier semielliptics.
The ride is comfortable, tyre noise is low and handling is predictable; it turns in sharply and the power steering (standard on all models) is reasonably weighted, if a little dead around straight-ahead. The brakes— discs all rounçl with ABS on the Citation—are strong and well weighted.
There is ar odd up-and-down "pogoing" motion occasionally at speed, which feels disconcerting rather than dangerous. The typical height and short wheelbase of the off-roader become most apparent in crosswinds: the Trooper gets blown around considerably, and standing water provokes heart-stopping changes of direction.
Our opportunities to use the Trooper off-road were sadly limited, but manoeuvres on a bank of shingle convinced us that it had plenty of power and that the lowrange box would only be needed in the most extreme conditions.
The Isuzu is easy to drive off road: four-wheel-drive (high or low range) is engaged at rest by a small gear lever, and the front freewheel hubs lock automatically. Smooth driving—vital on soft or slippery ground—was relaxed with the absence of turbo-lag and easy gear changes. The dual-purpose Dunlops "floated" on loose ground, and the steering was vague, but there was little kickback, and the drivetrain was hardly noisier in 4WD than twowheel-drive, so cross-country travel should not be tiring. Back on the road, the hubs are unlocked by reversing slowly for a metre or so.
The high driving position is excellent: you are insulated from the outside world and the traffic below looks quite insignificant. The multi-adjustable seat offers plenty of leg and headroom, and there is a useful clutch-foot rest. The passenger seat slides easily out of the way for rear seat access, and four adults are accommodated easily.
The dashboard looks like Mission Control: buttons are dotted about wherever they'll fit, and some of the switches are archaic (wireless knobs for lights and wipers, and a right-handed indicator stalk evidently from a Marina), but the instruments are clear. Storage space abounds, there's a recess for a drinks can, and the plastic fascia is solid and squeak-free.
Build quality of the Trooper is generally superb: doors close easily with minimal gaps, handles are well up to commercial use and everything is well finished.
Summary The Trooper that we tested, at £18,599, could be seen as more of a luxury saloon than a working vehicle, but it shares important features with the Commercial. Even this is not cheap, but its price premium over the spartan Land Rover and Daihatsu competition reflects excellent on-road refinement and a significantly better payload.
The economy and off-road ability of the Isuzu seems adequate for commercial use, while its comfort and performance on the road make it an attractive and practical choice.
by Toby Clark ENGINE Isuzu four-cylinder indirectinjection OHV diesel, turbocharged and intercooled.
Capacity: 3059cc. Maximum net power: 84kW (113hp) at 3,60Orpm.
Maximum net torque: 260Nm (192Ibft) at 2,00Orpm.
TRANSMISSION Five-speed manual with synchromesh.
LOAD CAPACITY Body volume (Trooper Commercial): 1.73m3. Axle design weights: front, 1,250kg; rear, 1,550kg Max braked trailer weight:3,000kg.
RIVAL TESTS Daihatsu Fourtrak SWB: CM 1 -7 February 1990. Land Rover Defender 90: CM 17-23 January 1991.