Isuzu RODEO MAX SPECIAL EDITION PICK-UP RANGE
Just as the mixed grill is traditionally the meatiest meal on the pub menu, the Isuzu Rodeo Maxs grille is probably the meatiest front-end on the UK pick-up market. Sure, there are mammoth American trucks that make Isuzus offering look like a wilted side-salad but on this bank of the pond the Rodeo is fast becoming the default choice for buyers with an insatiable appetite for chrome.
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Namely, a selection of models is offered with basic utilitarian commercial vehicles at one end and show pony derivatives sporting the chrome, alloys and bull bars at the other. The Isuzu Rodeo Max special edition models we look at here hail very much from the plusher end of the Rodeo spectrum. In truth, Isuzus Rodeo Max is less of a special edition and more of an options pack. Its available in conjunction with all of the 4x4 doublecab derivatives in the range, so theres a trio of Max models from which to choose.
The entry point is the Rodeo DT Max available for £15,802 and then theres the Rodeo Denver Max, which costs £17,502. The final choice is a Rodeo Denver Max auto with its automatic transmission and this bumps the asking price up to £18,606. These prices position the Max pack at a distinctly reasonable £200 over the prices of standard Rodeo models but what does that £200 actually get you?
"You certainly get a good quantity of metal for your money with the Max pack"
It doesnt get you anything of real substance or practical value but what it does do is enhance your vehicles appearance and, in lifestyle pick-up land, appearances are everything. A Rodeo Max features a front A-Bar with a chrome insert that hangs below the heavily chromed grille like a huge handlebar moustache. There are silver Aero side steps protruding between the wheelarches which serve to make the Rodeo Max look lower and meaner than conventional models and around the back there are further add-ons. Chrome lamp protectors surround the rear light clusters and a big shiny chrome bumper curls round below the drop-down tailgate.
Open a door and you may also spot some brushed stainless steel door entry guards protecting the paintwork as you step in. You certainly get a good quantity of metal for your money with the Max pack and at £200 you have to imagine that most buyers will probably specify it. It definitely enhances the look of the Rodeo and if you want to go the whole hog, the Denver Max model is available with leather trim for a premium of just over £1,100. Overall, the Isuzu Rodeo is one of the best new pick-ups you can get your hands on in the UK.
Weve established that it has the visual impact to compete with fancy Dan lifestyle-orientated rivals but it also performs well when judged on practical criteria. All the Doublecab derivatives and, therefore, all the Rodeo Max models are powered by the same 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine and its a good one. Refinement is still a long way short of what youd expect from a modern diesel family car but by pick-up standards the engine is smooth and softly spoken.
It carries a big stick as well, in the form of a 131bhp maximum power output and 207lb/ft of torque at just 1,600rpm. This kind of pulling power is a distinct advantage when travelling off road or hauling a trailer and the Rodeo have come in for specific praise for its towing prowess. Theres a payload limit of 1,055kg in the 4x4 versions but thats nowhere near the extent of the Rodeos load lugging potential. It will actually pull a braked trailer weighing up to a massive 3,000kg so there will be room for the kitchen sink after all.
Average fuel consumption, without a trailer hitched up you understand, is over 30mpg which isnt half bad for a vehicle of this size. On the road the Rodeo is one of the more comfortable pick-ups to drive and its not bad round the corners but buyers will need to appreciate that heavy duty suspension and a high centre of gravity are not conducive to magic carpet ride quality and sportscar handling. The Rodeo is adept on the tarmac for a pick-up but still suffers from the suspension bounce and body roll that effect its contemporaries. In keeping up appearances on the outside, pick-up designers often let interior issues slip but the Rodeo, its claimed, has a car-like quality to its passenger compartment.
This isnt too far from the truth, with a reasonable standard of materials used and an impressive level of specification especially in the Denver derivative. Safety equipment is class leading across the Rodeo range with ABS, EBD, two front airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and three-point belts throughout. Standard models also get a radio CD player, immobiliser and wipers with four (count em) different speeds. The Denver, meanwhile, offers electric mirrors, fog lamps, keyless entry, a six-speaker sound system, air-conditioning and upgraded trim, along with optional four-speed automatic transmission.
Thats a healthy haul of gadgets by anyones standards and seasoned commercial vehicle operators in particular may never have seen the like. The Rodeo was already up with the top UK pick-up trucks: its just that many buyers had never heard of it. The Max special edition models add that touch of extra glamour that might help this Isuzu to get itself noticed.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
PICK-UP: Isuzu Rodeo Max special edition pick-up range
PRICE: £15,802 - £17,502 excluding VAT ENGINE: 3.0-litre turbodiesel (131bhp) PAYLOAD: 1,055kg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver and passenger airbags, side impact protection door beams, ABS with EBD, front seatbelt pretensioners.
