vehicle 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.