Yet there is another side to the Rodeo you would never guess existed unless you ventured into rough country. A frisky V6 engine and highly capable four-wheel-drive system turns this friendly, easy-to-handle city car into a serious trailblazer that can navigate some amazingly rough territory.

Isuzu's Rodeo was completely re-engineered for 1998, the first complete change since its 1991 introduction. It's substantially more refined than the first-generation. For 1999, there's an expanded list of options, new colors, additional refinement and an all-new trim level. The keyless remote is improved.