Isuzu's Forgotten SUV Should Have Set The World On Fire - CarBuzz

By  Gilbert Smith Published Apr 22, 2025, 8:30 PM EDT Gilbert Smith is an automotive journalist with over five years of specialized research and writing experience. Before joining CarBuzz in 2024, he produced in-depth buyer’s guides and feature articles for Vehicle History, focusing on practical insights and detailed automotive analysis. The early 2000s were a pivotal time for the American automotive market. This was the era of the crossover, when minivans were falling out of style, station wagons were a distant memory, and the small-to-medium-sized SUV that handled like a car was all the rage. Whether you were a bachelor making the morning commute or a new parent hauling the kids to school, the sports utility vehicle did everything you needed a car to do. SUV 2004 Base: $24,080 Base Trim Engine 2.4L I4 Base Trim Transmission 4-speed automatic Base Trim Drivetrain Front-Wheel Drive Base Trim Horsepower 160 HP @5700 RPM Base Trim Torque 165 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM Base Trim Battery Type Lead acid battery Make Toyota Model Highlander Segment Midsize SUV Base Trim Maximum Towing Capacity 1,500 lbs. Powered by There are plenty of success stories from this transitional period, but there may be even more failures. SUVs that weren't necessarily total duds, but which simply didn't click with the market. The Isuzu Axiom is one that had all the makings of a winner, but it seems to have been a case of wrong place, wrong time. The following is based on research into used vehicle resources and information published by Isuzu. Any opinions offered thereupon are those of the author unless otherwise attributed. A Look At The Isuzu Axiom A mid-size SUV intended to compete with car-based models like the Toyota Highlander, the Isuzu Axiom was based on the Isuzu Rodeo, and launched as the brand's flagship vehicle in the US starting with the 2002 model year. 2001 Isuzu Axiom Performance Specs Engine 3.5-Liter 6-Cylinder Power 230-250 hp Torque 230 lb-ft Drivetrain Rear or Four-Wheel Drive Transmission 4-Speed Automatic Isuzu's intention with the Axiom was to offer the best of both worlds. The marketing for this SUV emphasized the comfortable interior paired with rugged, off-road-capable performance. The SUV was available with four-wheel drive, stood eight inches off the ground, and offered up to 250 horsepower from its V6 engine. RELATED This Forgotten 90s SUV Was The Most Rebadged Car In History Sometimes when you fail to succeed, you need to try again, and again, and again... 5 By  Anthony Capretto Why Didn't This SUV Take Off? Before shuttering the whole project, Isuzu had a few concepts in the hopper, being an XSF performance model, an XSF pickup, and an XSR convertible. These concepts tease an idea of what the SUV market might have been. If the sports utility vehicle was to stand in for everything from pickup trucks and minivans to sedans and hatchbacks, then it might as well be offered in every available body type. But, it wasn't to be. RELATED The Oddly-Styled Racing SUV That Was Way Ahead of Its Time Isuzu's VehiCROSS is a 4WD SUV, a sports car and a rally car, all rolled into one. This is this oddball car's story. By  Danie Botha The Axiom had a strong marketing push, too. The SUV was a movie star car, featuring in Spy Kids (2001) and its sequel, producing a remote control car tie-in. You couldn't get away from the brand's "Joe Isuzu" ads in the early 2000s. Isuzu had big plans for the Axiom, and we have to admit, the SUV market would be a lot more exciting in a lot of ways had this model caught on, allowing the brand to broaden the definition of what, exactly, an SUV is. So, why didn't it come to pass? Isuzu Kinda Missed The Point The Axiom had a lot of promise, but it simply wasn't crossover. The Toyota Highlander was based on the Camry, the Honda CR-V was based on the Civic, and the Ford CD2 platform, designed specifically for crossovers, leans into car-like handling. The Axiom was based on the Rodeo, which was based on the late-1980s Isuzu Faster, which was a pickup truck, not a car. The Axiom drove like a truck because that's basically what it was, and it was trying to carve a niche out in the wrong segment. RELATED Nissan Rogue Vs. Toyota RAV4: Japanese Crossover War These crossovers are two of America's most popular cars - but which is better? By  Michal Okonski Reviews of the SUV praised the SUV's "go-anywhere, do-anything" spirit, being more capable off-road than most crossovers, and more comfortable on the street than most pickups, but it felt like a pickup truck wearing a lousy disguise. The big turning radius, bulky handling, cramped back seats, and stiff suspension, all acceptable in the early 2000s in a rugged, all-terrain pickup, prevented the Axiom from earning anything you might call a "glowing" review as a mid-size SUV. Had Isuzu positioned their new flagship against dedicated adventure vehicles like the Wrangler, who knows, we might be driving a 2024 convertible Axiom today. Isuzu replaced the Axiom with the Ascender moving forward, selling a modest 7,585 in 2005, eventually dwindling down to just 1,755 sales in 2008. Isuzu then axed the Ascender, pulled anchor, and left the American marketplace. Is An Isuzu Axiom Worth Buying In 2025? Let's take a look at Kelley Blue Book's fair purchase pricing for an Isuzu Axiom in 2025: S Sport Utility XS Sport Utility 2002 $2,272 $2,678 2003 $2,555 $2,949 2004 $2,817 $3,371 At these prices, you should expect around a quarter million miles on the odometer. It's sort of a buyer's market, because these SUVs weren't very popular twenty years ago, and they're not very popular today. In fact, did you even know they existed before clicking on this article? They're hard to find, too. We ran a search on AutoTempest and came up with zilch, and the same goes for all the auction sites where we do our window shopping, like Bring a Trailer. Buying an Isuzu Axiom is less a matter of seeking these SUVs out, and more a matter of finding out that a friend of a friend has one hogging up space in their yard, and offering to "take it off their hands for them." RELATED Isuzu Dragon Max Is A Torque-Filled Street Truck Restomod Done Right The Ford Maverick can learn a thing or two from this build. By  Jacob Oliva CarComplaints has very few reports on file for the SUV, probably because it sold so poorly. But the 2003 model generated three complaints for transmission fluid leaks, typically racking up a repair bill of $2,490 at an average mileage of 122,350, so that's something to keep an eye out for if you're shopping around. So is it worth buying? In short: yeah, if you can get a good deal on an Isuzu Axiom, go for it. There's plenty to like about this SUV. It's not exactly worth a "name your price" deal, but it's a solid, reliable SUV well worth its Blue Book asking price. A Major Corrosion Recall Affected Thousands Of Models One final note before we wrap this up: a 2013 recall for 8,816 Isuzus, including several 2003–2004 Axioms and Rodeos, addressed major corrosion in the rear suspension. This is another reason why it may not be easy to find an Axiom in good condition. Many of these SUVs were likely scrapped in response to excessive rust. If you do happen to get your hands on an Axiom, and the recall hasn't been addressed, rest easy knowing that the recalls are still valid. Isuzu has pulled out of the passenger vehicle market here in the US, but they still do American business under the Isuzu Commercial Truck Of America brand, so they're not totally off the hook if something goes wrong. Sources: Kelley Blue Book, Isuzu.