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Isuzu Trooper
When they introduced it in 1981, the Isuzu Trooper was the perfect car for the time. It was a relatively spacious, great-handling off-road SUV with dependable mechanics. Also, it had a nice design and lots of character, which was something that Japanese cars often lack. The Trooper was a capable off-road vehicle. And yet, it still retained a certain level of on-road highway manners.
And all that means it was equally at home on dirt roads as well as on the interstate. Because its U.S. competitors had V8s and bigger engines, the Isuzu 2.8-liter V6 didn’t sound like much. But, it was enough for all driving purposes and off-road driving. From today’s perspective, the Trooper looks a little boxy, but that’s how SUVs from the ‘80s looked.
Also, one of the key characteristics of this model is its impeccable build quality. That means there are a fair number of survivors on the road today. In fact, this model has a cult status among classic SUV fans.