Isuzu was actually leaning into quirky SUVs within the late ’90s and early 2000s, first with its completely alien wanting VehiCROSS two door rugged off-roader, and later with the 2002 Isuzu Axiom, however neither of those boldly styled cxdx had been market successes regardless of an Axiom prototype sharing display time with Antonio Banderas within the “Spy Kids” franchise. The Axiom was a daringly styled considerably plush household SUV that didn’t ship a lot innovation or actually another pull components to consumers past its appears to be like, and it was nonetheless rolling on a body-on-frame chassis that was extra widespread within the ’90s than within the new millennium with opponents like the ever present Toyota Highlander.
This newest Motorweek Retro Review YouTube video showcases the Axiom’s slightly unremarkable inside, driving expertise, and off-road expertise. Compared to the unibody car-based crossovers just like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, the Axiom was considerably heavier, considerably much less gasoline environment friendly, and considerably much less refined. The Axiom was based mostly on the Isuzu Rodeo’s ladder body chassis that ought to have helped it conquer unpaved off-road trails, however the Axiom was a basic case of straddling the off-road targeted SUV market and the on-road household SUV market that resulted in compromise on each fronts.
To be truthful, it sounds just like the Motorweek crew appreciated the Axiom’s on-road dynamics greater than many different body-on-frame, truck-based SUVs. For road driving, the Axiom featured electronically adjustable suspension with a sport mode, which will need to have been fairly profitable since John Davis stated it rode extra like a sports activities sedan than a sport utility car. It additionally produced respectable energy numbers from its 3.5-liter V6, rating at 230 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque.
If you haven’t seen, Isuzu now not sells shopper automobiles within the U.S. Its final hopes had been unexpectedly rebadged GM SUVs, however the model stopped promoting even these in 2009. Unfortunately it’s very uncommon to see Axioms on the highway right this moment, however at any time when I do see one it makes me smile. The Axiom was a cool wanting SUV with a cool identify, however once you’re duking it out with opponents like Highlanders and Pilots, your product needs to be fairly darn compelling and the Axiom simply didn’t provide consumers sufficient to be successful.
Source: jalopnik.com