As for what led to the Isuzu Trooper’s decline in sales, there were a couple of likely reasons consumers stopped buying the vehicle. By the early 2000s, the SUV market in the United States was dramatically different than when the Trooper first rose to prominence, with consumers eschewing the Trooper’s utilitarian design in favor of SUVs boasting more compact features. Unfortunately for Isuzu, mid-size classics like the Honda CRV and Toyota Rav-4 essentially cornered that market before they could find footing with their oddly conceived Vehicross and other compact models.
Perhaps more problematic for the Trooper than the downsizing trend in the SUV market were mid-’90s reports raising serious questions about its safety, primarily that the vehicle’s top-heavy design could make them prone to rolling over when engaged in a sharp turn. One of those tests reportedly found the Trooper tipping onto two wheels when turning at just 33mph, which is concerning, to put it mildly. Sales for Troopers reportedly plummeted in the immediate wake of those reports despite the automaker’s vehement insistence they were far from accurate.
While the Trooper ultimately rebounded from the debacle, it never returned to its place of prominence in the North American SUV market, with Isuzu stopping production just a few years later. Despite its downfall, the Trooper remains a well-loved vehicle among SUV enthusiasts and has even become sought after on the secondary market.
