U.S. Isuzu Sales Plummet despite New Models Added to Lineup
Do you remember Isuzu? It was that funky alternative Japanese brand that brought us some pretty cool cars and SUVs over the years.
When introduced in 1990, its Stylus impressed compact sedan fans by living up to its name and performing well compared to its peers. Its Impulse was a VW Scirocco fighter, arguably better looking, at the time at least. And its SUV lineup was the envy of most rivals, and included the smallish Amigo, midsize Rodeo and full-size Trooper.
Still, Isuzu had trouble competing against Toyota and Honda, and the likes, and therefore discontinued its car lineup in North America, and then, left Canada entirely.
Its U.S.
division was gutted rather dramatically last year, with the midsize Rodeo dropped and never replaced, and the uniquely styled Axiom also nixed from the menu, leaving only the very competent, but completely cloned Ascender to fight it out in the most hotly contested segment within the automotive sector, as well as the promise of a new pickup truck, also based on a GM platform, to round out its lineup.
If you didn't already know, the Ascender is a GMC Envoy in slightly, and I repeat, slightly different clothes. As if there weren't enough GMT360 SUVs running around out there, what with the Ascender and Envoy vying for attention among Chevy's TrailBlazer, Buick's Rainier, Saab's 9-7X, and no doubt a few Oldsmobile Bravadas still kicking around on some hapless ex-Olds dealer's lot, but such is the case, and the fact that Isuzu is being overlooked and resultantly sales are plummeting shouldn't come as a surprise to the "brainiac" executive team that came up with such an ill-fated game plan.
Do you remember Isuzu? It was that funky alternative Japanese brand that brought us some pretty cool cars and SUVs over the years.
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| Do you remember Isuzu? It was that funky alternative Japanese brand that brought us some pretty cool cars and SUVs in year's past, the Trooper being particularly memorable. (Photo: Isuzu) |
Still, Isuzu had trouble competing against Toyota and Honda, and the likes, and therefore discontinued its car lineup in North America, and then, left Canada entirely.
Its U.S.
 |
| Its U.S. division was gutted rather dramatically last year, with the midsize Rodeo (upper left) dropped and never replaced, and the uniquely styled Axiom (lower right) also nixed from the menu, leaving only the very competent, but completely cloned Ascender (upper right and lower left). (Photo: Isuzu) |
If you didn't already know, the Ascender is a GMC Envoy in slightly, and I repeat, slightly different clothes. As if there weren't enough GMT360 SUVs running around out there, what with the Ascender and Envoy vying for attention among Chevy's TrailBlazer, Buick's Rainier, Saab's 9-7X, and no doubt a few Oldsmobile Bravadas still kicking around on some hapless ex-Olds dealer's lot, but such is the case, and the fact that Isuzu is being overlooked and resultantly sales are plummeting shouldn't come as a surprise to the "brainiac" executive team that came up with such an ill-fated game plan.