Isuzu VehiCross
The VehiCross compact SUV was produced from 1997 through 2001 (Japanese market 1997–1999; U.S. market 1999–2001), sharing many of its components with the Trooper, including that model’s 3.2L and 3.5L V6 engine.
The vehicle also featured the Torque on Demand (TOD) 4WD system produced by BorgWarner; this included a computer-controlled AWD system for on-road driving and a low-gear 4WD system for off-road driving. Its body-on-frame truck construction, suspension and 4WD gearing made it very capable off-road.
The small, sporty 2-door crossover sported aggressive external styling, including short overhangs, an aggressive forward stance, titanium “teeth” in the grille, black hood-insert and black plastic cladding, plus it came equipped with 16-inch polished wheels in 1999 and 18-inch chrome wheels during the remainder of production.
Sales were intentionally limited, with only 5,958 vehicles being produced between 1997 and 2001; 1,805 were produced for the domestic Japanese market and the remaining 4,153 sold in the United States.
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| Photo: kat_Evens / Flickr |
