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The Isuzu Rodeo holds a special place in rad car fans’ hearts, as it was the basis for another beloved off-roader, the original Honda Passport. The five-door Isuzu SUV lasted here for several years before being discontinued in the early 2000s, but the automaker sold funky two-door body styles in other markets, and one of the now-legal imports has made its way to Cars & Bids.
Though our version had the somewhat mundane “Rodeo” title, the SUV was known as the “MU” or Mysterious Utility. This Japanese-market version comes with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel and a five-speed manual transmission. This one has around 121,000 miles and looks in decent shape. Interestingly, the two-door MU almost has a Mitsubishi Pajero Evo vibe, with its beefy fender flares and cropped, lifted body.
Amazingly, the auction’s statement that the SUV is barely modified is accurate, as its only upgrades include a new stereo and those funky gold wheels. The Mysterious has drawn several comments, mainly from curious observers asking questions about a vehicle they’ve never seen. One wondered whether the Mysterious’ top is removable, which unfortunately is not the case. Some versions, including the Isuzu Amigo, which we got, came with a removable soft top. One commenter noted that the tops don’t age well, so the hardtop is likely the best choice for a 31-year-old imported SUV.
Though many JDM vehicles from this era are sometimes exceedingly difficult to import and equally expensive, the Mysterious sits at just $3,500 halfway through its auction. It’s got all the hallmarks to be a Radwood-ready bargain, too. The bright red paint and gold accents give it just enough flash, and versions of the diesel engine are still in production in China, so it might be somewhat reasonable to find parts.
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