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Simple design gets job done [Herald, The (Plymouth, England)](Herald, The (Plymouth, England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) YOU could be forgiven for thinking all pick-up trucks are mean- looking, fiveseater things draped in chrome and sporting the kind of specification more readily associated with executive saloons, writes Steve Walker. The pricing too sometimes seems more in tune with lavishly- appointed passenger cars than honest to goodness commercial vehicles. It is certainly pick-ups fitting this description that get most of the attention, perhaps for understandable reasons, but there is also a whole class of other vehicles in the pick-up market - vehicles that concentrate on working hard rather than looking good. Isuzu's Rodeo 4x2 single cab is a prime example. Buyers wanting a simple, affordable pick-up truck for use on the road should like the Isuzu Rodeo 4x2 Single Cab. It's lacking in off-road ability thanks to a rear-wheel-drive layout and the specification is basic but it's tough, cheap and you can get a lot of stuff in the back. Isuzu is not alone. Most of the major pick-up manufacturers have entry-level single-cab models aimed at businesses who need affordable working vehicles. The double-cab craze is based around buyers who purchase pick- ups for a mixed role taking in domestic and commercial duties but the single cab is usually far more prosaic in its approach. Many models, this Isuzu Rodeo included, even do without a 4x4 transmission system, sacrificing offroad ability for a larger payload capacity and smaller costs. The 4x2 single-cab model uses the smaller of the two engines available in the wider Isuzu Rodeo range: a 2.5-litre four-cylinder diesel with 136bhp and torque measured at 294Nm that's available all the way from 1,800rpm to 3,200rpm. The engine is strong through the mid-range but suffers from slightly from turbo lag at low speeds and it is necessary to get a few revs for a quick getaway. As the 4x2 single-cab branding may have indicated, this Rodeo does without the 4x4 transmission that's found elsewhere in the range. It also ditches the heavy-duty suspension and rides noticeably closer to terra firma as a result. There is a rear limited-slip differential to help in sticky situations but, as a general rule, it is best to avoid terrain that you would not drive a family car over. Rear-wheel-drive commercial vehicles can struggle for traction on slippery or loose surfaces, particularly when there's no load in the back. The advantage of having only two driven wheels comes in the shape of enhanced handling on the road. The centre of gravity is lowered and the suspension is set-up to be less bouncy, minimising body- roll when you corner with feeling. The suspension at the rear end is designed to cope with heavy loads and so the single-cab will drive better still with some weight on the back to occupy it. The space that would have been devoted to rear seats if this were a double-cab Rodeo is given over to an extended load area. The load length is 2,270mm and the width is 1,520mm, reduced to 1,075mm between the wheel arches. The whole area is lined with tough plastic and access is via a conventional drop-down tailgate that creates a platform 686mm from the ground. The maximum payload is 1,235kg which is a nearly 200kg up on what you will get in a double-cab Rodeo. The single-cab is significantly less extrovert in the looks department than its double-cab siblings. It makes do with black plastic bumpers and there are no side sills or wheel arch extensions adding muscle to its appearance. The absence of body protection cladding down the flanks or around the wheel arches might be an issue for operators whose vehicles regularly pick up parking knocks but the vehicle's simple, tough design should do the job. It is a similar story in the cabin where the equipment is basic and the materials are chosen for their toughness rather than visual appeal. There is no shortage of grey plastic and it is not of the highest quality but should be robust enough to stand up to harsh treatment. Storage runs to a glove box and very narrow pockets in the door linings but any larger items will have to go in the cubby between the seats. The pick-up's perennial problem of a lack of secure storage space for tools or other big items rears its head again but there are after-market solutions that can address this. The instruments are clearly designed and the driving position is comfortable with a good range of adjustment. The minor controls are also relatively simple to work out, with the exception of the radio which has a removable fascia with fiddly buttons. Standard equipment on the Rodeo single-cab is fairly basic. Buyers get electric windows, twin front airbags, central locking and a CD stereo but little else worthy of note. At least there are ABS brakes with brake-force distribution and the Rodeo is designed to be fitted with a digital tachograph. It is the monster-truck lookalikes at the top end of the pick-up market that get all the attention but models like the Isuzu Rodeo 4x2 single-cab do all the hard work. With just two seats and no 4x4 mechanicals, it is a vehicle aimed at UK operators who want their pick-up to work and work hard. (c) 2011 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |