Popular Mechanics - USA (2019-04)

@PopularMechanics _ April 2019 43

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The Two-Door

That Broke

The Rules

That notch?

VehiCrosses sold

in Japan had the

option for a backup

camera, one of the

first in the industry.

WHEN I WAS about ten years old, I played as the VehiCross in the video game

Test Drive Off-Road 3. I loved it. Years later, when I was looking to replace my

college car, I remembered the VehiCross. I came across some online. Some were

low mileage, well maintained, and expensive. Others were cheap, but beat down.

This one was right in the middle. I drove to it and immediately fell in love all

over again. It’s 18 years old, but when you compare the design to modern cars,

it still looks stunning. What was overdone in 1999 is sedate these days. And it’s

a halo car, like a Corvette, Ford GT, or Ferrari Enzo: the best the brand could

do. The VehiCross was the best Isuzu could do. I’ve taken it through deep mud,

rocks, sand—no problem. I used it to tow a car through the mountains and got

double-digit gas mileage, which is incredible. And it’s comfortable. I’ve done

600 miles in a day and felt fine. The only breakdown I’ve had is a tensioner

pulley that seized up and threw the belt, but I fixed it the same day with parts

from AutoZone. The drivetrain and chassis are from the Isuzu Trooper, so all

the important stuff is easy to get. That can’t be said for body panels, though.

LOCATION

Lexington,

Kentucky

YE ARS

OWNED

Four

FOUNDON

Craigslist

PURCHASE

PR I CE

$4,500

OWN E R

David Zipf

MAKE/MODEL

2001 Isuzu VehiCross

↓ THE NEW VINTAGE