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People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater
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@amoore100 The last one looks the most capable, so I'm going to pick that one.
Plus, I already have one Panther, so I need another.
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@01Sierra2500HD FWIW since they're D-max based, you could probably get enough parts here. The MU looks like it even shares a cab, so just tell the person at the parts counter its a Colorado.
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@amoore100 I don't need 3 rows, so now my mind has wandered.
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@Milky The MU doesn't look half bad. That would be a tough choice between the two. I think with decent parts availability I might choose the MU on styling alone. Those GM engines are pretty stout though!
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@Milky Too much front bumper overhang for me but otherwise a handsome machine.
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@Milky said in People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater:
The MU looks like it even shares a cab, so just tell the person at the parts counter its a Colorado.
I do not understand the game of cat-and-mouse that GM and Isuzu were playing at this point. I guess they were truly co-developing these models because unlike Ford and Mazda who simply went back and forth rebadging each others' trucks—first the Ranger was a Mazda, then the B-Series became a Ford—it seems like the next generation Colorado/D-Max were designed from day one by GM and Isuzu jointly to be simultaneously both a GM and an Isuzu? Chalk that up as another model that seemingly has no true nationality.
Then for some reason certain markets got Chevy-badged Isuzu-Chevies?
So I guess we could technically say that this was the last USDM Isuzu model?
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@amoore100 Seemingly so. Article I found said they ended their midsize truck partnership in 2016, because "GM previously held a stake in Isuzu but sold its 7.9 percent holding in 2006".
Global midsize trucks makes sense imho, but seemingly like the Tacoma, Chevy decided the north American market is big enough to justify a specific model.
Also, if I was doing a SEMA-esq build I would definitely Isuzu front end swap a Colorado.
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I picked the Panther.
GM is fucking stupid for not selling the MU-7/international Trailblazer over here
They killed off Isuzu because they got soooo jealous. This dates back to at least the early 90s when Isuzu stopped making cars.
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@amoore100 said in People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater:
@Milky said in People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater:
The MU looks like it even shares a cab, so just tell the person at the parts counter its a Colorado.
I do not understand the game of cat-and-mouse that GM and Isuzu were playing at this point. I guess they were truly co-developing these models because unlike Ford and Mazda who simply went back and forth rebadging each others' trucks—first the Ranger was a Mazda, then the B-Series became a Ford—it seems like the next generation Colorado/D-Max were designed from day one by GM and Isuzu jointly to be simultaneously both a GM and an Isuzu? Chalk that up as another model that seemingly has no true nationality.
Then for some reason certain markets got Chevy-badged Isuzu-Chevies?
So I guess we technically could say that this was the last USDM Isuzu model?
By the way, I really appreciate the thorough cross linking of these well researched posts you make.
Though the Ranger/B Series connection always felt more like American market tastes being handled by Ford and ROW tastes being handled by Mazda, with the true B Series being thrown in stateside just to confuse people. It doesn't look that curious if you simply call them Truck A and Truck B. It's just the names that are maddening.
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@amoore100 @WhoIsTheLeader @dogisbadob How is the Panther winning? I thought this would be a cinch for the nicer, yet still diesel-powered MU-7—more proof that Oppo always gravitates toward the worst option.
A few points of clarification should be made regarding the Panther that I originally glossed over but are perhaps relevant to the discussion to be truly thorough; 'Panther' was its Indonesian title as in the Philippines it was badged 'Crosswind', and it is technically based on the gen3 Isuzu Rodeo/Faster ute since Isuzu's D-Max was not a name they used until the 2003 model released as a replacement for the Rodeo/Faster. The aforementioned 'troop-carrier' style longitudinal benches were optional, and more traditional 7-seat arrangements with a third-row were also offered as pictured below. India only got it as a Chevy called the 'Tavera' after a Corsican town known for steep and narrow roads where apparently the CEO of Isuzu liked to test their models, and this model was later sold by Chevrolet in Indonesia too.
Presumably this purple example with French plates is photographed in Tavera, a place where it was never sold of course.
Ironically enough, that makes the MU-7 the only one of these three not sold under Chevy badges in this generation.
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@amoore100 said in People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater:
more proof that Oppo always gravitates toward the worst option
This is a well known phenomenon. But also two forbidden fruit truckish wagony things versus the Trailblazer which, which good at many things, is currently at the very bottom of its coolness and value trajectory.
Color enthusiast, Citroën fanatic, and captain of a 1985 Mercedes 300D
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@WhoIsTheLeader said in People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater:
But also two forbidden fruit truckish wagony things versus the Trailblazer which, which good at many things, is currently at the very bottom of its coolness and value trajectory.
But the 4Runner-styled MU-7 losing to a truly cobbled-together bargain-basement Southeast Asian truck-MPV was not what I saw coming—proof that we're all feeling the lack of true budget utility options on the USDM these days, I reckon.
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@amoore100 The Panther has a noticably weak ball joint, which made scene like this to be quite familiar:
The tagline for it here is "The King of Diesel", however they didn't seem to do much upgrade with their engine. While the Ranger / Everest, followed by Fortuner and Pajero Sport aren't belching dark smoke anymore, brand new Panther produces pollution that rivaled my Taft
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@annoying_salman said in People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater:
The Panther has a noticably weak ball joint, which made scene like this to be quite familiar:
Haha, I'm glad to get some local input! Sounds like as usual, Isuzu played third fiddle to Toyota and Mitsubishi. Are AUVs like the Kijang still popular, or are ute-wagons like the Fortuner taking their place these days?
@annoying_salman said in People's Choice: Isuzu 7-Seater:
brand new Panther produces pollution that rivaled my Taft
I'm surprised they allowed that since Indonesia started enforcing Euro 4 emissions in 2021, right? I guess Euro 4 is still a pretty lenient regulation compared to the latest ones.