Isuzu Axiom

The Isuzu Axiom is a mid-size SUV that Isuzu introduced in 2001 for the 2002 model year. It was derived from the Isuzu Rodeo and meant as Isuzu's answer to car-based SUVs such as the Toyota Highlander, replacing the Trooper as the company's flagship in the United States. Sold only in the United States and Costa Rica, it was built beside the Rodeo at Subaru Isuzu Automotive in Lafayette, Indiana. The peculiar styling and truck-based platform sold poorly, and the Axiom was discontinued in July 2004 and replaced by the Chevrolet TrailBlazer-based Isuzu Ascender. Features included a Torque-On-Demand four-wheel drive system and a direct-injection 6VE1-DI V6 engine, whose output rose from 230 to 250 horsepower in 2004. The name came from a naming contest won by a Washington state entrant, and a 2013 recall covered frames with severe rust.