It’s not often I come across a small SUV that I really like (Jeeps excepted), because a lot of them are underpowered and of course less capable than their full-size counterparts. However, on my way home from work last Friday night, I spotted this little trucklet and had to stop for a quick look. I walked away, interested.
Details on the For Sale sign are pretty slim,
$4,500
80,120 miles
but there are a few clues we can gather just by looking around.
It has a V6, judging by the badge on the tailgate announcing as such. A quick peek in the cab shows a 5-speed manual and the transfer case. The Rodeo Sport seats five, but still has a decent amount of cargo space in the back. There also seem to be some body panels out of alignment, which is always a concern. Has it been wrecked? Rebuilt? Taken over one too many jumps?
The first I noticed when I looked in the cab was not the manual transmission shifter; it was not the transfer case; it wasn’t even the relatively good condition of the seats and interior. No, the first thing I noticed, unfortunately, was the clutter in the seat. Selling a car is really not difficult – pick up your trash!
Because this is a frame-on-body truck, it probably rides like, well, a truck. With a short wheelbase and a removable top, the ride is probably a little jittery and noisy. However, being able to go off road on narrow trails (I’d probably remove the steps) with a few friends so pretty appealing to me. I don’t know about you, but if I were in the market for an SUV or even a compact pickup, I’d give this a second look.
[Photos Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Marcal Eilenstein]
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