The 1999 Isuzu Amigo is a two-door, rear-wheel drive, small sport utility vehicle available in two or four-wheel drive. Originally debuting in 1989, long before the mini sport utility craze, the Amigo left the marketplace in 1994 due to poor sales. But, with the resurgence of the sport utility market, Isuzu's small SUV convertible was reintroduced last year as a shorter wheelbase version of the redesigned Rodeo. The Amigo is available in seven trims: S 2WD / 4WD Soft Top, S V6 2WD / 4WD Soft Top, and new for 1999 the S 2WD, S V6 2WD and 4WD Hard Top. Starting at $15,810 for the two-wheel drive models and $19,470 for the four-wheel drive, it competes with the Chevrolet Tracker, Jeep Wrangler, Kia Sportage and Suzuki Vitara. The S 2WD and 4WD Soft-Tops come with a 2.2-liter, 130-horsepower engine, with all other trims receiving a 3.2-liter, 205 horsepower V6 - the same engine found in the Rodeo. New for 1999, the option of a four-speed automatic transmission with any V6 trim. The EPA fuel economy rating is typical of the sport utility segment with an average of 18 city / 21 highway mpg. The four-wheel drive system offers two ranges: 4-High for wet or snow covered roads or 4-Low for climbing steep hills or deep mud and snow. 4-High can be utilized at speeds up to 60 mph, and 4-Low under 45 mph. The four-wheel drive system incorporates a dash-mounted button for shifting "on-the-fly" which allows switching from two-wheel drive to 4-High with out stopping the vehicle. All Amigos feature front bucket seats, AM/FM cassette, anti-lock brakes, tinted glass and manual moonroof with sunshade. For all the amenities, Amigos come with a long list of port installed options including air conditioning, alloy wheels, CD player, power windows, power door locks and remote keyless entry. A limited-slip differential is available for four-wheel drive models. |
