One could say this magazine favors Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, and Jeep. One could be right. But that's not to say we dislike certain makes or models just because you don't see them in here every month. Our pages simply tend to fall under the rule of supply and demand: readers demand, we supply. But over the course of this magazine's history, we have not forgotten the non-Big Five. Honest.
Suzukis, International, and Mitsubishi have claimed our cover. An Isuzu, Lexus, and even a Ford Ranger have nabbed 4x4 of the Year awards. Nissan has done that twice. We've covered buildups, trail rides (when they're there, our cameras are on them like Yeti), new products-and just this year called the Scout II and Isuzu Trooper two of the best 4x4s on Earth. While these vehicles may not be as highly requested by readers as, say, a Ford F-150, they've each clearly proven themselves worthy participants in the off-road world. Since Hummer, Nissan, Isuzu, Scout, Land Rover, and Ford Explorer owners are active in the community but feel the most ignored, we wanted to highlight a number of clubs (North American-based, and some official, some not), aftermarket companies, and events dedicated to servicing them. Here's a sampling of what's out there if you're looking to build one-or simply have a hankering to gang up on us with other like-minded enthusiasts.
Isuzu
Isuzu has been hit or miss (Trooper, hit; Rodeo, decent; Ascender, desperate; Axiom, more fun on the pavement than on the dirt; Vehicross, way cool), but it has still managed to sneak some sturdy components into even its less hard-core four-bys, such as a Dana 44 in the Amigo. Isuzu followers almost seem to have gone underground-which is unfortunate, since the brand is struggling and could really use them more than ever before.
Isuzu Online Community We Like: Isuzu Trooper Owners Guild, www.itog.com
Isuzu Event You Might Want to Attend: The annual Zu Zoo (www.zuzoo.org) in Moab.
Isuzu Clubs
E-ZooZoo Isuzu 4x4 Owners Club
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/E-ZooZoo/
4x4Wire Isuzu Club
www.4x4wire.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?Cat=&C=15
Midwest Isuzu Off-Road
www.mwior.com
Planet Isuzu Club
www.planetisuzoo.com
VehiCross Info
www.vehicrossinfo.com
Zutah Wheelers
www.zutah.com