1999 Isuzu Amigo Hard Top model adds sophistication to this fun-mobile. By Johnathan Ingram

Review Pages ---------------------------------------- 1. Overview 2. Walkaround and Interior 3. Driving Impressions 4. Summary, Prices, Specs     Compare Vehicles     Email to a Friend     Print version     Get a New Car Price Quote     Search Used Vehicle Inventory

Isuzu's Amigo quickly earned a reputation for fun after it was re-introduced last year. Its short, stout body and semi-convertible soft top give it a funky appearance, while a V6 engine and four-wheel drive provide serious off-road capability.

New for 1999 is a Hard Top model of this muscular mini-utility. It retains all the fun, but adds the advantages of better sound-proofing, improved visibility with glass windows, improved weather protection, and heightened security for valuables. The most noticeable result of the non-removable hard top is its handsome, more sophisticated appearance. This aesthetically pleasing new look vaults the Amigo ahead of the box-on-wheels look of many other sport-utilities.

Isuzu believes the Hard Top version will appeal to an entirely different crowd than the original soft-top Amigo. While the soft-top version may attact young sun gods and goddesses intent on cruising the beach and coastal roads, the hard top is likely to find a home with a buyer whose feet are planted on firmer Terra Firma. The new Amigo Hard Top looks more upscale and is more practical than the soft top. While the soft top looks best while cruising the beach at Malibu, the hard top looks comfortable shopping on Rodeo Drive or cruising through the mountains of Vermont.