Honda officials remain mum about new vehicle model.

New sport utility vehicle has been spotted in valley

Will the Isuzu Trooper utility vehicle be gearing up for U.S. sales soon as a Honda or Acura?

Evidence and speculation from automotive analysts say yes.

Sources within American Isuzu Motors Co. have told the Business Journal a sports utility vehicle remarkably similar to an Isuzu Trooper but badged as a Honda Horizon has been spotted parked in Sherman Oaks.

Officials at both Whittier-based American Isuzu and Torrance-based American Honda Motor Co. have confirmed that Honda sells Isuzu-manufactured Troopers as Honda Horizons in Japan. However, neither would say whether a similar agreement is in the works for the United States.

Adding to the mystery surrounding the vehicle spotted in Sherman Oaks is that it was clearly not built for Japanese consumption. Its driver's seat is on the left-hand side of the vehicle - a U.S., rather than Japanese, configuration. The vehicle's sideview mirrors and tail lights are also placed to meet U.S. specifications. And the vehicle has a standard California license plate, indicating it is up to U.S. crash standards and state smog specifications.

In January, American Honda began selling Isuzu's small sports utility, the Rodeo, rebadged as the Honda Passport. Industry observers say Honda made the move in order to enter the hot sports utility market without spending years and potentially billions of dollars to develop its own model. Such an arrangement also works to Isuzu's benefit, enabling it to move thousands of vehicles a year without boosting sales or marketing.

So far, Passport sales have been on their target of 20,000 for the year. But as for the Horizon, both sides are mum. "We don't let information out on any new model plans until official announcements have been made," said Honda spokesman Mike Spencer.

Carnie Colliver, a product analyst for the AutoPacific Group, a Santa Ana-based automotive research firm, said he believes the Horizon is probably a test evaluation vehicle being used to gather research for future sales in the U.S. He said Honda will sell rebadged Troopers as part of its Acura luxury vehicle line, to debut in the middle of the 1996 model year.

"They're probably testing the vehicle for engineering dynamics, drivability" and noise, vibration and harshness, Colliver said. "It would not be particularly difficult for the Isuzu assembly line in Japan to custom-produce a Horizon to U.S. specifications."

Colliver added that it would not be unusual for a test engineer to drive an experimental vehicle between work and home, and there are likely several such vehicles on the road.

"Because of its resemblance to the Trooper, it could pretty much be driven on the road without attracting too much attention," Colliver said. "I would probably drive past it myself and think it's a Trooper."

Jesse Snyder, an analyst with Autofacts Inc., a Chester, Pa.-based automotive research firm, agreed that a Honda or Acura version of the Trooper is likely.

"I would consider it logical and not completely unexpected," he said.