Around town, the Rodeo is a real treat. The smooth overhead cam engine is a treat to run hard, but the penalty is abysmal fuel economy. The light-foots at the EPA could only wring 20 mpg from the Rodeo on the highway, and got a paltry 16 mpg in the city, so you can imagine how often we visited the local Conoco station during our week with the truck. A wider track for 1998 helps improve overall stability. The slow steering that helps directional stability so nicely when the pavement ends is a royal pain in the butt in parking lots, where the driver saws at the wheel for what seems like eternity to point the Rodeo toward the exit.
Throttle response is excellent, revving the engine as soon as the accelerator is depressed.
Despite a shorter wheelbase than the old Rodeo, the new truck has retained its large rear seat, and interior accommodations have actually grown in size. A low step-in height makes getting into the Rodeo simple, but exiting from the rear seat requires some concentration due to an intrusive rear wheel well. Seat comfort is excellent front and rear, but one editor complained that the driver's seat was mounted too low to the floor. The driver faces a thick four-spoke steering wheel, flanked by secondary control buttons mounted on the dash. Stalks for turn signals and wipers feel solid, yet fluid, in operation.