Interestingly, my last car was always getting more respect than it deserved because it *looked* tough. Now I have one that really *is* tough and it gets under-rated. I don't quite understand what some peoples' problem with Isuzu is. And those Joe Isuzu commercials used to crack me up.

I'll have to go back and look in the gallery for some debadged VX pics to see if I like it enough to try it. My main concern is ending up with a ghost image on the rear. Probably will not try to do it there just because of that. Maybe the grill... maybe. Wheels are the most likely. Side emblems definitely will stay.

I also used to be totally against debadging. Now I'm curious but not committed. To me, a debadged or rebadged vehicle used to have "poser" written all over it. Either they are embarassed that it is what it is, or they want you to think it is something it is not. Or both. You know - the guy in the Eclipse GS that strips it off so you, in theory anyway, won't know its the base model. Or the guy in the standard Mustang who puts Cobra emblems on it. And of course anyone who halfway knows the make can tell it's fake in a heartbeat.

I still feel that way a little bit, although I'm trying to come around. I know there are some who honestly just like a cleaner look and don't want to drive a billboard. I can sympathize in a sense - I've always hated it when dealers put their crap on vehicles, but make and model stuff never has bothered me too much. However I do think the VehiCross has a unique futuristic look to it that may be enhanced by stripping away the lettering.

The whole idea of the VehiCross was to reshape peoples' thinking about Isuzu. That name on this vehicle makes people question that Isuzu stigma because most of them think the VX is pretty cool. So what I'm trying to say is, if that "ew, it's an Isuzu" thing bothers you, taking off the badging doesn't help change that. You're driving the best marketing tool they've got going, even if the Axiom does look kinda cool.