A fuel economy record set in 2006 by a standard Isuzu Rodeo pickup has been beaten – by the ’07 Isuzu Rodeo, armed with its world-beating new commonrail diesel engine.

The substantially facelifted Rodeo Denver Max has achieved a remarkable 54.20 mpg after being driven virtually non-stop from Land’s End to John o’Groat’s.

The ever reliable four-door five-seat Rodeo covered the 853-mile trip on a single tank of fuel, using just 15.75 gallons to beat the record.

The entire exercise took just over 20 hours from start to finish with the vehicles driven by Chris Roberts, Dealer Principal at Isuzu dealership St Austell Motor Group, Cornwall, supported by Sales Director, Dave Noy.

Chris said: “Last year we established an economy cruising speed of 38 mph.  This year we felt the car could maintain a higher speed but headwinds of up to 40 mph meant we had to work the vehicle hard.  By the time we reached Glasgow it was not looking good but we stuck with it, driving through the night at a steady 50 mph, smashing our own record.”

Isuzu Brand Manager Kenyon Neads commented: “This ‘Midnight Run’ is testament of the warmth in the Isuzu network towards the popular new Rodeo. And groundbreaking economy is only part of the story. Its class leading towing capacity, emissions and our unique digital tachograph compliance validate exactly why the new Rodeo is such a hit with Dealers and consumers alike. Well done St. Austell!”

Winner of a host of accolades, the Isuzu Rodeo range now starts at £13,999 (on the road but excluding VAT) for the new 2.5 litre Denver.

All models have alloy wheels, air-conditioning, leather steering wheel, a Pioneer CD/Tuner/MP3 Player, tinted electric windows, ABS with EBD, rear step bumper and three-point seatbelts for all five occupants.