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Love it or hate it, the Isuzu VehiCross is something different. If you enjoy seeing people’s jaws drop as you drive by, then this is the vehicle for you. And people do love it. That is, unless they hate it.

“Now, that’s funny looking,” the parking-lot guard snorted. “You’re darn right, that’s funny looking.”

“Wow! That’s bad!” a young slacker bellowed as he pulled up alongside us on Seventh Street in a roaring old pickup. “What is it?”

“It’s a VehiCross,” I tried to yell back.

“Huh?”

“Vee . . . heh . . . cross.”

OK, so it’s not the greatest name on the books. Every time you say VehiCross, you can count on the next word being “Huh?”

Something like Moon Unit or Dweezil would have been more appropriate for this refugee from the outer limits. Some other labels heard during VehiCross’ visit: futuristic, strange, totally cool, really weird.

Once I got used to VehiCross, I was solidly on the “love it” side of the fence. Not only do I love the unique styling and wacky image, I love the current automotive climate that permits auto-show concept cars to spring to life as actual vehicles that one can buy and own.

The VehiCross was a sport-utility concept, maybe more of a trial balloon, that Isuzu trotted out for the auto-show circuit a few years back. People loved it (at least those who didn’t hate it), which encouraged Isuzu to produce it.

The VehiCross I drove was a hand-built prototype, not yet ready for prime time. Finished units are expected to beam down to Isuzu dealers this spring.

But much as I enjoyed its stay, I would be hard-pressed to recommend VehiCross to the average driver. The very things that make it fun to look at and fun to drive also make it impractical to own and hard to live with.

Just getting into the thing is a chore. The ride height is way up there, requiring agility and good hang time for entry to the front seats. As for the back seats, well, it’s hard enough entering the rear of any two-door vehicle, but this one compounds the problem by leaving only a narrow passage with the front seat pushed all the way forward.

Even my skinny 14-year-old struggled to get back there, to the sound of groaning and hysterical laughing.

But once inside, the interior is surprisingly roomy. Legroom and headroom, front and rear, are right up there. The standard leather seating, provided by race-seat designer Recaro, no less, is comfortable and accommodating.

So all is well until you attempt to look outside. The driver will find his rearward view solidly blocked by that jazzy-looking spare-tire setup in the rear door. Or blocked by the really thick pillars amidships.

Backing up is an act of faith.

Those pillars also block the view of back-seat passengers, so they don’t get to see everybody’s jaws drop as you drive by.

But if you dig the style, you should be willing to live with the compromises. But the style has its practical side, too. That bulbous gray lower section is made of hea vy, damage-resistant polypropylene held on by Torx screws, making it readily replaceable. The upper body is galvanized steel.

The VehiCross really is as much fun to drive as it is to look at. The beefy 3.5-liter V-6 is strong and able, though a bit noisy, hooked up to an automatic transmission that does its job well, whether in the regular or “power” setting. (Guess where I kept it?)

But there’s a problem here, too: abysmal gas mileage. Not that mileage concerns many people in these days of cheap fuel, but a spike in gas prices will have VehiCross busting your budget.

A neat touch is the aircraft-style fuel filler. Because you’ll see it so often, at least it’s fun to look at.

Based on the two-door Trooper that is popular in Japan – and where VehiCross already is roaming the streets – handling and drive-ability are quite good for this class of tippy vehicle. Because ofthe engine power, be careful not to get too playful or you risk losing control.

Unfor tunately, I di dn’t have a chance to get my tester off the pavement. But I’ve recently driven a V-6-powered Amigo (a slightly smaller engine in a slightly smaller truck) and thought it handled the boondocks pretty well. I have no doubt that the VehiCross would be a total hoot on a rocky desert trail.

The four-wheel-drive system has the requisite high/low range settings for serious off-roaders, but also includes an automatic setting that takes care of transient traction problems all by itself. The real wheels are engaged in two-wheel drive until the system senses wheel slippage, and then it transfers torque to the front wheels.

On the road, the ride is very stiff, especially the rear suspension. A good-size speed bump will rattle your fillings.

Looking at VehiCross logically, it doesn’t make much sense. But this little space critter isn’t meant to appeal to your sense of logic. It’s meant to tap into your emotions, your sense of adventure, and maybe your sense of humor.

Love it or hate it, the VehiCross is a pretty trick truck, and everybody should feel good that something so creative is able to exist.

1999 Isuzu VehiCROSS

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, two-door sport-utility vehicle, two-/four- wheel drive. Base price: $28,900. Price as tested: $30,400 (est). Engine: 3.5-liter V-6, 215 horsepower at 5,400 rpm, 230 foot-pounds of torque at 3,000 rpm. Transmission: Four-speed automatic. Curb weight: 3,955 pounds. Wheelbase: 91.8 inches. EPA fuel economy: 15 city, 19 highway. Highs: Unique style. Engine power. Fun factor. Lows: Outward vision. Rear-seat access. Gas mileage.