Isuzu's flagship SUV

The Isuzu Ascender provides the same quality features of the bigger SUV crowd - without the hefty price tag.

May 1, 2005

For three years now, the 7-passenger Ascender has been Isuzu's flagship SUV, and maintaining that status means continually raising the bar. That could mean improving the power or the comfort, adding some safety features, or stepping up the handling. What you might not expect it to mean is morphing into a near-identical cousin of the GMC Envoy XL.

That's not to say the Envoy XL isn't worth duplicating, or that the Ascender isn't a most excellent, well, duplicate. Quite the contrary. The question Isuzu needs to answer is: Why should anybody buy the Ascender when the Envoy XL's available?

We'll come back to that. First let's examine the Ascender on its own merits. The power is solid, thanks to a 5.3L Vortec 5300 V8 (yep, it's a GM engine) that cranks out 300 hp and 330 pounds-feet of torque. The engine sports GM's new "Displacement on Demand" (DoD) technology, which cuts off half the motor's cylinders while cruising or decelerating, when there's really no need for full power. (Once a vehicle's reached cruising speed, even an SUV, it doesn't take much power to maintain that speed.) The technology's seamless. Even paying close attention, it's hard to tell when the cylinders are engaging or disengaging, and no matter what, when you hit the throttle, all eight cylinders' worth of power is right there.

The only problem is that even with the DoD technology in place, the 4WD Ascender gets pretty crummy gas mileage - 14 miles per gallon in the city and 19 on the highway, according to the EPA. That's exactly one mile per gallon better - and only on the highway - than a Ford Expedition, which offers nearly 3,000 pounds more towing capacity (5,700 pounds for the Ascender, 8,600 pounds for the Expedition). And the Expedition doesn't have the DoD technology.

One thing the Ascender has that the Ford doesn't is a soft, supple, car-like ride. Even with body-on-frame architecture, the Ascender won't beat you up, even on an extended highway road trip. The optional XM satellite radio (mid-year availability) will make those extended trips even more enjoyable.

In-town trips are pleasant in the Ascender too. Although some may find the ride a little softer than they like in a truck, most will find the ride and the overall driving experience pretty close to "just right." The interior is well-designed, with second- and third-row seats that fold virtually flat to make room for cargo or, more likely, dogs, and a spiffy moveable/ removable/reversible cargo tray that sits at the very back of the cargo area to add a little storage if necessary.

Of course, you might wish you could use some of that cargo capacity to store spare gas tanks. Seriously, the cargo shelf works very well when you have a full load of passengers and some cargo that you don't want to see crushed. Or, more often, when you have wet gear that you want to stow in the back of the truck but don't want to get the cargo area carpeting all wet and nasty. Just flip the cargo shelf over, using the hard plastic tray side for a water/mud-proof site for your stuff.

Will the Ascender get mistaken for an Envoy XL or a TrailBlazer EXT? Very possibly. All three trucks share a common platform and lots of common parts. So, then, why opt for the Isuzu? First and foremost - the price. A comparably equipped Ascender is notably less expensive than either the Envoy XL or the TrailBlazer EXT. And that'll leave a few extra bucks to pay for gas.