2008 Isuzu Ascender
The Ascender delivers an outstanding warranty and a smooth ride, but it can't match the fuel economy or interior quality of rivals and ranks near the bottom of its class.
Similar to its GM cousins, the Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy, the 2008 Isuzu Ascender is generally viewed by auto reviewers as offering a smooth ride and a versatile five-seat interior. Introduced in 2003 to replace the Isuzu Trooper, the Ascender gets minimal changes for 2008, although side-impact air bags are now standard. About.com explains: "The Ascender combines jumbo-SUV room with mid-size SUV maneuverability. Though similar to GM-branded SUVs, it gets a longer warranty (3 yrs/50,000 miles) and lower starting price." Noting its low fuel economy, the reviewer adds, "I have often said that I have no room in my soul for huge SUVs that can barely squeeze 15 miles from a gallon of gas...But I will admit that for the right vehicle, I might just be able to clear out a little corner... and the Isuzu Ascender has its own reserved parking space."
The majority of reviewers say the Ascender is a good deal because of its seven-year/75,000-mile powertrain warranty, but some still see the Ascender as too costly for what you get. Another drawback is that Isuzu is closing its doors in the United States. While some dealerships will remain, servicing the Ascender could be difficult. Consequently, the Ascender ranks near the bottom of its class -- even when compared only to other off-road SUVs.
The 2008 Ascender comes in one trim with a choice of either rear- or four-wheel drive.
* "If you're into big trucks and don't mind the slightly gawky exterior, then the Ascender doesn't look a bad deal. Until, that is, you open the door and realize that you're plunking down a minimum of $28,000 for a vehicle that has the interior quality of my daughter's Barbie car." -- Automobile Magazine
* "The Isuzu Ascender 5-Passenger SUV is among the best of the mid-size sport-utilities. Its standard inline six-cylinder engine is smooth and powerful. It rides and handles well. And its interior is convenient and versatile." -- New Car Test Drive
* "This Isuzu is strictly a price vehicle in my book. If you can get a good deal on it, don't depend on using a SUV as a babe magnet, have a habit of owning them for a long time so depreciation is not a problem, and don't drive enough miles to be bothered by the poor gas mileage, you might just want to give this model a drive." -- The Family Car
* -"Speaking of price, I'm sorry, but $32,000 seems awfully steep for a sport-ute without four-wheel drive. For the money, I can get a nicely equipped Explorer or a Jeep Grand Cherokee -- with the all-wheel drive. That seems like a no-brainer, big warranty or not." -- Detroit News
Ascender Performance - 5.7 (Mediocre)
Reviewers find that the 2008 Isuzu Ascender offers a nice ride and impressive V6 engine power. About.com captures the general consensus, "If you prefer a smooth, floaty ride, then you'll find that the Ascender drives like a dream." However, the Ascender still can't match the refinement of its competitors. Complaints about its relatively low fuel economy and lagging four-speed automatic transmission put the Ascender's performance near the bottom of its class. Continue with our full Performance review to learn why the Ascender beats the Ford Explorer in off-road ability.
Ascender Exterior - NA
The 2008 Isuzu Ascender is viewed by auto writers as good-looking despite that fact that it's not very distinctive. Of the 2003 model, which still looks similar to the current one, Automobile Magazine notes: "The badge on the front may say Isuzu, but this is really a GMC Envoy XL in a Japanese party dress. It is a very subtle frock, though, as only the badging, lights, grille, and bumpers differ between the Isuzu and the GMC." Continue with our full Exterior review to learn why the Ascender's size almost pushes it into the large SUV category, or check out our Photo Gallery.
Ascender Interior - 6.9 (Mediocre)
Reviewers praise the 2008 Isuzu Ascender's interior for its spaciousness, but heavily criticize its quality of materials. These complaints put its cabin at the very bottom of its large class. Of the 2003 model, Automobile Magazine says, "Aside from the questionably colored interior trim on our two-wheel-drive Ascender, the interior seems even more low rent than its GM equivalents." Continue with our full Interior review to discover why you may want to trade up from the base stereo system, or check out our interior photos.
Ascender Safety - 6.5 (Mediocre)
The 2008 Isuzu Ascender gets good scores in most federal government crash test categories, but does poorer than most other SUVs in driver safety during frontal crashes. A plus is that side-impact air bags are newly standard for 2008. Continue with our full Safety review to learn why the Ascender's safety suffers due to poor visibility and headlights.
Ascender Reliability - 4.0 (Mediocre)
The 2008 Isuzu Ascender reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). The 2008 Isuzu Ascender gets several competitive warranties, including a three-year/50,000-mile basic warranty. Continue with our full Reliability review to learn about the Ascender's class-beating powertrain warranty.
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