It’s not uncommon for automakers to fill the gaps in their lineups by selling cars from other manufacturers. In the case of Isuzu in the 1990s and 2000s, it was pretty much required, since its lineup consisted of nothing but gaps. The Japanese automaker had stopped producing passenger cars in the early ’90s, and after that subsisted on nothing but trucks, SUVs, and minivans, and only built about half of them. Today we’re going to look at two vehicles that ended up with Isuzu badges, even though they were both built by other companies.
Yesterday we looked at a couple of yawn-inducing old-man sedans, one from the ’80s and one from the turn of the century. I expected the more modern and refined Hyundai Sonata to win, but the old Pontiac 6000 put up a good fight, despite being powered (just barely) by your least-favorite GM engine.
Me, I’m taking the Pontiac, not despite the Iron Duke engine, but because of it. It’s not going to be any slower to accelerate than my V6-powered full-size Chevy truck, and that doesn’t scare me on on-ramps. It’ll be fine. And it’s dead-simple to work on, which can’t be said of the Sonata. If I’m going to suffer with the maintenance on a transverse four-cam V6, it’s going to be in a Ford Taurus SHO with a stick, not some damned Hyundai.
Isuzu made some cool cars once upon a time, and its SUV game was on-point in the 1980s and ’90s. The Impulse sport coupe, both the old RWD Giugiaro design and the later FWD one, were delightful. The original Trooper was a poor man’s Range Rover. And who wouldn’t want an Amigo, a little soft-top off-roader that’s as friendly as its name? But the minivan and SUV we’re going to look at today are Isuzus in name only. Does that make them any less interesting? Read on and decide for yourself.
1999 Isuzu Oasis – $3,200
Engine/drivetrain: 2.3-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Modesto, CA
Odometer reading: 205,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The Isuzu Oasis was built by two brothers from London with a reputation for hard partying – wait, that’s not right. It was built by Honda. (I always get that mixed up.) This is the same thing as a first-generation Honda Odyssey, which is a bit of an odd duck in the minivan world. Instead of a sliding door on the passenger’s side like most vans, or a sliding door on both sides like Chrysler vans had starting in 1996, the Oasis and Odyssey have conventional rear doors on both sides. Did this hurt it in the market? Hard to say, but the second-generation Odyssey switched to sliding rear doors.
This van was also uncommon for its time for not offering a V6 engine. Instead, it uses the 2.3-liter four-cylinder and four-speed automatic combination commonly found in Honda Accords of the same era. It’s a good engine, but definitely down on power compared to its six-cylinder competitors. This one runs and drives well, the seller says, despite having more than 200,000 miles on it.
The Oasis has a ton of room inside, as a good minivan should, and a nice flat floor owing to its FWD configuration. Note the column shifter and floor-mounted handbrake lever; I can’t think of too many cars that have that combination of controls. Not that it matters in the slightest, but it’s a neat little detail. It’s really clean inside, especially for a used minivan, which sometimes lead hard lives. The third row of seats is folded down, so I can’t tell you what shape that’s in, but for all I know, it may have been folded down since 2001.
Outside, it has a couple of scuffs on the bumpers, but that’s about it as far as damage goes. It’s a California car, which accounts for the lack of rust, as well as the deeply tinted windows. All that sunshine is great, except when the car has been parked in it all day.
2006 Isuzu Ascender S – $3,999
Engine/drivetrain: 4.2-liter DOHC inline-6, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Vancouver, WA
Odometer reading: 147,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
I believe the old General Motors T platform holds the record for the biggest number of different models based on it (including several Isuzus), but the GMT360 truck platform definitely got around, too. This Isuzu Ascender is essentially the same thing as a Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, and – of all things – a Saab 9-7x. The Ascender was the replacement in Isuzu’s lineup for its own Rodeo and Trooper models, meaning it had some mighty big shoes to fill. How well it filled those shoes depends on what you think of the GMT360.
GM’s Atlas inline six provides the power for this Ascender, along with a 4T60-E automatic transmission. Don’t go looking to ascend anything more gnarly than a parking garage ramp in this one, though; it’s only two-wheel-drive. It doesn’t have too many miles on it, and the dealership selling it says it runs and drives well, but the check engine light is on. Come to think of it, though, I’m not sure I’ve seen a GMT360 in recent years that didn’t have its check engine light on. Bring a scanner, read the codes, and then decide how big of a deal it is.
The interior looks pretty nice. It looks like Isuzu got one of the better interior packages for these, on par with the GMC version: a little nicer than the Chevy, not as fancy as the Buick and Saab. The dashboard toupee is always a slight concern; is it there to hide sun damage, or prevent it? Everything else is in good shape, so I’m inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt, but I’d look under it also.
It’s really clean outside, and thanks to the Pacific Northwest’s lack of road salt, rust-free. I took that fact for granted when I lived there; it has taken some adjustment seeing twenty-year-old cars (or newer, sometimes) absolutely eaten up by rust. The path forward, therefore, is clear: Don’t buy cars here in Michigan. Buy them elsewhere, and plan for a road trip home.
The fact that these are Isuzus in name only is probably an advantage when it comes to parts and service availability; neither Honda nor GM is going anywhere anytime soon. So you get the cool factor of a defunct brand without the headaches of finding parts. So what’ll it be: the Honda van, or the Chevy SUV?
I miss cloth seats.
Hondas are so overrated. For decades they had undersized ACs in their Accords and failing transmissions here and there. I currently own a 10th gen Accord with a very uncomfortable seat, ongoing AC issues and who knows about that 1.5T and its head gasket problem. I bet both of these are going to drive completely old and worn out anyway, but what is it they say about old GM vehicles running badly forever . . .
This generation doesn’t have the big V6 that was blowing apart all of the automatics that were in the following generation Odyssey and the Accord.
Both Hondas and Toyotas are overrated. People are finally waking up with that fact.
They weren’t overrated, but that reputation is more history than fact with their more recent vehicles.
Both could be decent but the check engine light makes this one easy. I’m not buying a used car that I have to diagnosis and fix before it can be registered.
Inline six, rwd, fewer miles? Ascender.
This one is such a crap shoot, both will run and drive nearly forever, both ride nice, and still have parts easily attainable.
Honda for me, only because when the f motor finally dies, its not much a stretch to h swap it and have some real fun.
Although turbo atlas noises…
I’d take the Oasis simply because I’ve been looking for that era of Honda for years. But. If the Ascender was a 4X4 I’d take it in a second.
You can probably bargain that guy on the Oasis to under $3,000. Which is a SMOKING deal on a clean Honda now days. Assuming it runs as good as it looks, trans shifts normal and doesnt have black/burnt smelling fluid.
Also if you ever watch Kyle from Boosted Boyz he has an Oddessy with a turbo k swap that runs 9 second quarter miles. If it blows up, its a 4 cylinder Honda, easy to work on. Engine swaps are like playing with legos lol.
Ascender! The Oasis is just too boring, it’s white (at this point, w/ all the greyscale…it’s not even a color to me; it’s the absence of color, ha ha) it’s a minivan (although I do kinda like the Honda Odysseys and this is basically that) and although I’d normally go van over SUV, I’d rather have a full size conversion van (Chevy Express or old skool Chevy/Dodge) Even though the Oasis is silver (better than other greyscale), I’d still take it mainly since I like it better and it would still be fun to take off road on light trails; even though it’s only RWD. At least it’s lower miles and bigger engine/more power. It would be a lot of fun and I’d enjoy cruising in it. After a while I’d paint it blue.
“two brothers from London with a reputation for hard partying”
Oh wait! I wonder if Adrian likes Oasis? Ha ha, NO….I actually know for a FACT he absolutely despises that band! (he’s told me so in past comments) I remember when they were popular on the radio in the 90’s, but also despise them
I was doubting my choice a little after seeing the consensus, only since I love Honda and consider them THE most reliable brand ever + I know someone who has had a 2nd gen Odyssey for a long time and it’s great + I’ve had 2 of the 3rd gen Accords w/ 5spd and pop-ups! (they were a blast to drive) I’m still going Ascender though-I really like it a lot more over all, and at this moment have no need/don’t want a white minivan (unless I was “livin in a van… DOWN BY THE RIVER!)
Isuzu is awesome!
While my Envoy was a decent Trailblazer and could Ascender Mount Rainier with Bravada, I am too busy working 9-7(X) to deal with early aughts GM product.
Don’t look back in anger at the GMT360, look forward to an Odyssey in the Oasis.
The Honuzu Odysis for me. Would rather have a 4 cyl Honda engine over the GM Atlas inline 6. Not saying the Atlas is a bad engine. But the vehicle is too big and too much of a gas guzzler for my purposes.
Oasis for me, I don’t hate the GMT360, but it is basically worse than the 400 in every way except for the engines, I like the small block, but the Atlas and LS are probably better.
I always thought the first gen Odyssey was neat, and this one seems really clean.
Ascender wins today because I don’t want a minivan.
Did Isuzu not design the GMT360s in the first place for GM like they did the GMT355s? I always thought they were more closely linked than that.
The Oasis has to be the least-remembered rebadge since the Mazda Navajo. Even more obscure than the Hombre.
Speaking of the Hombre, the early ’00s reverse-rebadge trucks that traded the captive imports of the 70s and 80s for captive domestics..the Ascender, Hombre, Mazda B-series, Mitsubishi Raider. What a strange twist of fate that was…
Idk man the Mitsubishi raider and Suzuki Equator are up there too. Espeically the Equator RMZ-4
You’re obviously right because I totally forgot about the existence of the Equator.
So you’ve got one of the most beloved white-labeled Isuzus (Passport) and one of the worst vehicle platforms ever (GMT360).
How is this even a choice? Oasis all day. People want those things, even now. And they go forever-ish. They do rust.
The GMT360 is just a hunk of junk. The Atlas engines are great. The reat is fally-aparty garbage.
No one should ever buy a GMT 360, unless you really need a way to get all your steps in.
I truly hate the band Oasis, but I won’t hold that against this cosplaying Honda. If the cosplaying Trailblazer was 4wd, I would have picked it.
Had that engine in my 94 Accord. Might be low on power for a minivan, but its going to last a long time. A GM with a CEL on is a bad idea compared to a clean Honda.
Oh the oasis by MILES. I still regularly use the family 1997 Honda Odyssey. I took it into New York last year for design shows to transport work, and every time I had to park in manhattan valet garages the young valet dudes just kept talking about how much they loved it. Every single time.
Absolute peak Honda vs pre-bankruptcy GM.
The GMT360, oh where should I begin. A friend from college owned one, and a coworker did too. These always seemed to drink gas like a V8 but never felt as powerful as a 270hp I-6 would suggest. Cramped and heavy doesn’t help either. And lack of 4×4 is just something I’m not looking forward to in a BOF SUV.
Oasissey for me
“Wonderwall” always reminds me of this hilarious short comic about a gal who challenges the Faerie Queen to a match of Jenga to win back her brother:
https://charminglyantiquated.tumblr.com/post/613965173539127296/that-story-where-you-challenge-the-fairy-queen-to
Oh, and definitely the Oassydey. Was that the generation with the surprisingly high tow rating?
Heh, heh, you said “Asc” !
Anyway, Calvin Nelson is getting insane horsepower numbers pretty easily with the Atlas motors which is reason enough to choose the Ascender for me.
Don’t know what it is about I6 engines and boost, maybe extra crank bearings? I’d start with a different body style myself.
“It’s not going to be any slower to accelerate than my V6-powered full-size Chevy truck, and that doesn’t scare me on on-ramps.”
No, it just scares everyone else. 🙂
“The Isuzu Oasis was built by two brothers from London with a reputation for hard partying – wait, that’s not right. It was built by Honda.”
lol.
I’ll take the hard-partying minivan in this case. With the 4 cylinder, the transmission is more likely to continue surviving. The rebadged Chevy does little for me, I already have a 4-liter 6-cylinder midsize BOF dinosaur (4R) that is better than this.
A bagged and slammed black Oasis was at a recent Coffee & Cars meet and I found myself irrationally loving it. That’s not typically my jam, but I have new found respect for them.