Makes›Isuzu›Ascender›2006

2006 Isuzu Ascender

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2006 models.

Class
Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
Engines
4.2L 6-cyl, 5.3L 8-cyl
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
MPG (best)
16 combined · 14 city / 20 hwy
Length
–
Curb weight
–
NHTSA rating
Not rated
Recalls
4 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Few owner complaints11 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 66 for similar models.

Watch out for

  • Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 16 MPG combined, 13% below the 2006 SUV - average of 18.3 MPG.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 47 similar 2006 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2006 Isuzu Ascender is a SUV - offered with 2 engines (4.2L 6-cyl and 5.3L 8-cyl) and rear-wheel drive and 4-wheel or all-wheel drive.

EPA rates its most efficient version at 16 MPG combined (14 city / 20 highway), 13% worse than the 2006 SUV - average of 18.3 MPG, for an estimated $4,200 a year in fuel.

It has 4 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the electrical system.

What changed for 2006

No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2005 Ascender — a carry-over year in the data.

Compared with 2005; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2005 Ascender →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Ascender 5-passenger 2WD4.2L 6-cylAutomatic 4-spdRear-Wheel Drive14 / 20 / 16-13%$4,200555
Ascender 7-passenger 2WD5.3L 8-cylAutomatic 4-spdRear-Wheel Drive14 / 19 / 16-13%$4,200555
Ascender 5-passenger 4WD4.2L 6-cylAutomatic 4-spd4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive14 / 20 / 16-6%$4,200555
Ascender 7-passenger 4WD4.2L 6-cylAutomatic 4-spd4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive14 / 19 / 16-6%$4,200555
Ascender 7-passenger 2WD4.2L 6-cylAutomatic 4-spdRear-Wheel Drive14 / 19 / 15-18%$4,450592
Ascender 7-passenger 4WD5.3L 8-cylAutomatic 4-spd4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive13 / 18 / 15-12%$4,450592
Spend $9,000Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
18.3 MPG2006 Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2006 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2006 Isuzu Ascender under the current (2011+) test program.

Similar 2006 SUV -s

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2006 Isuzu Ascender (this car)16 MPGNot rated4
2006 Toyota Land Cruiser13 MPGNot rated2
2006 Toyota RAV424 MPGNot rated10
2006 Toyota 4Runner18 MPGNot rated5
2006 Chevrolet Suburban15 MPGNot rated0
2006 Ford Explorer16 MPGNot rated0
2006 Hyundai Tucson22 MPGNot rated1

Recalls (4)

Exterior Lighting › Headlights · Aug 14, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V519000 · 429,170 vehicles

Problem
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.
Risk
Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.
Visibility › Power Window Devices And Controls · Jul 2, 2014

NHTSA campaign 14V404000 · 184,611 vehicles

Problem
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
Risk
A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the part number on the door module, and install a new door module if necessary, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. An interim letter was mailed to owners in August 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-955-9007 (SAAB), and 1-800-255-6727 (Isuzu). GM's number for this recall is 14309. NOTE: This recall provides a new remedy for all vehicles covered by recall 13V-248. Vehicles whose modules were modified but not replaced as part of the previous recall remedy must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign.
Visibility › Power Window Devices And Controls · Jun 13, 2013

NHTSA campaign 13V248000 · 193,652 vehicles

Problem
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
Risk
A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix
Owners will be contacted and dealers will test the driver's door module. If the module is functioning properly, a protective coating will be applied. If the module is not functioning properly, it will be replaced. These repairs will be done free of charge. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners, Isuzu and Saab will contact their respective owners. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463, Isuzu owners at 1-800-255-6727, and Saab owners at 1-800-955-9007. GM's campaign number is 12180. This recall is an expansion of recall 12V-406.
Visibility › Power Window Devices And Controls · Aug 16, 2012

NHTSA campaign 12V406000 · 278,174 vehicles

Problem
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, SAAB 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
Risk
A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix
Parts for this recall are expected to available in March 2013. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners when parts are available. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. Isuzu owners will be notified by Isuzu Motors when parts are available. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727. SAAB owners will be notified by SAAB Cars North America when parts are available and for inquiries, owners may call SAAB customer service at 1-800-955-9007.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2006 Isuzu Ascender is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

11Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
0Involved a crash
0Involved a fire
0Injuries reported
80,000 miTypical mileage at failure
Electrical System4
Exterior Lighting3
Fuel/Propulsion System2
Visibility/Wiper2
Structure › Body1
Unknown Or Other1
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
15/01: 115/02: 115/03: 115/05: 115/08: 115/09: 116/01: 116/07: 116/08: 116/09: 117/03: 115/0115/0315/0816/0116/0817/03max 1

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2006 Isuzu Ascender buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Electrical System — 4 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
  3. Exterior Lighting — 3 owner reports. Check all exterior lights, wipers and the windshield for cracks.
  4. Fuel/Propulsion System — 2 owner reports. Smell for fuel around the car and in the cabin, check that it starts easily when warm, and look at the oil dipstick for a fuel smell or rising level.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 80,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2006 Isuzu Ascender. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other Ascender years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2009 Ascender16–Not rated00
2008 Ascender16–Not rated10
2007 Ascender16–Not rated42
2005 Ascender16–Not rated09

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Isuzu. How we calculate this →