Isuzu Wizard

Which Isuzu Wizard version to buy

If the choice is one Isuzu Wizard, take 2 generation (May 2000–August 2002) 3.2 AT at 215 hp with AWD when you want the strongest Gasoline automatic in the catalogue and still keep all-wheel drive: 215 hp, 294 Nm at 3000 rpm, 3165 cm³, 4 Inline cylinders, kerb 1740 kg (8.09 kg per hp), 67 L tank, 180 mm clearance.

If the choice is one Isuzu Wizard, take 2 generation (May 2000–August 2002) 3.2 AT at 215 hp with AWD when you want the strongest Gasoline automatic in the catalogue and still keep all-wheel drive: 215 hp, 294 Nm at 3000 rpm, 3165 cm³, 4 Inline cylinders, kerb 1740 kg (8.09 kg per hp), 67 L tank, 180 mm clearance. Take the other 2 generation 3.2 AT at 215 hp with RWD if you want the lightest Wizard measured here (1700 kg, 7.91 kg per hp) and accept rear drive. Take 2 generation 3.0 AT or 3.0 MT (both 145 hp Diesel Turbo, 294 Nm at 2000 rpm, 205 mm clearance) if the job is torque at low rpm and ground clearance, not peak horsepower. Stay in 1 generation (June 1998–April 2000) only if you need a 2.3, 2.6 or 2.8 that 2 generation dropped, or the 208 hp 3.2 MT / 3.2 AT V-shaped 6 with 205 mm clearance; 1 generation kerb, tank, 0–100, top speed and mpg are not measured.

Overview: what the numbers actually decide

The Isuzu Wizard ran two generations of SUV 5-doors: 1 generation from 1998-06-01 to 2000-04-30 (10 versions) and 2 generation from 2000-05-01 to 2002-08-31 (5 versions). The buying fork is not “which year looks newer” — it is 110–120 hp versus 145 hp Diesel versus 208–215 hp Gasoline, AWD versus the one RWD, 180 mm versus 205 mm clearance, and whether kerb weight is measured at all (only 2 generation).

Power span is 105 hp (110 hp on 1 generation 2.3 MT, 2.3 AT, 2.8 MT, 2.8 AT versus 215 hp on 2 generation 3.2 AT RWD, 3.2 AT AWD and 3.2 MT). Displacement span is 910 cm³ (2255 cm³ on 2.3 MT/2.3 AT versus 3165 cm³ on every 3.2). Every version with a listed drive is AWD except 2 generation 3.2 AT RWD. Fuel labels in the data: Gasoline, Diesel, 92, 95 — plus not measured on both 2.3 versions.

Generations: what changed from 1 generation to 2 generation

1 generation (June 1998–April 2000) is the wide grid: ten SUV 5-doors versions, all AWD, all 205 mm clearance, Independent, spring front, rear suspension not measured, Disc front and Disc rear, tank not measured, kerb not measured. Engines: 2.3 MT / 2.3 AT 110 hp Carburetor; 2.6 MT / 2.6 AT 120 hp Distributed injection (multi-point); 3.2 MT / 3.2 AT 208 hp 6 V-shaped; 2.8 MT / 2.8 AT 110 hp Diesel Turbo; 3.0 MT / 3.0 AT 145 hp Diesel Turbo.

2 generation (May 2000–August 2002) cuts the list to five versions and drops 2.3, 2.6 and 2.8. Front suspension becomes Independent, torsion; rear is Dependent, spring (measured). Front brakes are Ventilated disc on all five. Rear is Disc ventilated on both 3.2 AT and on 3.0 AT, Drum on 3.0 MT and 3.2 MT. Tank is 67 L on every 2 generation version. The 3.0 Diesel stays 145 hp / 294 Nm; the Gasoline 3.2 peak rises from 208 hp to 215 hp (+7 hp). The 3.2 automatic in 2 generation is 4 Inline, Front, transverse, fuel 92 — not the 6 V-shaped, Front, longitudinal, 95 of 1 generation 3.2 AT. Clearance splits: 205 mm on 3.0 AT, 3.0 MT, 3.2 MT; 180 mm on both 3.2 AT (−25 mm).

Engines and specs

Specific output (hp per litre of listed displacement): 2 generation 3.2 AT RWD, 3.2 AT AWD and 3.2 MT — 67.9 hp/L; 1 generation 3.2 MT and 3.2 AT — 65.7 hp/L; 2.3 MT/2.3 AT — 48.8 hp/L; 2 generation 3.0 AT/3.0 MT and 1 generation 3.0 MT/3.0 AT — 48.3 hp/L; 2.6 MT/2.6 AT — 46.9 hp/L; 2.8 MT/2.8 AT — 39.7 hp/L. The 2.8 Diesel is the least power-dense engine in the Wizard data; the 2 generation 3.2 Gasoline versions are the most.

Torque per litre: 2 generation 3.0 AT/3.0 MT — 98.0 Nm/L at 2000 rpm; 1 generation 2.8 MT/2.8 AT — 81.6 Nm/L at 2300 rpm; 1 generation 3.2 MT/3.2 AT — 91.6 Nm/L at 3000 rpm; 2 generation 3.2 AT both drives — 92.9 Nm/L at 3000 rpm; 2 generation 3.2 MT — 89.7 Nm/L at 3000 rpm; 2.6 MT/2.6 AT — 79.7 Nm/L at 2600 rpm; 2.3 MT/2.3 AT torque not measured.

Valves per cylinder: 4 on 2 generation 3.0 AT, both 3.2 AT, 3.2 MT, and on 1 generation 3.2 MT/3.2 AT; 2 on 2.3 MT, 2.3 AT, 2.6 MT, 2.6 AT; not measured on 3.0 MT (both generations) and 2.8 MT/2.8 AT. Compression: 19 on every 3.0 Diesel; 17 on 2.8 Diesel; 9.4 on 2 generation 3.2 MT; 9.1 on 1 generation 3.2 MT/3.2 AT; 8.3 on 2.6 MT/2.6 AT; not measured on both 2.3 and both 2 generation 3.2 AT.

Performance and economy (mpg)

0–100 km/h is not measured on any Isuzu Wizard version. Top speed is not measured on any version. City, highway and combined consumption are not measured on any version. CO2 is not measured. Eco class is not measured.

What you can rank instead of mpg: Diesel torque arrives earlier (2000 rpm on every 3.0, 2300 rpm on 2.8) than Gasoline torque (2600 rpm on 2.6, 3000 rpm on every 3.2). Peak Gasoline power is at 5400 rpm (1 generation 3.2) or 5600 rpm (2 generation 3.2) versus 4100 rpm on 3.0 Diesel and 3600 rpm on 2.8 Diesel. A 4-speed Automatic versus a 5-speed Manual is the only gearbox split in the data; there is no consumption figure to show what that split costs.

Dimensions and weight

Gross weight is not measured on any version. Wheel size is not measured on any version. Ground clearance is 205 mm on every 1 generation version and on 2 generation 3.0 AT, 3.0 MT and 3.2 MT; 180 mm on both 2 generation 3.2 AT. Tank is 67 L on all five 2 generation versions and not measured on all ten 1 generation versions.

Kerb (2 generation only): 3.2 AT RWD 1700 kg; 3.2 AT AWD 1740 kg (+40 kg for AWD at the same 215 hp); 3.0 AT 1770 kg; 3.0 MT 1890 kg; 3.2 MT 1890 kg. Weight per horsepower: 3.2 AT RWD 7.91 kg/hp; 3.2 AT AWD 8.09 kg/hp; 3.2 MT 8.79 kg/hp; 3.0 AT 12.21 kg/hp; 3.0 MT 13.03 kg/hp. The Automatic 3.0 is 120 kg lighter than the Manual 3.0 at the same 145 hp. The Manual 3.2 is 150 kg heavier than the AWD Automatic 3.2 at the same 215 hp. 1 generation kerb is not measured, so kg/hp cannot be compared across generations.

Which version to choose

Gasoline peak, AWD, automatic: 2 generation 3.2 AT AWD — 215 hp, 294 Nm, 1740 kg, 67 L, Ventilated disc / Disc ventilated, 180 mm. Versus 1 generation 3.2 AT: +7 hp, +4 Nm, same 3165 cm³, but 4 Inline Front, transverse and 92 instead of 6 V-shaped Front, longitudinal and 95; clearance −25 mm if you treat 1 generation’s 205 mm as the baseline.

Gasoline peak, lightest measured Wizard: 2 generation 3.2 AT RWD — same 215 hp / 294 Nm as the AWD twin, 40 kg less, still 180 mm, still 67 L. This is the only RWD in the whole Wizard table.

Gasoline peak, manual, 205 mm, 6 V-shaped: 2 generation 3.2 MT — 215 hp, 284 Nm (−10 Nm versus the 2 generation 3.2 AT pair), 1890 kg, Drum rear, fuel 95, compression 9.4, bore × stroke 93.4 × 77. Versus 1 generation 3.2 MT: +7 hp, −6 Nm, compression +0.3 (9.4 vs 9.1), same 6 V-shaped and same 93.4 × 77.

Diesel with the better numbers: skip 1 generation 2.8 MT/2.8 AT (110 hp, 226 Nm, 39.7 hp/L) unless you specifically need that 2771 cm³ Turbo. 3.0 AT and 3.0 MT in both generations share 145 hp, 294 Nm, 2999 cm³, compression 19. Prefer 2 generation 3.0 AT when kerb is known (1770 kg, 12.21 kg/hp), tank is 67 L, injection is Distributed injection (multi-point), valves per cylinder are 4, layout is Front, transverse, and rear brakes are Disc ventilated. Prefer 2 generation 3.0 MT when you want Manual 5 and 205 mm and accept 1890 kg, Drum rear, valves not measured, injection not measured, Front, longitudinal, bore × stroke 95 × 104 versus 95.4 × 104.9 on 3.0 AT. 1 generation 3.0 matches the 145/294 figures but kerb, tank and rear suspension are not measured.

Smallest Gasoline: 1 generation 2.3 MT or 2.3 AT — 110 hp, 2255 cm³, 2 valves per cylinder, Carburetor, torque not measured, fuel not measured, engine position not measured. 2.6 MT/2.6 AT add 10 hp and 204 Nm, Distributed injection (multi-point), 95, Front, longitudinal, compression 8.3 — still 205 mm AWD, still 1 generation only.

4x4 versus the one RWD: fourteen of fifteen versions are AWD. The exception is 2 generation 3.2 AT RWD. If “Isuzu Wizard 4x4” is the requirement, do not take that RWD 3.2 AT.

Problems, reliability, transmission: this catalogue does not record failure rates. What the sheet does record: Carburetor exists only on 2.3 MT/2.3 AT; every other Gasoline with a listed system uses Distributed injection (multi-point); Diesel injection is not measured except 2 generation 3.0 AT. Automatic is always 4 speeds; Manual is always 5. Rear Drum appears only on 2 generation 3.0 MT and 3.2 MT. Eco class, CO2 and mpg are not measured, so “diesel engine problems” and “transmission problems” cannot be scored from these specs — only the hardware labels above can.

Engine capacity / engine type cheat sheet: 2255 Gasoline 4 Inline — 2.3 MT, 2.3 AT. 2559 Gasoline 4 Inline — 2.6 MT, 2.6 AT. 2771 Diesel 4 Inline Turbo — 2.8 MT, 2.8 AT. 2999 Diesel 4 Inline Turbo — 3.0 MT, 3.0 AT (both generations). 3165 Gasoline 6 V-shaped — 1 generation 3.2 MT, 3.2 AT and 2 generation 3.2 MT. 3165 Gasoline 4 Inline — both 2 generation 3.2 AT. Do not mix the two 3.2 automatics: 1 generation 3.2 AT is 208 hp 6 V-shaped AWD; 2 generation has two 3.2 AT at 215 hp 4 Inline, split RWD 1700 kg versus AWD 1740 kg.