The Elf's 1960 diesel option was a first for its truck class in Japan, arriving just seven months after the gasoline-only launch.
Median 30 hp across 19 similar cars
Lead trim: 1.5 GL150 gasoline · up to 61 hp
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Isuzu Elf first generation TL221 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Elf's 1960 diesel option was a first for its truck class in Japan, arriving just seven months after the gasoline-only launch.
The cab-over 2-tonne Elf introduced in August 1959, originally only with the 1.5 L GL150 gasoline engine rated at 60 PS, with single headlights and rear-hinged doors. In March 1960 a 2.0-litre diesel was introduced, a first for the class in Japan; the diesel was upgraded to the 2.2-litre C220 in 1964, and the 1965 facelift gave twin headlights. Isuzu offered a very wide variety of bodyworks, including double-cab, tanker, dumper and glazed "Route Van" versions.
Real Isuzu Elf cards spotted on the street by Burbles collectors. Tap any card to flip it over, inspect the collector’s binder, or follow them.
VerifiedFIRST · WORLDWIDEFIRST PRINTONLY ONE IN VANCOUVERThe sixth-gen Elf's headlight-and-turnsignal cluster is shaped to echo Isuzu's old 'twin bar' logo — a company emblem the brand had already retired back in 1991.
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 GL150 gasoline | 1959–1965 | 1.5 L | 59 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2.2 C220 diesel (1964) | 1964–1965 | 2.2 L | 61 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Nobody has claimed one yet.
The 2024 Elf Mio is sized so small it legally counts as a compact car in Japan -- meaning you can drive this truck on an ordinary license, no commercial endorsement required.
The sixth-gen Elf's headlight-and-turnsignal cluster is shaped to echo Isuzu's old 'twin bar' logo — a company emblem the brand had already retired back in 1991.
This generation of Elf lived a double life: an OEM deal had Nissan selling the identical truck as the Atlas and Diesel Condor.
This Elf generation launched a name still used today: it's the truck that first wore the Isuzu N-Series badge.
Three years into this generation, Isuzu sold its millionth Elf — proof the little truck had become a workhorse staple well beyond Japan.
The second-gen Elf's 'Hi-Roof' walk-through van let drivers move through the cargo box without stepping outside — a first for Japan's commercial trucks.
The Elf's 1960 diesel option was a first for its truck class in Japan, arriving just seven months after the gasoline-only launch.
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
When Mazda's E2000 — the truck that became the Titan — launched in January 1964, the factory was tasked with building 1,900 of them a month.
Swaraj Mazda built this truck under license in India from 1985, and the plant survived name changes all the way to SML Isuzu.
Indonesia built this pickup for 28 years with no successor, the last one leaving the Jakarta line in January 2019 after 324,960 units.
Suzuki's first-ever diesel engine, fitted to the Super Carry, is so small that it isn't able to power an air-conditioning system at all.
A right-hand-drive DJ-3A was built so postal drivers could reach roadside mailboxes without leaving the seat.
The Power Wagon name and civilian pickup design were derived directly from the WC-series military trucks Dodge built for World War II.
Suzuki kept the L20 Carry at the exact same 21 hp as its predecessor but still called it progress — the gain was a patented Cylinder Crank Injection lubrication system, not more power.
This generation of Titan quietly became the ancestor of two other trucks entirely: it was license-built by Kia as the Kia Titan in South Korea, and formed the basis of the Australian Ford Trader.
