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Christopher Jackson | 9/6/2007 | Isuzu
When you're not sure of where to go next, it never hurts to take a step back and see where you've been. Isuzu is doing just that for 2006. We're probably not the only enthusiasts who are happy to see that Isuzu is back. After a few years of declining sales and a shrinking porfolio, the brand's future has been somewhat in doubt lately.
Things aren't completely grim, however; in the commercial market, Isuzu's one of the best-sellers, and it's been producing joint engineering products with General Motors for quite some time. It's the Japanese brand's SUVs that have faltered. In an effort to spread its sales base out again, Isuzu is returning to the pickup truck market that helped it get its foot in the door in the U.S. market in 1972. The i280 and i350 mid-size pickups are thoroughly modern, tough vehicles that come ready to work.
Don't look at the i350 and assume that it's just a thinly-disguised Chevy Colorado, either. The Colorado was jointly developed with Isuzu in the first place, and Isuzu was actually selling this vehicle in Thailand before the Colorado ever went on sale. So who did it belong to first? You be the judge.
That said, there aren't many mechanical or design differences between the two. Isuzu's distinctive multi-bar grille sets its pickups apart from the Colorado, but that's about it. It's available as an extended cab or full crew cab, and from the side and rear only the Isuzu badges set it apart from the Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon. The i280 and i350 have a more purposeful look, as if Isuzu expects to draw a large number of the contractors and business owners who are already using its popular cab-over F-Series medium-duty trucks. The i280 is an extended-cab pickup, and the i350 a full four-door crew cab. Isuzu dealers will be offering bed covers, running boards and trailer-towing packages.
Inside, the i350's businesslike feel is continued. The large-windowed cab is roomy and airy. A unique dashboard is smoother, and its satin-finish aluminum-look trim gives it a less plasticky feel than the Colorado, while still being easy to clean out. In base form, the i280 is a work truck, with vinyl floors and seats. Trim is plastic, and amenities are limited. Of course, there's no money to be made these days selling exclusively to contractors, so the i280 and i350 can be dressed up somewhat as well. Cruise control, side-curtain airbags and a six-disc CD changer are available in uplevel models. The top of the line i350 Limited can be had with leather upholstery, a sliding rear window and a moonroof. The i350 gets a much better warranty than any Chevrolet, too, in the form of Isuzu's 7-year, 75,000-mile powertrain warranty and roadside assistance.
On the road, it drives...well, like a little truck. This is probably not a surprise. It's less refined and carlike than its competitors from Toyota and Nissan, thanks to a workmanlike, heavy-duty solid-axle rear suspension. Up front, the i280 gets coil springs, the i350 torsion bars. The i350 never feels fragile; it's a tough little truck that doesn't back down from bad pavement or dirt. Anti-lock brakes are standard.
The i280 is powered by a 2.8 liter four-cylinder, while the i350 we drove had, predictably, a 3.5 liter five-cylinder under the hood. Both engines feature electronic throttle control. The i280 is rated at 175 horsepower, can tow up to 3200 pounds and manages 27 mpg on the freeway when hooked up to the available five-speed manual transmission. Step up to the i350 and you'll get 220 horses, as well as a V6-rivalling 225 foot-pounds of torque. Towing capacity is slightly higher, at 4000 pounds. Pushbutton four-wheel drive and a four-speed automatic transmission are standard on the i350.
Best of all, this truck is affordable. The i280 starts at $16,989, the i350 $27,358. Our test truck was a fully loaded i350 LS with four-wheel drive, power-folding mirrors and keyless entry and it stickered for $28,018.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2006 Isuzu i350 Crew Cab.
Length: 207.1 in.
Width: 68.6 in.
Height: 67.9 in.
Wheelbase: 126.0 in.
Curb weight: 3802 lb.
Towing capacity: 4000 lb.
Base price:
Price as tested:
Engine: 3.5 liter DOHC inline five-cylinder
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive.
Horsepower: 220 @ 5600
Torque: 225 @ 2800
Fuel capacity: 19.6 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/22
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