Isuzu Compact Truck

Sylvia

What Edmunds.com Says: With only one model currently on sale in the U.S., Isuzu is taking a long-shot chance in resurrecting its brand image in this country with the i-Series.

What We Know: The i-Series pickup will essentially be an Isuzu-badged Chevy Colorado. Two versions will be available in the U.S.: the i-280 4x2 Extended Cab and the i-350 4x4 Crew Cab. The former will be powered by a 175-horsepower, four-cylinder engine while the latter will feature a 3.5-liter inline five-cylinder powertrain capable of 220-horsepower. The 2.8-liter engine can be paired with either an automatic or manual transmission, while the larger engine will only come equipped with an automatic. The i-Series pickups could very well be more affordably priced than their GM cousins.

chris65amg

If they had a better warranty, too. I really hoped that Izusu could create some individual products like the Axiom and keep them, but they get absolutely no press at all. Izusu needs some cars. The time of the SUV is waning and unless they're as ingrained with SUVs as Jeep or Hummer, they need to diversify their lineup. To that end, the i-series won't hurt them, but I definitely don't see it as impressive, either.

bumpy

So, what we've got is a Colorado with a different grill. Sad, considering that the Colorado itself is an Isuzu D-Max massaged to fit GM powertrains. If anyone at GM wanted to save Isuzu in the US, they would have built them with the Isuzu direct-injection gas and diesel engines that the rest of the world gets. I suppose that we'll just have to wait until Isuzu gets out from under the General's leaden thumb to see what we could have had.

chris65amg

That Izusu won't be around long enough for us to see that!

jedi787plus

I agree with you. I have seen the D-Max in foreign TV ads, magazines, and Web sites, and I think Isuzu of USA should have imported it here instead of just copying the Colorado and rebadging it. The foreign-market D-Max is even more beautiful than the i-series, and since it is based on the same Colorado chassis, it could surely meet or exceed Federal safety requirements like its other GM cousins. About the engines, I think GM powertrains look nice on an Isuzu (I have a 1992 Rodeo with a GM V6); borrowing designs from other brands is not nice to me, since it can easily :confuse: customers.

chris65amg

The I-Series will start at a hair under $18,000 US. Not bad, but a Tacoma starts at somewhere around $14,000 US. And I think that both of those come without rather necessary creature comforts.

lngtonge18

Au contraire. The Tacoma starts at that price as a regular cab with no AC. The Isuzu starts at 17,500 as an extended cab with AC. The Tacoma extended cab is more money.

chris65amg

Augh! I've been sucked in! However, many car mags have liked the Tacoma much more than the Colorado....

bmwkindofguy

I can't help but to think that GM doesn't want Isuzu to succeed :mad: . I think that if they really wanted to see Isuzu have some success that they would A.) Invest in more Ads on the TV and radio, and B.) Introduce the Isuzu versions of the GM trucks and SUVs like the Ascender and I-Series sooner than they have. Wouldn't they have more sales that way or does GM fear that it will steal sales from there main brands like Chevy, GMC, etc :surprise: ? And how about introducing a car..say a Chevy Malibu version for Isuzu or maybe even a Chevy Aveo version since GM doesn't want to invest in making cool products such as the Axiom or VehiCross(which I admit the VehiCross was way over priced)??

rsholland

So what happens when some poor sucker buys one of these new badge-engineered pickups, only to find Isuzu going down the tubes in a year or so? Who's going to honor any warranty work?

Other than their medium-duty commercial grade trucks, does anyone really believe Isuzu will survive here in the USA with their SUVs or these pickups? Not me.

Bob

bmwkindofguy

I can't help but to think that GM doesn't want Isuzu to succeed :mad: . I think that if they really wanted to see Isuzu have some success that they would A.) Invest in more Ads on the TV and radio, and B.) Introduce the Isuzu versions of the GM trucks and SUVs like the Ascender and I-Series sooner than they have. Wouldn't they have more sales that way or does GM fear that it will steal sales from there main brands like Chevy, GMC, etc :surprise: ? And how about introducing a car..say a Chevy Malibu version for Isuzu or maybe even a Chevy Aveo version since GM doesn't want to invest in making cool products such as the Axiom or VehiCross(which I admit the VehiCross was way over priced)??

mazda6iguy

an Isusu version of a GM- Daewoo Tacuma? We dont get that on this side of the pond. It is unusual looking enough to appeal to those who found the Vehicross likeable, imho.

chuck1959

GM has done enough badge engineering with trucks for Isuzu, let's not start with the cars! With gase prices being what they are Isuzu need to concentrate on small diesel powered cars as well. Europe has small deisel cars and so should we. Hybrids are NOT the only answer!

[Deleted User]

Just checked out the new i-350... to see if it was worth buying. I got rid of my 2002 Envoy because the Ascender was driving it's resale value into the ground... Ascender is cheaper and has a better warranty. Even if u take all the rebates and buy it at invoice, the i-350 is still way overpriced, especially considering how it will depreciate. In fact, based on the history of the Ascender pricing, I'll bet they will be selling $27K i-350s for $17K in 6 months... and obviously resale value on Colorados and Canyons will follow right along.

I was in Australia and NZ recently... and most of the Isuzu pickups (utes) there were diesels. Now if Isuzu had their thinking cap on, they'd be putting diesels in these trucks... then they'd have no one to compete with !!!!! And at a time when I'm looking for a truck with good gas mileage, I'd probably be in the market !!!!!!!

cjm7

1995 Isuzu Pickup, 140k miles.

Periodically the vehicle will crank with no idle and stalls. If I let the truck sit for a few days sometimes it will crank and the problem goes away for a few weeks or a month. The most recent time this happened I was able to get the vehicle to start by stepping on the gas for 10 seconds after it cranks. Previous attempts to do this failed. I was going to replace the fuel filter tonight but was looking for other suggestions so I can try them all at once. All feedback will be appreciated.

cjm7

demoncarnut75

I had the same problem with my pickup. I found out that the filler neck going into the gas tank had a crack that allowed water to get into the gas when it rains. if you check the tank and filling system for leaks, seal the leaks and replace the filters, that should take care of it.