INDIANAPOLIS. Two new Class 5 gasoline-powered trucks will join Isuzu’s commercial vehicle lineup, the OEM announced, while unveiling its production plans for 2019 and 2020 at the Work Truck Show on Thursday, March 7. Isuzu also plans to begin adding advanced driver-assistance tech to it N-Series and F-Series trucks later this year.
The newer, bigger GVWR trucks, will join Isuzu’s Class 3 and Class 4 gasoline trucks, which have been a staple of the brand for years.
“We are celebrating the 35th anniversary of Isuzu trucks in the North American market this year, and what better way to mark the occasion than to expand our lineup,” said Shaun C. Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America and Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada. “We’re thrilled to bring the convenience and low cost of ownership of our N-Series gasoline truck to Class 5 and a whole new group of customers.”
Two new Class 5 models are planned: the NQR Gas (with a target GVWR of 17,950 lbs.) and the NRR Gas (with a target GVWR of 19,500 lbs.). Both will be powered by a General Motors 6.0-liter Vortec V8 supplied by PSI and will be mated to an Allison 1000 RDS transmission with PTO gear.
“We’ve had a gas truck since 1986 in the U.S. with our low-cab-forward,” Brian Tabel, Isuzu’s executive director of marketing, told Fleet Owner on Thursday. “Probably since 2010, there’s been such an increase in demand on having a gasoline engine in higher GVW.”
The bigger gasoline truck is aimed at customers who want more ease in maintenance, Tabel said. “So if they can use a gas truck, it is a benefit. And right now, gas is still cheap. If a year from now, two years from now, gas is $4 or $5 per gallon, that may swing people. Because in that case, diesel probably would be your other option.”
But with gasoline expected to stay at these lower levels over the next couple years, Isuzu expects its new gas-powered trucks to be popular with its customers.
Production of these trucks is expected to begin in mid-2020.
In addition to the Class 5 gasoline trucks, Isuzu announced a number of refinements to its returning lineup of diesel- and gas-powered trucks, including new driver-assistance and audio options for all models.
Mobileye tech
Starting this May, all Isuzu N-Series and F-Series trucks will be available with a suite of Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features, which include:
- Forward Collision Warning: Active at any speed, Forward Collision Warning alerts drivers of an imminent rear-end collision with a car, truck or motorcycle up to 2.7 seconds in advance.
- Pedestrian Collision Warning: Notifies the driver of a pedestrian or cyclist in the danger zone and alerts the driver of an imminent collision. Operational during daylight hours only, this feature is active at speeds under 31 miles per hour.
- Lane Departure Warning: Monitors lane markings and alerts drivers with visual and audible warnings when a lane deviation occurs without proper signal activation. The system employs both a left- and right-lane warning icon and is active over 34 miles per hour.
- Headway Monitoring Warning: helps drivers maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead, providing visual and audible alerts if the distance becomes unsafe. Active at speeds above 19 miles per hour, the system displays the amount of time, in seconds, to the vehicle ahead. When the time becomes 2.5 seconds or less, and is no longer considered safe, an alert is provided.
The Mobileye suite of driver-assistance has an MSRP of $1,132.
Mobileye, an Intel Company, has been creating driver-assistance technology since 1999 and is currently on 30 million vehicles.
“Having the Mobileye device and a new backup camera, adds additional safety options for the customers is very helpful,” Tabel said.
Audio and backup camera
Also starting in May 2019, all Isuzu N-Series and F-Series trucks will offer audio and backup camera options.
The Alpine iLX-207 audio upgrade ($1,264 MSRP) features a seven-inch VGA touchscreen display and Bluetooth hands-free capability. The system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and, with an additional tuner, SiriusXM satellite radio.
For another $200, the upgraded audio system can be augmented with the Alpine HCE-C1100 backup camera. The High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology can display images in varying levels of light, eliminating “washout” common when going from areas of heavy shade into areas with bright sunlight. Parking is more precise thanks to the camera’s 131-degree horizontal viewing angle and 103-degree vertical viewing angle.
The base NPR Diesel and Reach models have been discontinued.
Isuzu production plans, changes, and highlights for the returning individual models in the OEM’s lineup were also announced on Thursday. Here are the details:
2019 Isuzu NPR Gas
- Production began in January 2019
- New standard rear floor mats for crew cab models
- Optional Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features (available May 2019)
- Optional Alpine audio and backup camera upgrades (available May 2019)
- Optional receptacle for engine block heater (available May 2019)
- Optional 17-inch remote/heated mirrors
- GVWR: 12,000 lbs. (Class 3)
- Wheelbases: 109-176 inches with body lengths up to 20 feet
- Powertrain: Vortec 6.0-liter V8 gasoline engine generating 297 hp at 4,300 rpm and 372 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm, mated to 6L90 Hydra-Matic 6-speed automatic with double overdrive
- Available with a CNG/LPG alternative fuel-capable option
- Crew cab option for up to seven passengers
2019 Isuzu NPR-HD Gas
- Production began in January 2019
- New standard rear floor mats for crew cab models
- Optional Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features (available May 2019)
- Optional Alpine audio and backup camera upgrades (available May 2019)
- Optional receptacle for engine block heater (available May 2019)
- Optional 17-inch remote/heated mirrors
- GVWR: 14,500 lbs. (Class 4)
- Wheelbases: 109-176 inches with body lengths up to 20 feet
- Powertrain: VortecTM 6.0-liter V8 gasoline engine generating 297 hp @ 4,300 rpm and 372 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm, mated to 6L90 Hydra-Matic 6-speed automatic with double overdrive
- Available with a CNG/LPG alternative fuel-capable option
- Crew cab option for up to seven passengers
2020 Isuzu NPR-HD
- Production began in January 2019
- New Aisin A465id 6-speed double overdrive automatic transmission with lockup torque converter plus PTO opening
- Seal and friction material changed to reduce drag resistance plus increased lockup range to improve transmission efficiency, with improvement in fuel economy
- Deceleration skip downshift allows for a lower gear command when acceleration is required, improving drivability
- New 215/85R16 tires with 5-10% reduction in rolling resistance for improved fuel economy
- Air conditioning now standard
- New standard rear floor mats for crew cab models
- Optional Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features (available May 2019)
- Optional Alpine audio and backup camera upgrades (available May 2019)
- Optional receptacle for engine block and oil pan heater (available May 2019)
- Optional 17-inch remote/heated mirrors
- GVWR: 14,500 lbs. (Class 4)
- Wheelbases: 109-176 inches with body lengths up to 20 feet
- Powertrain: Isuzu 5.2-liter 4HK1-TC turbocharged, intercooled four-cylinder diesel engine with a B10 durability rating of 375,000 miles generating 215 hp @ 2,500 rpm and 452 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,850 rpm
- Isuzu Diagnostic Service System (IDSS) allows diesel-model owners to receive a detailed “Health Report” from Isuzu dealers on performance data
- crew cab option for up to seven passengers
2020 Isuzu NPR-XD
- Production began in January 2019
- New Aisin A465id 6-speed double overdrive automatic transmission with lockup torque converter plus PTO opening
- New 225/70R19.5 tires with 5-10% reduction in rolling resistance for improved fuel economy
- Air conditioning now standard
- New standard rear floor mats for crew cab models
- Optional Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features (available May 2019)
- Optional Alpine audio and backup camera upgrades (available May 2019)
- Optional receptacle for engine block and oil pan heater (available May 2019)
- Optional 17-inch remote/heated mirrors
- GVWR: 16,000 lbs. (Class 4)
- Wheelbases: 109-176 inches with body lengths up to 20 feet
- Powertrain: Isuzu 5.2-liter 4HK1-TC turbocharged, intercooled four-cylinder diesel engine with a B10 durability rating of 375,000 miles generating 215 hp @ 2,500 rpm and 452 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,850 rpm
- Isuzu Diagnostic Service System (IDSS) allows diesel-model owners to receive a detailed “Health Report” from Isuzu dealers on performance data
- Crew cab option for up to seven passengers
2020 Isuzu NQR
- Production began in January 2019
- New Aisin A465id 6-speed double overdrive automatic transmission with lockup torque converter plus PTO opening
- New 225/70R19.5 tires with 5-10% reduction in rolling resistance for improved fuel economy
- Air conditioning now standard
- New standard rear floor mats for crew cab models
- Optional Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features (available May 2019)
- Optional Alpine audio and backup camera upgrades (available May 2019)
- Optional receptacle for engine block and oil pan heater (available May 2019)
- Optional 17-inch remote/heated mirrors
- GVWR: 17,950 lbs. (Class 5)
- Wheelbases: 109-200 inches with body lengths up to 22 feet
- Powertrain: Isuzu 5.2-liter 4HK1-TC turbocharged, intercooled four-cylinder diesel engine with a B10 durability rating of 375,000 miles generating 215 hp @ 2,500 rpm and 452 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,850 rpm
- Isuzu Diagnostic Service System (IDSS) allows diesel-model owners to receive a detailed “Health Report” from Isuzu dealers on performance data
- crew cab option for up to seven passengers
2019 Isuzu NRR
- Production began in January 2019
- New Aisin A465id 6-speed double overdrive automatic transmission with lockup torque converter plus PTO opening
- New 225/70R19.5 tires with 5-10% reduction in rolling resistance for improved fuel economy
- Air conditioning now standard
- New standard rear floor mats for crew cab models
- Optional Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features (available May 2019)
- Optional Alpine audio and backup camera upgrades (available May 2019)
- Optional receptacle for engine block and oil pan heater (available May 2019)
- Optional 17-inch remote/heated mirrors
- GVWR: 19,500 lbs. (Class 5)
- Wheelbases: 109-212 inches with body lengths up to 24 feet
- Powertrain: Isuzu 5.2-liter 4HK1-TC turbocharged, intercooled four-cylinder diesel engine with a B10 durability rating of 375,000 miles generating 215 hp @ 2,500 rpm and 452 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,850 rpm
- Isuzu Diagnostic Service System (IDSS) allows diesel-model owners to receive a detailed “Health Report” from Isuzu dealers on performance data
- crew cab option for up to seven passengers
2020 Isuzu FTR
- Production began in January 2019
- Air compressor stroke increased from 85mm×30mm to 85mm×40mm improving air output volume by approximately 33%
- Purge valve silencer added to air dryer, reducing excess purge valve noise
- Effective late April 2019 production:
- New Dana S19-140 rear axle replaces Dana 19060S to achieve 86-lb. weight reduction
- 50-gallon fuel tank optional for 188-, 200-, 212- and 224-inch wheelbase models
- New optional 255/70R22.5H low-profile tires reduce frame height by approximately 2.4 inches
- New cab latch switch and indicator lamp with buzzer added to Multi-Information Display in instrument panel
- Optional Alcoa clean-buff aluminum wheels with wheel separator and hub cover option (six- and four-wheel options)
- Optional Mobileye advanced driver-assistance features (available May 2019)
- Optional Alpine audio and backup camera upgrades (available May 2019)
- Optional receptacle for engine block and oil pan heater (available May 2019)
- Optional seat covers
- GVWR: 25,950 lbs. (Class 6)
- Wheelbases: 152-248 inches with body lengths up to 30 feet
