2006 Truck of the Year Test and Review

2006 Isuzu i-350
Just Like Chevy's Colorado with a Better Warranty

The basis for Chevy's Colorado and GMC's Canyon midsize pickups, all-new models last year, was originally designed over 10 years ago by Isuzu's engineering team. General Motors took the project in-house to make the look more U.S.-market friendly. The 4WD transfer case, with the longest powertrain warranty in the segment (seven years/75,000 miles), and the buttons to engage it on the dash remained Isuzu designs--imagine what these trucks might've looked like if Isuzu had had more control over the finished product. Functionally and architecturally, these trucks are the same as the Chevy and GMC midsizers. Isuzu will get about 10,000 units of the i-280 (four-cylinder) and i-350 (five-cylinder) midsizers, split between extended and crew cab configurations. Our test unit was a fairly loaded LS Crew Cab with the "big" motor and four-speed auto. Most editors agreed that the i-350 rode like an honest truck (meaning the ladder-frame construction gives it a solid feel), but it offered nothing in particular to set it apart from the competitors in its class. The I-5, a version of the stout Vortec 4200 I-6 minus one cylinder, offers good throttle response off the line, but runs out of breath quickly. The four-speed auto is a GM unit that's been in service for two decades (the 4L60E) and should've been updated with a fifth gear. That the seats allow the driver to slide during energetic cornering isn't a pickup-truck strength.

A significant amount of attention went into seals and insulation, cutting out many of the high- and low-end road noises--this could be the quietest small truck in its class. The i-350 has a healthy 1120-pound payload (more than the half-ton Ram and V-8 Raider), but a meager towing capacity of 4000 pounds. Do they think nobody tows when shopping in this category? The beefy warranty is nice, but not enough to overcome the inconveniences caused by Isuzu's small dealer network and fewer model and equipment choices relative to its GM cousins. An obligatory price break most import clones offer when compared with their donor siblings should be expected--our unit's $28K price tag doesn't exactly up the ante in this category.