If you’re still using one of Isuzu’s early model NPRs, and given their reputation for longevity you very well may be, the Japanese medium-duty workhorse has a few surprises for you in its current-generation work truck.
The 2016 NPR XD follows the first-generation model introduced this year. Mike Kennedy, Isuzu’s national sales training manager, says the company is excited about the product because its 16,000 GVWR fills a “phantom gap” between the 14,500 GVWR NPR HD and the nearly 18,000 GVWR Isuzu NQR.
The truck features a body/payload allowance of about 9,500 pounds. Our test unit was upfit with a 16-foot Morgan body with a Thermo King reefer unit, but the model can accommodate bodies up to 20-feet in length.
Our Class 4 test unit was equipped with a 5.2-liter diesel engine and Aisin 6 speed, fully automatic, double-overdrive transmission.
The 215 hp powerplant provided more than enough power to push the truck at highway speeds and up some aggressive grades. The 452 foot-pounds of torque were impressive. Kennedy says the Aisin transmission used in Isuzu’s commercial lineup is actually capable of handling far more torque than the truck can provide, extending the life of the vehicle’s driveline.
Steering gets a major boost from early-generation Isuzus. It’s easy, comfortable and tight. Ambient cabin noise across the entire lineup has been reduced immensely. Doors and window are sealed tight and here’s hardly more engine and road noise inside the three-person cab than you would find in a passenger vehicle.
The NPR XD’s visibility is supreme. Oversized windows and a massive windshield are key highlights, allowing drivers to see practically every obstacle that may pose a safety hazard in front of the truck before it’s too late.
The exhaust brake was very responsive but I found the front disk and rear drum brakes more than capable of handling the job, so I turned it off.
A Multi-Information Driver Display screen is mounted in the instrument cluster. Our test unit featured heated and remote mirrors that could be adjusted from the driver’s seat via two electronic controls mounted in the A-pillar.
The steering wheel features tilt and telescopic capability, a standard on all Isuzu models, and I thought there was ample storage space behind the seats for small personal items. The trucks can be outfitted with an optional fire extinguisher and triangle kit, which both would be mounted behind the seats.
A three-person crew could travel comfortably in a standard cab unit, but if you don’t have a middle passenger, that seat flips down to reveal a work station.
With a market share hovering just south of 90 percent in their segment, it’s easy to see why Isuzu trucks are more popular than ever with vocational fleets. The work truck stalwart is simply in tune with the demands of the modern customer and how to provide them with an efficient tool for work.
