Isuzu Truck of America was founded March 21, 1984, and the first Isuzu truck arrived in the United States in November of that year. The KS22 model had no tilt cab and was powered by an 87-horsepower engine.
The KS22 was quickly embraced by American truck buyers who were looking for durability, dependability and low cost of ownership in a medium-duty truck. In 1986, a little over a year after its stateside launch, Isuzu became the best-selling low-cab-forward truck in the United States, a position it has maintained ever since, the company says.
Today, Isuzu trucks command 73 percent of the Class 3-5 U.S. LCF truck market. The current Isuzu lineup includes Class 3 through Class 5 N-Series trucks and the Class 6 FTR. Available powerplants include diesel and gasoline choices as well as the first CNG- and LPG-capable engine offered in an LCF truck.
Earlier this month, Isuzu announced that it would add two gasoline-powered Class 5 models in mid-2020, further expanding the lineup.
“While we are celebrating Isuzu trucks’ first 35 years in the North American market, we’re really looking forward,” says Shaun Skinner, president, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America and Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada. “The new NQR and NRR gasoline trucks coming next year demonstrate that we are focused on the future, and providing quality, reliability and low cost of operation to the North American marketplace for another 35 years—and beyond.”
Highlights of Isuzu Truck Heritage
1922: Japan’s first domestically produced automobile
1924: The first Japanese-built Wolseley CP 1.5-ton payload truck
1936: Japan’s first air-cooled diesel engine.
1956: Isuzu diesel engines, diesel-powered snow tractors and other equipment are delivered to Japan’s Antarctic Observation Base. Isuzu equipment has been operational at the South Pole ever since.
1959: Isuzu Motors Limited introduces the world’s first two-ton light-duty forward-control truck, the first generation of a line of vehicles now marketed in the United States as the N-Series.
1984: Isuzu trucks enter the U.S. market with the KS22.
1986: R.L. Polk certifies that Isuzu is the best-selling import commercial truck in the United States. Isuzu has now held that position for 32 consecutive years.
1988: The 2 millionth N-Series truck rolls off the assembly line in Japan.
1994: The first U.S.-built gasoline-powered NPR-EFI is assembled in Janesville, Wis.
2002: Cumulative sales of Isuzu trucks in the United States exceed 275,000 units.
2005: The 50,000th N/W-Series gasoline-powered truck is built in Janesville, Wis.
2010: Isuzu N-Series Trucks are the first medium-duty low-cab-forward trucks on the market to be EPA 2010 and CARB HD-OBD compliant and to be 50-state clean-idle certified
2011: Reach, a revolutionary new walk-in van powered by Isuzu, begins production in Wakarusa, Ind.
2012: Reach is named Medium Duty Truck of the Year by Work Truck magazine.
2013: Isuzu N-Series is named Medium Duty Truck of the Year by Work Truck magazine.
2015: Isuzu delivers its 500,000th Isuzu-built truck since entering the North American market.
2016: Isuzu opens its first Center of Excellence in northeast Pennsylvania—a state-of-the-art, 130,000 sq.-ft. parts distribution, training and technical assistance facility.
2017: Second Isuzu Center of Excellence opens in Anaheim, California.
2017: Production of all-new Class 6 Isuzu FTR begins.
2018: Isuzu sells 23,914 Isuzu-brand trucks in the U.S., a new record.
2018: Isuzu FTR named Medium Duty Truck of the Year by Work Truck magazine.
2018: The 50,000th N-Series gasoline-powered truck assembled by Spartan Motors rolls off the line in Charlotte, Mich.
2018: Isuzu, in partnership with Nordresa, unveils prototype eNPR-HD all-electric truck.
2019: Isuzu celebrates 35 years of Isuzu trucks in the North American market.
