Isuzu Truck NQR Review

Isuzu Truck NQR Range - NQR Q ‘N’ A

Isuzu Truck Back Their Trucks Up With A Strong Commitment To Customer Care. Will It Be Enough To See The 7.5-Tonne NQR Models Make Headway?

Good customer service isn’t always in the forefront of a commercial vehicle customer’s thinking. It’s tempting to view it as something that’s provided to little old ladies in car dealerships but in reality, quality customer care is just as necessary if you’ve got a malfunctioning 7.5 tonne truck or a Nissan Micra on which you can’t find the fuel filler cap. Isuzu Truck appear to recognise this. Their website proudly displays their mission statement - "to be the first truly customer-facing truck manufacturer in the world," and this can only be a positive for anyone considering one of the NQR 7.5-tonne models.

Isuzu Truck (UK) are the official importers of Isuzu’s N-Series of trucks. They specialise exclusively in trucks: trucks are their game and they pride themselves on knowing what truck buyers want. There is a network of 65 Isuzu Truck service agents around the UK and the company can claim an industry-leading average roadside assistance response time of 56.3 minutes. All of which should inspire confidence in businesses who rely on their vehicles being on the road for their very survival.

Of course, Isuzu Truck would be the first to point out that their strong commitment to customer service is not derived from a high number of N-Series owners who find themselves in need of it. Designed in Japan and manufactured in Europe, the N-Series has been proven to be a tough customer over extended use in markets around the globe.

"Big payloads are what this class of truck is all about"

The NQR models that we look at here are positioned in the mid to upper region of the N-Series line-up. They are 7.5-tonne trucks so they sit above the 3.5-tonne NKR derivatives and the 6.2-tonne NPRs but below the NPT and NQT models which weigh-in at 8.2-tonnes and heavier. There’s a choice of single cab or crew cab and two gearboxes – a 6-speed manual or the NEES 2 Easyshift semi-automatic system. Once you’ve picked a combination of those, there are three wheelbases to consider ranging from 3,365 to 4,474mm. The NQR models come as chassis cabs so the buyers must decide which load-carrying configuration they’d like to bring up the rear.

The NQR goes up against slightly better known rivals such as the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter, the Nissan Cabstar or even the Iveco Eurocargo. It follows the same design themes that are prevalent on these models with the flat-fronted cab, prominent wing mirrors on struts at the sides and large windscreen. Ride comfort is always a problem on this kind of vehicle: with the seats perched directly above the front axel, you really feel every bump. If you’re buying a 7.5-tonne NQR, however, the chances are that you’ll be using at least a good proportion of its payload capacity on a regular basis and that extra weight on the back noticeably calms down the ride.

Big payloads are what this class of truck is all about. Their primary function is to carry as much as possible while still remaining manoeuvrable enough to cope with narrow lanes and busy urban streets. The NQR has the hefty load requirement well wrapped-up and you can get between 4,660 and 4,940kg on the back of your model, depending on your choice of cabin and wheelbase. These are body and payload allowance weights so the weight of whichever load body you have fitted to your NQR chassis cab must be deducted from them.

In short wheelbase form, the NQR is still nearly six meters long so the truck’s ability to get around in a congested urban setting must be kept in context but it is very manoeuvrable with a good turning circle and visibility from the driver’s seat that should get few complaints. Power comes from a sizable 5.2-litre common-rail diesel engine but which power output you ultimately get will depend on your choice of the manual or automatic gearboxes. If you elect to go with the traditional clutch, there’s 175bhp up for grabs but much more impressive is the 500Nm of torque that this version of the engine pumps out between 1,500 and 2,000rpm. The NQR models with the NEES 2 semi-automatic ‘box have just 150bhp to marshal but torque of 404Nm will still equate to plenty of low-end punch for getting those big loads moving. All NQR models get ABS brakes and ASR anti-slip regulation.

The NEES 2 is an interesting option. Five years ago automatic gearboxes were a rarely offered in light commercial vehicles and when they were made available by a manufacturer; customers rarely took much notice. Today, systems such as Isuzu Truck’s NEES 2 are becoming more widely available and more popular. What we have is a semi-automatic gearbox which gives the driver of selecting fully automatic mode or sliding the lever across its gate to make clutchless manual changes himself. The advantages of the system are obvious in urban settings where traffic lights, junctions and congestion mean lots of gearchanges are required. The system should also reduce wear and tear on parts and fuel economy may also benefit. If you want your NQR to come with NEES 2, there’s a £1,000 premium to be forked out and remember that the auto ‘box comes only with the less powerful engine.

The NQR’s cabin is standard light truck stuff with light grey plastics and seating trim to mask the grime. Alongside the driver is a bench seat that is theoretically able to take two passengers but the space available is very limited and it’s best used for just one. Storage space is at a premium in the NQR cabin so that extra sliver of seating next to the driver’s mate will most likely find itself being used for lunch boxes, flasks and paperwork. If you want to seat more than two, the crew cab option creates space for three more passengers in the back.

The Isuzu Truck NQR models have plenty going for them but the factor that lures most customers in the direction of Isuzu Truck dealerships may well be the commitment they make to offering truly top-notch customer care. A vehicle off the road for whatever reason will cost its owners money and Isuzu Truck undertake to rectify any problems with a courtesy and speediness that businesses will appreciate.