Driven: the Isuzu FXZ 26-360

Introducing the Isuzu FXZ 26-360

The FXZ is produced by Isuzu, a Japanese company with roots that go back to 1916. That is when Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Gas and Electric Industrial Co. initiated plans for automobile production. Three years later, in 1919, Japan's first truck was built. Today, the company manufactures and sells a wide range of SUVs; bakkies; light, medium and heavy-duty trucks; buses; and automotive, industrial, and marine engines. Manufacturing and assembly take place at the company’s Fujisawa Plant (trucks) and Tochigi Plant (engines) in Japan.

Isuzu operates globally, with subsidiaries and branch offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Oceania, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, with its headquarters located in Tokyo, Japan. It is particularly successful in Australia (one in every four new trucks sold in that country is an Isuzu) and South Africa (where it recently celebrated a 11-year reign as the cab-over-chassis top seller in both the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segments). The company also has a truck plant in South Africa to service the local market, where it sells SUVs, bakkies, and medium, heavy and extra-heavy trucks. The extra-heavy FX-Series range has 11 derivatives with truck tractor or rigid bodies, and we tested the FXZ 26-360.

The truck in a nutshell

The FXZ 26-360 can be used as a freight carrier or dropside and it can pull a single axle drawbar trailer. The wheelbase can be shortened, and then the truck can serve as a tipper, water tanker or diesel tanker – to name but a few of its applications. The truck we tested has a GVM of 25.5 tonnes and a GCM of 45 tonnes.

Exterior

The FXZ 26-360 looks like a workhorse – because that’s exactly what it is. There are two, well-positioned stairs which, when viewed in combination with the grab handles, make ingress and egress easy. The deep non-slip steps and wide doors opening to 90 degrees mean that getting in and out of the cab is never a pain, no matter how many times a day you have to do it. The cab can be tilted (this function is hydraulic /electric with a mechanical hand pump).

Interior

Once again, the FXZ 26-360 looks like a robust workhorse, which is great. All the materials used appear robust. The instrumentation is clear and easy to read. There are no functions on the steering wheel. Standard features include aircon, a radio (with Bluetooth), power steering, electric windows, manual mirror adjustment and three seats. There are lots of handy storage compartments all over the cab, which is super.

Drivetrain

The truck is powered by the Euro 3 6UZ1-TCC 9,839cc six-cylinder inline diesel engine, which develops 265kW at 2,000r/min and 1,422Nm of torque at 1,400r/min. We drove it unloaded, so we cannot really comment with great authority on the engine performance, but it certainly never appeared lacking. There are multi-leaf springs front and rear. The engine on our test truck was paired to an eight-speed manual ZF gearbox, which features a hydraulic air-assisted clutch. Thankfully, no double clutching is needed. There’s also a “crawler” mode for pull-off on steep gradients. But, quite why any operator would ever spec a manual gearbox over an auto, I really don’t know. Thankfully, an automatic is optional on this truck. It comes standard with a PTO on the gearbox.

Here are the other relevant specifications:

Permissible body + payload: 17,500kg

Tare – total (T): 8,000kg

Tare – front: 4,040kg

Tare – rear: 3,960kg

GVM: 25,500kg

V: 25,500kg

GCM: 45,000kg

D/T: 45,000kg

Safety

All FX Series cabs comply with the latest ECE-R29 safety standards. Double side-intrusion bars, seatbelt pre-tensioners and load-limiters, and a driver airbag are all standard. The front axles come with FUPS (Front Under-run Protection System), meaning operators can safely carry up to 6.5 tonnes over the front axle. The truck has an exhaust brake but no retarder (this is optional).

Verdict

Operators wanting an easy-to-fix, affordable and productive extra-heavy truck will definitely find the FXZ 26-360 appealing. It does not have the refinement or premium appeal of some of its European competitors – but it doesn’t have a high-end price tag either. We all know that Isuzu trucks are known for their robustness and durability. But, according to the chaps at the Japanese truck maker, the FXZ 26-360 is built to withstand heavy-duty usage, making it suitable for various applications such as construction, mining, and long-haul transportation.

Unlike so many other modern trucks, this one doesn’t have too many electrics; therefore little can go wrong. It is also excellent for cross-border duties, because you can always find someone to repair it.

It comes with a two-year/unlimited warranty, but the Really Big Deal is that operators can also purchase an extended warranty, which is valid for five years and up to 700,000km. The cost is ridiculously small – anything from R5,000 to R7,500 depending on the model – and the warranty guarantees the truck against breakdowns and mechanical failure for its duration, as long as the customer correctly maintains their truck according to the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual. Customers need to elect to purchase the extended warranty at the same time as they purchase the new vehicle. So, for example, if they buy the Isuzu today, an extended warranty cannot be purchased six months down the line. In my mind, the extended warranty is a complete no-brainer. And it makes buying the FXZ 26-360 even more sensible.

• We would like to thankMotus Isuzu Isando for providing the test truck. The dealership has a massive range of Isuzu trucks in stock, often complete with bodies.

ENDS