Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc., distributor of low-cab-forward trucks, is celebrating the 35th anniversary of Isuzu trucks in the United States.
Isuzu Truck of America, Inc. was founded on 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, the company said. 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—an unprecedented 32 consecutive years.
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,” said Shaun Skinner, president of 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.”
