2024 Isuzu NPR 45-155 Tradepack review: Quick drive

Some people buy dual-cab utes just because they reckon they look cool. Sure, no shame – drive what you want. Then there are the majority of buyers who choose a ute because it's a family car that can tow the jet ski and transport that thing you need for work occasionally without worrying about mud and grease ruining the carpet.

It's like an RM Williams boot. It's tough, well made, comfortable, and can be dressed up for an occasion, but is just as comfortable doing hard yakka on a farm.

Then there are the people who buy a ute and load it up. Tools, ladders, on-site machinery, materials for the next job, only to have an overloaded vehicle that takes too long to pack and unpack. At the end of the day, they probably should have gone with something more appropriate.

This brings us, my friends, to the Isuzu NPR 45-155. A proper truck. The 45 translates to 4500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) – meaning it's car-licence friendly – while the 155 refers to the horsepower, which is how the truck industry still measures performance.

In metric terms, the truck puts out 114kW and 419Nm from its 5.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels. 

A six-speed manual is available, but in this case we were driving a six-speed single-clutch automatic – essentially a manual transmission that changes gears automatically.

It's worth noting that the NPR is also available as a 55-155 – meaning it's been designed to carry up to 5500kg GVM for those with a light rigid truck licence or higher – however, the Isuzu NPR 45-155 has been de-rated to allow anyone with a car licence to drive it. 

Or to put it another way – even when the NPR 45-155 is fully loaded, this thing is well within safe limits.

Compare that to one of Australia's most popular utes, the Toyota HiLux, which has a GVM of 3050kg.

It's one thing to compare a ute to a truck, but it's entirely something else to see the stark differences when they're side-by-side.

Isuzu recently invited a small group of motoring journalists to the former Holden proving ground in Lang Lang, Victoria to do just that, and to experience the capability of their car-licence range. Not only when parked, but in a variety of driving conditions.

Before you grab the nearest heavy item to throw at whatever screen you're reading this on, know this: the Toyota HiLux is one of the best utes on the market, and that's something we stand by.

The HiLux has been the industry standard since it replaced the Toyota Stout in the 1970s. The current generation won its segment in the Drive Car of the Year awards in 2018, and was the runner-up just last year, only losing out to the much newer Ford Ranger.

My point being this: Thousands of people swear by RM Williams boots. And just because they don't look as good, it doesn't mean a gumboot isn't more useful in certain circumstances.

The NPR 45-155 we're testing has the Tradepack, part of Isuzu's Ready-to-Work range. In the past you'd buy a cab-chassis truck and then it would be up to you to find someone to build you a tray or a tipper or a service body for the back. Now, Isuzu offers different truck bodies for different needs, available straight from the dealership.

In this case, the Tradepack includes a bullbar, an aluminium tray, and a tow pack. And it starts from approximately $72,000 before on-road costs.

The guys at Isuzu loaded up an NPR with as much gear from Kennards as it could handle, then threw me the keys to hit the 44 kilometres of private roads at the proving ground.

While 14-year-old me would have preferred to have been driving an HSV VS GTS-R on those roads, I can't imagine too many people have driven a fully loaded truck at speed on the outside lane of a banked test loop. 

It's no exaggeration I had to keep reminding myself of the weight in the back, because the truck drove like there was nothing there – and it was the same story towing a small digger.

If you're imagining flat vinyl seats, a loud cabin, and a diesel engine that would barely pull the skin off a cold soup, then I'd wager you haven't experienced the latest generation of trucks. Sure, it ain't a Bentley, but it is a comfortable place to spend time – and you might be surprised at just how much gear it has.

For example, the suspension driver's seat, which can be adjusted for those up to 130kg and adds another layer of comfort on poor roads. Then there's the infotainment system – a 10.1-inch floating screen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and DAB+ digital radio.

Called the MyIsuzu Co-Pilot, the system also has native satellite navigation software that can take a live traffic feed – taking you on the quickest route – while also avoiding roads, bridges, and tunnels based on your truck's weight, height, and whether you have any HAZMAT material aboard.

Then there's safety. The NPR now features a stereo camera on the dashboard, allowing it to recognise hazards ahead – such as pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles – as part of its autonomous advanced emergency braking (AEB) system. Sound familiar? Yes, it's the exact same system made by Hitachi for Subaru, named 'EyeSight'.

While it doesn't have the same long reach that you get from a radar, it does allow for preset distances to the vehicle in front, and tells you when the vehicle ahead of you has moved on (in case you're distracted by something while in traffic or at a set of lights).

Then there are things like electronic stability control, lane-departure warning, ABS, traction control, hill-start assist, automatic headlights, dual airbags, and a customisable speed limiter – all standard across the N Series 4x2 range.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you how effective these safety systems are to both prevent you from having an accident, nor can I tell you how well they work in the event of an accident, as trucks aren't tested by the likes of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) – or its cousin, Euro NCAP. However, in April 2024 Euro NCAP announced plans to begin testing heavy vehicles from November.

But given trucks like this were little more than tractors that could (barely) hit 100km/h in decades past, safety in this segment has come a long way – with research and development continuing to move at a rapid pace.

Capability has also improved. Without wanting to pick on the HiLux, as a standard for that segment, the Toyota dual-cab has a gross combination mass (GCM) of 5850kg – compare that to the Isuzu which has a GCM of 9000kg.

The HiLux can tow a respectable 3500kg braked, while the NPR can tow another tonne on top of that.

Anyone who does a bit of caravanning has probably heard the stories of Australian road authorities cracking down on overweight four-wheel-drives. And it's not hard to do – buckle the family in, hook up the Jayco, add in the gear for a couple of weeks away, and that GCM comes at you real quick.

Without wanting to get into the weeds of every last dimension, consider this: the tub on a dual-cab HiLux is 1.6m long, whereas the NPR has a 3.5m-long tray – and can be optioned up to 4.5m on the Mid-Wheelbase version. That's not a bit more cargo area, it's significantly more.

The turning circle on these trucks is impressive. While the HiLux requires 11.8m kerb-to-kerb (ignoring the wide-track variants like the GR Sport, which requires 12.6m), the short-wheelbase NPR (with the 3.5m tray) needs 10.2m between kerbs. Once you move up to the Mid-Wheelbase model – which is 6645mm long in total – it'll need 12.4m of space.

On the road and the Isuzu is also pretty fun to drive. Obviously not in the same way a hot hatch is fun, but I've personally always been a fan of cab-over configurations – where the driver is ahead of the front axle. It's a relaxed but commanding driving position, and though it won't win any awards for handling, it's fun on another level.

Arguably the area where the Isuzu trucks fail to impress is with the slow automatic six-speed single-clutch transmission. Being a manual gearbox that uses an automated system to swap cogs, it's old technology and can be a shock if you're not prepared.

Having said that, it seems to work better with the larger engine of the NPR 45-155, and after spending time with it and learning its foibles, soon enough you'll start driving around it and will forget how uninspiring it is.

We spent most of our time evaluating the NPR 45-155, but it's worth noting it's just one of five car-licence models within Isuzu's N Series range – each with their own variants – including the smaller entry-level NLR, a dual-cab NNR, and an all-wheel-drive NLS.

But there are certainly compromises. The back seats in the NNR aren't exactly suitable for long distances, but on the other hand, it's a seven-seater. It's got the same seating capacity as a Kia Carnival, but has an extra 3.6m tray and a towing capacity of 4000kg (braked).

If I had to choose between the all-wheel-drive NLS 45-150 and a HiLux to traverse the Simpson Desert, there's no question I'm taking the Toyota – but if you're hauling cement mixers to muddy worksites, or your farm has poor drainage, the Isuzu suddenly makes a lot more sense.

Isuzu doesn't expect every ute buyer to abandon their HiLux or Ranger in the middle of the highway and suddenly slap down a wad of cash for one of its trucks as a replacement. But for a good percentage of ute owners, it's easy to see how a heavy-duty Isuzu truck could be a better fit in their lives.