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, commonly known as Isuzu (, ), is a Japanese multinational
automobile manufacturer The automotive industry comprises a wide range of company, companies and organizations involved in the design, Business development, development, manufacturing, marketing, selling, Maintenance, repairing, and Custom car, modification of motor ve ...
headquartered in
Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
,
Kanagawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-dens ...
. Its principal activity is the production, marketing and sale of Isuzu
commercial vehicle A commercial vehicle is any type of motor vehicle used for transporting goods or paying passengers. Depending on laws and designations, a commercial vehicle can be any broad type of motor vehicle used commercially or for business purposes. Classi ...
s and
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
s. The company also has a number of subsidiaries and joint ventures, including
UD Trucks UD Trucks Corporation (UDトラックス株式会社, ''UD Torakkusu Kabushikigaisha'') is a Japanese company whose principal business is the manufacturing and sales of diesel trucks, buses, bus chassis and special-purpose vehicles. Its headquart ...
,
Anadolu Isuzu Anadolu Isuzu (officially Anadolu Isuzu Automotive Industry & Trading A.Ş.) is a joint venture company based in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the collaboration between Anadolu Group, Isuzu, Itochu and DRB-HICOM, HICOM. Its main fields of operation are ...
(a Turkish joint venture with Anadolu Group),
Sollers-Isuzu JSC "ISUZU RUS" (АО ИСУЗУ РУС) is a commercial vehicle manufacturer with headquarters in Ulyanovsk, Russia. The company was founded in 2006 as a joint venture between OAO Sollers, which contributed with a share of 66%, Isuzu, which part ...
(a Russian joint venture with
Sollers JSC Sollers, formerly known as OAO Severstal-Auto, is a Russian company holding controlling blocks of shares of OAO Ulyanovsk Automobile Works (UAZ), Zavolzhye Motor Works (ZMZ) and OAO ZMA. The enterprises of Severstal-Auto are well-known automob ...
- Production stopped in March 2022, Isuzu stake transferred to Sollers in July 2023),
SML Isuzu SML Isuzu Limited (SMLI) is a commercial vehicle manufacturer established in 1983. SMLI produces and sells buses, ambulances and customized vehicles. Sumitomo Corporation and Isuzu hold a 44% and 15% stake of the company respectively. The com ...
(an Indian venture formerly known as Swaraj Mazda),
Jiangxi Isuzu Motors Jiangxi Isuzu Motors Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between Isuzu and Jiangling Motors Corporation Group (JMCG). The venture is headquartered in Nanchang, Jiangxi province. It is focused on the production and sale of Isuzu pickups and their engi ...
(a Chinese joint venture with Jiangling Motors Company Group),
Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia (IAMI) is a joint venture automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer with headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. The company was founded in April 2008 and is the successor of the previous Isuzu manufacturer, ''Pantja ...
,
Isuzu Malaysia Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd (IMSB) was established on 6 September 2004 as a commercial vehicle manufacturer. The company headquarters located in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The plant development is a joint venture between DRB-HICOM, Isuzu Operations (Thail ...
( Isuzu HICOM),
Industries Mécaniques Maghrébines The Industries Mécaniques Maghrébines S.A. (IMM) are a Tunisian car manufacturer headquartered in the city of Kairouan. The company was founded in 1982 by GM and other investors and closed for the first time in 1988; the plant was reopened in ...
,
Isuzu Truck (UK) IBC Vehicles Limited was a British automotive manufacturing company based in Luton, Bedfordshire and since 2021 a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational corporation Stellantis. Its principal operation was an assembly plant located in Lut ...
, Isuzu South Africa,
Isuzu Philippines Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) is a subsidiary of the Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer Isuzu and headquartered in Biñan, Laguna, Philippines. The company was formed on August 7, 1995 with an investment of ₱1,000,000.00. The compan ...
,
Taiwan Isuzu Motors Taiwan Isuzu Motors Co. (TIM; ) was founded December 1995 as a commercial vehicle manufacturer with headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan. The company is both the assembler and distributor of vehicles. The company is a joint venture between Isuzu owning 69 ...
,
Isuzu Vietnam Isuzu Vietnam Co. (IVC) is a manufacturer of commercial vehicles and motor vehicle dealer based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The company was founded on October 19, 1995, with a capital of US$15 million as a joint venture. Partners are the Japanes ...
,
Isuzu Motors India Isuzu Motors India Private Limited is a subsidiary of Isuzu, Japan was established in August 2012 in India having its manufacturing plant in Sri City, now in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh 55KM away from Chennai. The Corporate Head Office i ...
and BYD Isuzu. Isuzu has assembly and manufacturing plants in Fujisawa, which have been there since the company was founded under earlier names, as well as in the Tochigi and
Hokkaidō is the second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by railway via the Seikan Tunnel. The ...
prefectures. Isuzu-branded vehicles are sold in most commercial markets worldwide. Isuzu's primary market focus is on commercial diesel-powered truck, buses and construction. The company is named after the
Isuzu River The is a river that has both its source and its mouth in the city of Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan. The river is notable because it flows through Ise Grand Shrine and, due to its strong association with the Shrine, many songs and poems have been ...
, the
kanji are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...
of ''Isuzu'' (五十鈴), meaning "fifty bells".


History

Isuzu Motors' history began in 1916, when Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd. planned a cooperation with the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industrial Company to build automobiles. The next step was taken in 1918, when a technical cooperation with Wolseley Motors Limited was initiated, yielding exclusive rights to the production and sales of Wolseley vehicles in East Asia from
knock-down kits A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, and then exported to another country or r ...
. In 1919 came the first ever Japan-produced passenger car, a Wolseley model, the Fifteen A9 15/40 НР at the Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipyard at the Fukagawa Factory. The Wolseley sourced CP
truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construct ...
followed two years later; 550 of these were built by 1927. In 1923 Japan was devastated by the Kanto earthquake which made the fledgling transportation infrastructure that was heavily reliant on government-owned
railroads Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of land transport, next to road ...
unusable due to the twisted tracks. Heavy construction vehicles were imported from the United States companies GMC and Ford to aid in recovery and reconstruction, and the company sought to contribute by producing locally built construction and heavy duty vehicles. In 1927 the company introduced its 2-ton load capacity "Sumida P-type truck" equipped with an A6 engine and a 1-ton vehicle "Sumida M-type No. 1 bus" equipped with an A4 engine. The name "sumida" was used from the
Sumida River The is a river that flows through central Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi (in Kita-ku) and flows into Tokyo Bay. Its tributaries include the Kanda and Shakujii rivers. It passes through the Kita, Adachi, Arak ...
as the factory at Fukagawa was close by. In 1929
IHI Corporation , formerly known as is a Japanese engineering corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan that produces and offers ships, space launch vehicles, aircraft engines, marine diesel engines, gas turbines, gas engines, railway systems, turbocharge ...
, separated part of its manufacturing business and merged with DAT Automobile Manufacturing Inc. (a predecessor of
Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...
) and changed its name to Jidosha Kogyo Co., Ltd. (''Automobile Industries Co., Ltd.'') The names used for the products of this company, marketed as "Sumida" and "Chiyoda", have special significance in Japan. Chiyoda is a district in Tokyo where the Imperial Palace is located, and Sumida refers to a river that flows through
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
approximately east of the Imperial Palace. In 1934 the Tsurumi Factory opened under company name Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. and in 1937 Automobile Industries was reorganized and formed into a new company, Tokyo Automobile Industries Co., Ltd. and was founded with a capital of ¥1,000,000. The company continued to manufacture heavy duty trucks and passenger busses, realizing the need to modernize the transportation infrastructure of Japan, and was one of the primary manufacturers for the
Imperial Japanese Army The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
along with
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the prede ...
, and had a corporate allegiance to the
Yasuda Zaibatsu was a financial conglomerate owned and managed by the Yasuda clan. One of the four major zaibatsu of Imperial Japan, it was founded by the entrepreneur Yasuda Zenjirō. It was dissolved at the end of World War II. Origins Yasuda Zenjirō moved ...
. One of the vehicles it produced for the war effort was the Sumida M.2593 armored personnel carrier. In 1942, Hino Heavy Industries was split off from Tokyo Automobile Industries, becoming a separate corporation. In 1949, the company was renamed Isuzu after the
Isuzu River The is a river that has both its source and its mouth in the city of Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan. The river is notable because it flows through Ise Grand Shrine and, due to its strong association with the Shrine, many songs and poems have been ...
, following a meeting with the Japanese Government's
Ministry of International Trade and Industry The was a Ministry (government department), ministry of the Government of Japan from 1949 to 2001. The MITI was one of the most powerful government agencies in Japan and, at the height of its influence, effectively ran much of Japanese industri ...
(MITI).


Etymology

The word Isuzu translated into English means "fifty bells"—hence the focus on "bell" in both the later Bellel and the Bellett. The name was used from the
Isuzu River The is a river that has both its source and its mouth in the city of Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan. The river is notable because it flows through Ise Grand Shrine and, due to its strong association with the Shrine, many songs and poems have been ...
that flows near to the
Ise Grand Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the solar goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami and the grain goddess Toyouke-hime (Toyouke Omikami). Also known simply as , Ise Shrine is a shrine complex composed of many Shi ...
, one of Japan's most sacred and revered shrines.


Post World War history

Truck and bus production of the TX40 and TU60 series and the Isuzu Sumida bus resumed in 1945, with the permission of the occupation authorities. and has remained the primary focus of manufacture for the company, along with
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
production. In 1958 a factory was built at
Fujisawa, Kanagawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 439,728 and a population density of 6300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Fujisawa is in the south-central part of Kan ...
, and in 1959 the
Isuzu Elf The is a medium duty truck produced by Isuzu since 1959. Outside Japan it is known as N series and Q Series. The range was originally mainly available in Japan and other Asian countries. Australia was another important market for the Elf and N ...
was introduced as a medium duty
cab over Cab-over, also known as cab over engine (COE), cab forward or flat face (U.S.), flat nose (Canada), or forward control (UK), is a body style of truck, bus, or van that has a vertical front, "flat face" or a hood (vehicle), semi-hood, with the ...
commercial truck which is still in production, and was also shared with the
Isuzu Journey The Isuzu Journey (kana:いすゞ・ジャーニー) is a minibus produced by the Japanese manufacturer Isuzu from 1970 to 2021. The range was primarily available as a city bus and a tourist coach. In Japan, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middl ...
bus. Isuzu continued to maintain its market presence by providing commercial vehicles by introducing the Isuzu TY in 1966. The company is one of the primary manufacturers of commercial duty trucks and busses for public transportation, to include the Isuzu Cubic, Isuzu Gala and the
Isuzu Erga The Isuzu Erga (kana:いすゞ・エルガ) is a heavy-duty single-decker bus produced by Isuzu through the J-Bus joint venture. It is primarily available as a public bus in either a complete bus or a bus chassis. It is built by J-Bus fro ...
along with the Isuzu Giga.


Corporate partnerships

Beginning in 1953 the
Hillman Minx The Hillman Minx was a mid-sized family car that British car maker Hillman produced from 1931 to 1970. There were many versions of the Minx over that period, as well as badge engineered variants sold by Humber, Singer, and Sunbeam. From the ...
passenger car is produced under license of
Rootes Group The Rootes Group was a British automobile manufacturer and, separately, a major motor distributors and dealers business. From headquarters in the West End of London, the manufacturer was based in the English Midlands, Midlands and the distribu ...
giving the company a passenger car to compete with other Japanese manufacturers, realizing that their resources were limited and therefore sought out international partnerships. The Minx remained in production until 1962, after the 1961 introduction of Isuzu's first passenger car, the Bellel, and later the sports coupe
Isuzu 117 Coupé The Isuzu 117 Coupé is a compact Gran Turismo type 2-door fastback coupé which was produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Isuzu between 1968 and 1981. 117 was the codename for a common development program of Isuzu mid-size cars, i ...
. Being a small producer making cars which were somewhat too large and pricey for the Japanese market at the time, Isuzu spent some time looking for a commercial partner. Under pressure from MITI, who were attempting to limit the number of automobile manufacturers in Japan, a cooperation with
Fuji Heavy Industries , formerly , is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate primarily involved in both terrestrial and aerospace transportation manufacturing. It is best known for its line of Subaru automobiles. Founded in 1953, the company was named ...
(
Subaru is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first largest aut ...
) began in 1966. This joint sales-service collaboration was seen as the first step towards an eventual merger. The Subaru 1000 was even shown in Isuzu's 1967 annual vehicle brochure, as a suitable complement to the larger Isuzu lineup. This tie-up was over by 1968, when an agreement with
Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group traces its origins to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company that existed from 1870 to 194 ...
was formed. This ended even more quickly, by 1969, and the next year an equally short-lived collaboration was entered with
Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...
.
Ruiz The Spanish surname Ruiz is a patronymic from the personal name Ruy, a short form of Rodrigo, meaning "son of Roderick". Roderick's roots can be traced back to the Visigoths, the Germanic tribe which ruled in the Iberian Peninsula between the 5th an ...
, p. 131
A few months later, in September 1971, what was to prove a more durable capital agreement was signed with
General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
. This would see GM own Isuzu for the next 35 years.


Linking with General Motors

While the company had a long relationship with GM going back to the 1920s, the first investment of GM taking a 34% stake in Isuzu was seen in 1972, when the Chevrolet LUV became the first Isuzu-built vehicle to be sold in the United States. To symbolize the new beginning, Isuzu also developed a new logo for 1974, with two vertical pillars as stylized representations of the first syllable in いすゞ ("Isuzu"). In 1974 Isuzu introduced the
Gemini Gemini most often refers to: * Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac * Gemini (astrology), an astrological sign Gemini may also refer to: Science and technology Space * Gemini in Chinese astronomy, the Gemini constellat ...
, which was co-produced with General Motors as the T-body Chevrolet Chevette. A modified version was sold in the United States as Buick's Opel by Isuzu, and in Australia as the Holden Gemini. As a result of the collaboration, certain American GM products were sold to Japanese customers through Isuzu dealerships. Holden's
Statesman A statesman or stateswoman is a politician or a leader in an organization who has had a long and respected career at the national or international level, or in a given field. Statesman or statesmen may also refer to: Newspapers United States ...
was also briefly sold (246 examples) with Isuzu badging in Japan during the seventies. Isuzu exports also increased considerably as a result of being able to use GM networks, from 0.7% of production in 1973 to 35.2% by 1976; this while overall production increased more than fourfold in the same period. As a result of the GM joint venture, Isuzu engines were also used by existing GM divisions (some USA-market Chevrolet automobiles had Isuzu powertrains e.g. the Chevette and early S10/S15 trucks manufactured prior to 1985). In 1981 Isuzu began selling consumer and commercial vehicles under their own brand in the United States. The Isuzu P'Up was the first model sold to consumers as an Isuzu, rather than as a
Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...
or Buick, along with the
Isuzu Piazza The Isuzu Piazza is a small, sporty 3-door liftback coupé which was manufactured by Isuzu from 1981 until 1992 in two generations. The Isuzu Piazza was marketed as the Isuzu Impulse in North America and as the Holden Piazza in Australia. The f ...
sports car. Isuzu's then president Toshio Okamoto then initiated a collaboration with small-car expert
Suzuki is a Japanese multinational mobility manufacturer headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka. It manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a va ...
to develop a global small car for GM, the S-car. A three-way agreement of co-ownership was signed in August 1981, with Isuzu and Suzuki exchanging shares and General Motors taking a 5% share of Suzuki. Following on from this, in 1985 Isuzu and GM established the
IBC Vehicles IBC Vehicles Limited was a British automotive manufacturing company based in Luton, Bedfordshire and since 2021 a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational corporation Stellantis. Its principal operation was an assembly plant located in Lut ...
venture in the United Kingdom, producing locally built versions of Isuzu and Suzuki light vans (the Isuzu Fargo and
Suzuki Carry The is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the passenger van versions were renamed as the . In Japan, the Carry and Every are ''kei cars'' but the Suzuk ...
); to be sold in the European market under Vauxhall's
Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district. Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
brand. During this period Isuzu also developed a worldwide presence as an exporter of diesel engines, with their powerplants in use by
Opel Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Gr ...
/Vauxhall,
Land Rover Land Rover is a brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by British multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR builds Land Rovers in Brazil ...
,
Hindustan ''Hindūstān'' ( English: /ˈhɪndustæn/ or /ˈhɪndustɑn/, ; ) was a historical region, polity, and a name for India, historically used simultaneously for northern Indian subcontinent and the entire subcontinent, used in the modern day ...
, and many others. Two Isuzu model lines (Gemini, Impulse) were marketed as part of the
Geo Geo- is a prefix derived from the Greek word ''γη'' or ''γαια'', meaning "earth", usually in the sense of "ground or land”. GEO or Geo may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''GEO'' (magazine), a popular scientific magazi ...
division (Spectrum, Storm) when it was initially launched as a Chevrolet subsidiary. In the domestic Japanese market, OEM deals with other manufacturers were entered to aid the poorly performing passenger car arm. It led to the badging of Suzukis, beginning in 1986, and Subaru small commercial vehicles as Isuzus ( Geminett, Geminett II). This OEM tie-up occurred alongside the establishment of SIA (Subaru-Isuzu Automotive), an American joint venture with
Fuji Heavy Industries , formerly , is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate primarily involved in both terrestrial and aerospace transportation manufacturing. It is best known for its line of Subaru automobiles. Founded in 1953, the company was named ...
(the parent company of
Subaru is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first largest aut ...
). Shortly afterwards, the
Lafayette, Indiana Lafayette ( ) is a city in and is the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, located northwest of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of Lafayette ...
plant became operational.


Contraction begins

Isuzu ended US sales of the
Impulse Impulse or Impulsive may refer to: Science * Impulse (physics), in mechanics, the change of momentum of an object; the integral of a force with respect to time * Impulse noise (disambiguation) * Specific impulse, the change in momentum per unit ...
(
Geo Storm Geo storm may refer to: * Geo Storm, an automobile * ''Geostorm'', a 2017 American disaster film * ''GunForce II'', a 1994 Irem arcade game called ''Geo Storm'' in Japan See also * Geomagnetic storm A geomagnetic storm, also known as a magne ...
) in 1992, and the following year it stopped exporting the
Stylus A stylus is a writing utensil or tool for scribing or marking into softer materials. Different styluses were used to write in cuneiform by pressing into wet clay, and to scribe or carve into a wax tablet. Very hard styluses are also used to En ...
(the basis for the Geo Spectrum), the last Isuzu-built car sold in the US. In 1993 Isuzu began a new vehicle exchange program with
Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...
, whereby Honda sold the
Isuzu Rodeo The Isuzu Rodeo is an automotive nameplate that was used by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Isuzu between 1988 and 2004. Isuzu has utilized the "Rodeo" name on two different vehicles—a compact pickup truck sold in Japan, and a midsize SUV ...
and
Isuzu Trooper The Isuzu Trooper is a compact SUV that was produced by Isuzu between September 1981 and September 2002. In the domestic Japanese market it was sold as the Isuzu Bighorn, the car was exported internationally mainly as a Trooper but it also rece ...
as the Honda Passport and Acura SLX, respectively. In return Isuzu began selling the
Honda Odyssey Honda Odyssey can refer to three motor vehicles manufactured by Honda: * Honda Odyssey (ATV), an all-terrain vehicle (1977—1989) * Honda Odyssey (minivan), a brand of two different Honda minivan models for different markets ** Honda Odyssey (i ...
as the Isuzu Oasis. Thus, Honda's lineup gained two SUVs, and Isuzu's lineup gained a minivan. In the Japanese market, the Gemini (Stylus) was now a rebadged Honda Domani and the Aska (originally based on the GM J-car) was a
Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States sinc ...
, while Honda received the 2-door MU as the Jazz and the 4-door Trooper as the Horizon. Isuzu's United States sales reached a peak in 1996 after the introduction of the Isuzu Hombre pickup, a badge-engineered GM truck (using the sheetmetal of the Brazil-market Chevrolet S10). Isuzu resurrected the Amigo in 1998, before changing the name of the 2-door convertible to Rodeo Sport in 2001 in an attempt to associate it with the better selling 4-door Rodeo. The new
Axiom An axiom, postulate, or assumption is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning 'that which is thought worthy or ...
launched in 2001, with the fictional salesman Joe Isuzu from 1980s advertising campaigns brought back to promote it. Isuzu sales began to slide due to the aging of the
Rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...
and Trooper, and poor management and a lack of assistance from GM. The Rodeo Sport was discontinued in 2003, while production of the Rodeo and Axiom ceased a year later. By this point sales in North America had slowed to just 27,188, with the discontinued Rodeo and Axiom making up 71% of that total. In 1998 GM and Isuzu formed DMAX, a joint venture to produce
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
s. GM raised its stake in Isuzu to 49% the following year, effectively gaining control of the company, and quickly followed this up by appointing an American GM executive to head Isuzu's North American Operations. This marked the first time a non-Japanese executive had held such a high position at Isuzu. In 2001 GM and Isuzu announced plans to share distribution networks and for Chevrolet to market an Isuzu product. The production version of the VehiCROSS was introduced to the US in 1999, but met with mixed reviews, as its high price tag, unique styling and two-door configuration did not seem to meet with market demands. Production of the VehiCROSS and other sport utility vehicles, including the Trooper, ended in 2001 as part of a major financial reorganization which eliminated almost 10,000 jobs. GM had been pushing the company to focus exclusively on producing commercial vehicles and engines. The number of Isuzu dealerships in the US began a rapid decline, and by 2005 had only 2 models: the Ascender (a re-badged GMC Envoy) and the i-series pickup truck (a rebadged Chevrolet Colorado). At this point, Isuzu in the US was primarily a distributor of medium duty trucks such as the N-series, sourced both from Japan and US plants in Janesville, Wisconsin and Flint, Michigan. Isuzu had 290 light-vehicle dealers in the US in August 2006, and sold an average of just two Ascenders per dealer per month, and rumors of Isuzu's withdrawal from the US market were rampant. Plans to introduce a new Thai-built SUV for 2007 were shelved when Isuzu Motors Limited decided that a new SUV would be too risky, instead proceeding with the launch of the i-series trucks. Despite extremely low sales figures of 12,177 passenger vehicles for 2005 (with leftover Axiom and Rodeos making up 30% of this), Isuzu Motors America announced its first profit in years, mainly due to restructuring cuts. In early 2002, Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru's parent company) bought Isuzu's share of Lafayette, Indiana plant, and Subaru Isuzu Automotive (SIA) became Subaru of Indiana Automotive. After eight years of heavy Honda Passport sales and light Isuzu Oasis sales, Honda and Isuzu cooperatively ended their vehicle exchange agreement in 2001. The Oasis was dropped, and Honda replaced the Passport with the
Pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
. Isuzu's last year for passenger vehicles in Canada was 2001, as Isuzus in Canada were mostly sold at
Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant, with an average radius of about 9 times that of Earth. It has an eighth the average density of Earth, but is over 95 tim ...
-
Saab Saab or SAAB may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Saab AB, a Swedish aircraft, aerospace and defence company, still known as SAAB, and together with subsidiaries as Saab Group ** Datasaab, a former computer company, started as spin off from Saab ...
dealerships. In late 2002 Isuzu initiated a recapitalization and debt-for-equity conversion plan to stave off a bankruptcy. GM acquired 20% of DMAX, 60% of Isuzu Motors Polska and Isuzu Motors Germany, and the rights to three types of diesel engine technology from Isuzu. by paying 50 billion yen (about US$425 million). GM also paid 10 billion yen (about US$85 million) for a 12% stake in the recapitalized company. GM wrote off its investment in Isuzu in 2001. Production of the 7-passenger Ascender ended in February 2006 with the closure of GM's Oklahoma City Assembly plant, leaving Isuzu with the 5-passenger Ascender, built in
Moraine, Ohio Moraine is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. Situated on the banks of the Great Miami River, Moraine is an inner suburb of Dayton, Ohio and a part of the Dayton metropolitan area. The population was 6,393 at the 2020 census. H ...
and the low-selling i-Series as its only retail products. The company sold just 1,504 vehicles in North America in the first two months of 2006. GM ended its equity investment in Isuzu and sold all its shares to
Mitsubishi Corporation is a Japanese general trading company ( ''sogo shosha'') and a core member of the Mitsubishi Group. For much of the post-war period, Mitsubishi Corporation has been the largest of the five great ''sogo shosha'' (Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, S ...
,
Itochu is a Japanese corporation based in Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka and Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo. It is one of the largest Japanese ''sogo shosha'' (general trading and investment companies) distinguished by the strength of its textil ...
and
Mizuho Corporate Bank , or MHCB, was the corporate and investment banking subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group, the second-biggest Japanese financial services conglomerate, prior to the reintegration of investment banking services under the Mizuho Bank name in July 20 ...
; both GM and Isuzu claimed the companies would continue their relationship, but there was no word as of April 12, 2006 on the effect this would have on DMAX operations. In June 2006 Isuzu and GM agreed to establish a joint venture called "LCV Platform Engineering Corporation (LPEC)" to develop a new pickup. Isuzu said it would use its engineering expertise to develop the pickup and GM would develop derivatives based on the integrated platform. Mitsubishi Corp became Isuzu's largest shareholder in October 2006, after it converted all the preferred shares in Isuzu it had held since 2005 into common stock, increasing its shareholding from 3.5% to 15.65%. In November 2006
Toyota is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...
purchased a 5.9% shareholding in Isuzu, becoming the third largest shareholder behind
Itochu is a Japanese corporation based in Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka and Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo. It is one of the largest Japanese ''sogo shosha'' (general trading and investment companies) distinguished by the strength of its textil ...
and
Mitsubishi Corporation is a Japanese general trading company ( ''sogo shosha'') and a core member of the Mitsubishi Group. For much of the post-war period, Mitsubishi Corporation has been the largest of the five great ''sogo shosha'' (Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, S ...
. The two companies agreed to study possible business collaboration focusing on the areas of R&D and production of diesel engines, related emissions-control, and other environmental technologies. In January 2007 Isuzu and General Motors updated the LCV range with a 3.0 litre common rail diesel engine that had far more torque and power than its predecessor. In August 2007 Isuzu and Toyota agreed to develop a 1.6-liter diesel engine for use in Toyota vehicles sold in European markets. At this point, details of development, production and supply of the diesel engine were still under discussion, but in principle, Isuzu would play the leading role, with production scheduled to begin around 2012. On 30 January 2008, Isuzu announced its complete withdrawal from the US market, effective 31 January 2009. It would continue to provide support and parts. The decision was due to lack of sales. Some of the lack of sales was blamed on consumer experiences with low quality engines and service. Isuzu had been experiencing a slow decline since the late 1990s. In less than 10 years, they had gone from selling a complete line of cars, trucks, and SUVs, into being a specialized SUV maker, and finally selling only a pair of rebadged, General Motors Trucks. The company continued to sell commercial vehicles in the US. Isuzu and Toyota shelved development of a clean diesel engine in December 2008. On 29 January 2009, Isuzu and GM announced that they were in talks to transfer the operation of the medium-duty truck production line in
Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Central Michigan, Mid Michigan region. Flin ...
to Isuzu for a five-year period. In June, however, GM announced that these talks failed to reach an agreement, and GM instead ceased production of the
Chevrolet Kodiak The Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick are a range of medium-duty trucks that were produced by the Chevrolet and GMC divisions of General Motors from 1980 to 2009. Introduced as a variant of the medium-duty C/K truck line, three generations were ...
and GMC Topkick vehicles on 31 July 2009. In July 2016, Isuzu and Mazda agreed to collaborate to produce the next-generation pickup trucks for Mazda outside of North America. As a result, the third-generation Mazda BT-50 is built by Isuzu in
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
since 2020. Isuzu's plant in the Indian state of
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
began operations in 2016. In August 2018, Toyota sold off its 5.9% stake in Isuzu. In December 2019, Isuzu announced that it had signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding which would eventually see
Volvo The Volvo Group (; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distribution and sale of truck ...
sell
UD Trucks UD Trucks Corporation (UDトラックス株式会社, ''UD Torakkusu Kabushikigaisha'') is a Japanese company whose principal business is the manufacturing and sales of diesel trucks, buses, bus chassis and special-purpose vehicles. Its headquart ...
to them. In November 2020, the companies announced that they have signed the "final agreements", making the memorandum of understanding binding. In April 2021, Isuzu completed UD Trucks acquisition. In March 2021, Isuzu, Hino, and Hino's parent Toyota announced the creation of a strategic partnership between the three companies. Toyota acquired a 4.6% stake in Isuzu while the latter plans to acquire Toyota shares for an equivalent value. The three companies said they would form a new joint venture by April called Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation with the aim of developing
fuel cell A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel (often hydrogen fuel, hydrogen) and an oxidizing agent (often oxygen) into electricity through a pair of redox reactions. Fuel cells are different from most bat ...
and
electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...
light trucks. Toyota would own an 80% stake in the venture while Hino and Isuzu would own 10% each.


Market presence

In most of Asia and Africa, Isuzu is known primarily for trucks of all sizes, after Isuzu dropped all sales of sedans and compact cars in the late 1990s due to plummeting sales. In the days when Isuzu sold passenger cars, they were known for focusing on the diesel-engined niche. In 1983, for instance, long before the explosion in diesel sales, diesels represented 63.4% of their passenger car production. In 2009, Isuzu abandoned the United States consumer market due to lack of sales. Isuzu as a corporation has always been primarily a manufacturer of small to medium compact automobiles and commercial trucks of sizes medium duty and larger, but markets around the world show different needs. Isuzu Motors America discontinued the sale of passenger vehicles in the United States on January 31, 2009. The company explained to its dealers that it had not been able to secure replacements for the
Isuzu Ascender The Isuzu Ascender is a mid-size SUV built by General Motors for Isuzu. The 7-passenger Ascender was introduced for the 2003 model year as a replacement for the Isuzu Trooper. The 5-passenger Ascender was introduced for the 2004 model year as a r ...
and Isuzu i-Series that would be commercially viable. Isuzu sold 7,098 cars in the year 2007. This action did not affect Isuzu's commercial vehicle or industrial diesel engine operations in the United States. Isuzu has a contract with
Budget Truck Rental Budget Truck Rental, LLC is the second largest truck rental company in the continental United States, with around 2,800 locations and 32,000 trucks across the country. Budget Truck Rental is owned and operated by Avis Budget Group, which was spun ...
to manufacture their rental trucks, shared with Ford, GMC, and
Navistar International International Motors, LLC (formerly Navistar International Corporation) is an American manufacturer of commercial vehicles and engines, established in 1986 as a successor to the International Harvester company. International Motors produces ...
. In Australia, Isuzu was for many years a major supplier of light commercial and domestic vehicles to
Holden Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. Founded in Adelaide, it was an automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter that sold cars under its own marque in Australia. It was ...
(General Motors). However, by 2008, Holden was sourcing few Isuzus. At this time Isuzu began to sell the D-Max under the Isuzu name. Isuzu's entry in the Thai market proved to be one of its most successful. Its presence in the country began in 1966 when it established a manufacturing facility for pick-up trucks in the Samuthprakarn province with a capacity of 155,000 units per year. The automaker quickly became a market leader so that by 2002, the company transferred its production base from its original location in Fujisawa, Japan to Thailand. Isuzu claimed the largest share of the Thai commercial vehicle market, outperforming its competitors for at least 23 years. By 2006, the company transferred to an industrial zone in
Chachoengsao Chachoengsao (, ) is a town ('' thesaban mueang'') in central Thailand, capital of Chachoengsao Province. It is on the banks of the Bang Pakong River. It includes ''tambon'' Na Mueang and parts of Ban Mai, Bang Tin Pet, Wang Takhian, and Sothon ...
province to support further production expansion. By 2017, Isuzu has been exporting pick-up trucks, with shipments reaching North America, Latin America, Australia, and Japan. In the same year, it announced that its profit climbed 7 percent and has doubled its annual truck production to meet overseas demands.


Subsidiaries and joint ventures


Japan

The Fujisawa Plant was built and opened for production November 1961. It is located at 8 Tsuchidana,
Fujisawa, Kanagawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 439,728 and a population density of 6300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Fujisawa is in the south-central part of Kan ...
, and is still producing commercial vehicles for domestic Japanese use and international exports. The Toghichi Plant, located at Hakuchu, Ohira-Machi,
Tochigi, Tochigi is a Cities of Japan, city located in Tochigi Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 151,842 in 66,018 households, and a population density of 458 persons per km2. The total area of the ci ...
, is where the engines are currently built. There was a factory at Tono Machi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Pref. that closed March 2005 that manufactured passenger vehicles.


Mimamori-kun online service

Mimamori-kun, which means to watch, monitor, or observe in
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
(literally "Mr. Watcher"), is a commercial vehicle telematics service developed by Isuzu Motors for monitoring and tracking commercial vehicle operations and movements in Japan. The service uses
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geol ...
satellite tracking services, and began February 2004. It is connected to the internet and provides government mandated driver activity logs, and records how long the driver was on-duty and how much time was spent driving. The service also records when the driver took lunch breaks, where the truck stopped and for how long, and when the driver logged off for his duty shift. The service has been modified for personal use in Japan to keep track of family members, to include the health status of elderly persons and pinpoint the location of children for safety purposes. Some of the main features include the wireless Internet
Digital Tachograph A digital tachograph is a device fitted to a vehicle that digitally records its speed and distance, together with the driver's activity selected from a choice of modes. In Europe, it succeeded the analogue tachograph as a result of European Uni ...
, the first of its kind in Japan, combined with hands-free communication, voice guidance, and text messages displayed from the dispatch office. The system also has a password-enabled vehicle theft prevention feature that will not let the vehicle start without the driver having entered a password.


International operations

*
DMAX (engines) DMAX is an American manufacturer of the Duramax V8 diesel engines for trucks, based in Dayton, Ohio. Engine production began in Moraine, Ohio in 2000. History DMAX originally was announced in 1997 as a 60-40 joint venture between and operated ...
- former joint venture with General Motors in United States for production of diesel engines *
Ghandhara Industries Ghandhara Industries Limited (GIL) (), formerly known as National Motors Limited, doing business as Isuzu Pakistan, is a Pakistani truck and buses assembler based in Karachi. It is the authorized assembler of Isuzu vehicles in Pakistan.
- joint venture in Pakistan - trucks, buses * Guangzhou Automobile Group Bus - joint venture in China -
bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...
es *
Industries Mécaniques Maghrébines The Industries Mécaniques Maghrébines S.A. (IMM) are a Tunisian car manufacturer headquartered in the city of Kairouan. The company was founded in 1982 by GM and other investors and closed for the first time in 1988; the plant was reopened in ...
- joint venture at Kairouan, Tunisia - trucks, SUVs *
Isuzu (Anadolu) Anadolu Isuzu (officially Anadolu Isuzu Automotive Industry & Trading A.Ş.) is a joint venture company based in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the collaboration between Anadolu Group, Isuzu, Itochu and DRB-HICOM, HICOM. Its main fields of operation are ...
- joint venture in Turkey - trucks, buses *
Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia (IAMI) is a joint venture automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer with headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. The company was founded in April 2008 and is the successor of the previous Isuzu manufacturer, ''Pantja ...
- joint venture in Indonesia - trucks, SUVs *
Isuzu HICOM Malaysia Isuzu HICOM Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (IHM) is a Malaysian commercial vehicle manufacturer operating under a joint venture between the DRB-HICOM and Isuzu companies, based in Peramu Jaya Industrial Area in Pekan, Malaysia. The company was established ...
- joint venture in Malaysia - trucks, SUVs *
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. (ICTA) is the North American subsidiary of Isuzu. It is headquartered in Anaheim, California. Isuzu commercial trucks have been the #1 selling low cab forward trucks in America every year since 1986. Hist ...
* Isuzu Motors de México - joint venture in Mexico - trucks, buses * Isuzu Motors Saudi Arabia - joint venture in Saudi Arabia - trucks, SUVs * Isuzu Motors (Thailand) - joint venture in Thailand - trucks, SUVs * Isuzu Motorsports - Australia *
Isuzu Philippines Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) is a subsidiary of the Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer Isuzu and headquartered in Biñan, Laguna, Philippines. The company was formed on August 7, 1995 with an investment of ₱1,000,000.00. The compan ...
- joint venture in the Philippines - trucks, SUVs * General Motors De Portugal-FMAT S.A. at Tramagal near Abrantes (Assembling company of all Bedford and Isuzu medium to heavy diesel trucks and 4X4 Pickup models since the 1960s then vehicles are sent for sale in Portugal and Spain) * The assembling of Isuzu commercial trucks is carried out by the Az Universal Motors which is part of the AzGroup in Azerbaijan. *
Isuzu Truck (UK) IBC Vehicles Limited was a British automotive manufacturing company based in Luton, Bedfordshire and since 2021 a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational corporation Stellantis. Its principal operation was an assembly plant located in Lut ...
- at the former IBC factory
Dunstable Dunstable ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, east of the Chiltern Hills, north of London. There are several steep chalk escarpments, most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north. Dunstable is the fou ...
, England - trucks, SUVs *
Isuzu Truck South Africa Isuzu Motors South Africa (commonly simply referred to as Isuzu, and stylized as ISUZU) is an automobile manufacturer headquartered in Sandton, South Africa. The company is wholly owned by Japanese automotive company Isuzu. History Isuzu Tr ...
- joint venture in South Africa - trucks *
Isuzu Vietnam Isuzu Vietnam Co. (IVC) is a manufacturer of commercial vehicles and motor vehicle dealer based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The company was founded on October 19, 1995, with a capital of US$15 million as a joint venture. Partners are the Japanes ...
- joint venture in Vietnam - trucks, SUVs * Jiangxi Isuzu - joint venture in China - trucks, SUVs * Qingling Motors - joint venture in China - trucks, SUVs *
SML Isuzu SML Isuzu Limited (SMLI) is a commercial vehicle manufacturer established in 1983. SMLI produces and sells buses, ambulances and customized vehicles. Sumitomo Corporation and Isuzu hold a 44% and 15% stake of the company respectively. The com ...
- joint venture in India, formerly Swaraj Mazda *
Sollers-Isuzu JSC "ISUZU RUS" (АО ИСУЗУ РУС) is a commercial vehicle manufacturer with headquarters in Ulyanovsk, Russia. The company was founded in 2006 as a joint venture between OAO Sollers, which contributed with a share of 66%, Isuzu, which part ...
- joint venture in Russia - trucks (until July 2023)


Former international operations

* Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. - former joint venture in United States, interest sold to
Subaru is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first largest aut ...
-


Isuzu Diesel Engines / Power Train division

Diesel engines are a major part of the Isuzu Motor's business with over 20 million engines worldwide. The diesel power division, known as the PowerTrain Division, of Isuzu Motors America, is located in Plymouth, Michigan.


North American Master Distributors

* Southwest Products - Covering California, Nevada and Arizona. * United Engines * Mack Boring Parts * M & L Engine


Isuzu Diesel powered equipment


Ag Equipment

* Harrington Seed Destructor


Construction equipment

* Paving equipment produced by CRAFCO. It manufacturers a variety of paving equipment that is powered by Isuzu diesel engines.


Passenger, bus and commercial vehicles


Current passenger vehicles

* 2002–present, D-Max - pickup truck, a top selling diesel sold in the majority of Isuzu markets (excluding Japan and North America). * 2013–present MU-X - SUV, successor of Isuzu MU-7, developed from D-Max.


Current commercial vehicles

*
Como Como (, ; , or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Nestled at the southwestern branch of the picturesque Lake Como, the city is a renowned tourist destination, ce ...
- light commercial van (rebadged
Nissan Caravan The Nissan Caravan is a light commercial van designed for use as a fleet vehicle or cargo van and manufactured by Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan ...
) *
Elf An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic peoples, Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in Norse mythology, North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda'' ...
- light duty truck (N-series) * Erga - low deck heavy duty bus * Erga-J - heavy duty bus * Erga Mio - low deck medium duty bus * Forward - medium duty truck (F-series) *
Giga Giga- ( or ) is a metric prefix, unit prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of a Long and short scales, short-scale billion or long-scale milliard (109 or 1,000,000,000). It has the symbol G. ''Giga-'' is derived from the Ancient Greek, ...
- heavy duty truck (C-series, E-series) *
Gala Gala may refer to: Music * ''Gala'' (album), a 1990 album by the English alternative rock band Lush * Gala (singer), Italian singer and songwriter *'' Gala – The Collection'', a 2016 album by Sarah Brightman * GALA Choruses, an association of ...
- heavy duty bus * Gala Mio - medium duty bus * Journey - light duty bus * Traga/Traviz - light commercial vehicle


UD Trucks vehicles

From April 2021 onwards, UD Trucks' products are part of the Isuzu company lineup.


Former passenger vehicles

* 1953–1962, Minx - sedan, Isuzu produced
Hillman Minx The Hillman Minx was a mid-sized family car that British car maker Hillman produced from 1931 to 1970. There were many versions of the Minx over that period, as well as badge engineered variants sold by Humber, Singer, and Sunbeam. From the ...
under licence. * 1961–1966, Bellel - sedan * 1963–1973, Bellett - sedan (PR10/20) and coupe (PR90 and PR91) * 1967–1983, Florian - sedan * 1968–1981, 117 - coupe * 1972–2002,
Faster Faster or FASTER may refer to: Music * "Faster" (George Harrison song) * "Faster" (Matt Nathanson song) * "Faster" (Within Temptation song) * "Faster" (Manic Street Preachers song), a double A-side single by Manic Street Preachers * "Faster", ...
- pickup truck * 1974–2000,
Gemini Gemini most often refers to: * Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac * Gemini (astrology), an astrological sign Gemini may also refer to: Science and technology Space * Gemini in Chinese astronomy, the Gemini constellat ...
/ I-Mark/
Stylus A stylus is a writing utensil or tool for scribing or marking into softer materials. Different styluses were used to write in cuneiform by pressing into wet clay, and to scribe or carve into a wax tablet. Very hard styluses are also used to En ...
- sedan/coupe/hatchback * 1981–1993,
Piazza A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Rela ...
/
Impulse Impulse or Impulsive may refer to: Science * Impulse (physics), in mechanics, the change of momentum of an object; the integral of a force with respect to time * Impulse noise (disambiguation) * Specific impulse, the change in momentum per unit ...
/
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstor ...
-
Hatchback A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
* 1983–2002, Aska - sedan * 1983–2002, Trooper - midsize SUV * 1986–1993, Geminett - hatchback/wagon, a rebadged first generation
Suzuki Cultus The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Suzuki from 1983 to 2016. The nameplate is currently used as a rebadged Suzuki Celerio#second, second-generation Suzuki Celerio in Pakistan since 2017. It was first pres ...
(1986–1988) and then third generation
Subaru Leone The Subaru Leone is a compact car produced by the Japanese automaker, car manufacturer Subaru from 1971 to 1994. The word ''leone'' is Italian for lion. It was released as a replacement for the Subaru 1000 and was the predecessor of the Subaru Im ...
wagon as Geminett II (1988–1993). * 1989–2004, Amigo/MU - Compact SUV, renamed to Rodeo Sport in 2001. * 1991–2004, Rodeo/Wizard - midsize SUV, also
rebadged In the automotive industry, rebadging (also known as badge engineering, an intentionally ironic misnomer in that little or no actual engineering takes place) is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. T ...
as the Honda Passport. * 1996–1999,
Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environmentminivan Minivan (sometimes called simply a van) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi-p ...
, a rebadged
Honda Odyssey Honda Odyssey can refer to three motor vehicles manufactured by Honda: * Honda Odyssey (ATV), an all-terrain vehicle (1977—1989) * Honda Odyssey (minivan), a brand of two different Honda minivan models for different markets ** Honda Odyssey (i ...
. * 1996–2000, Hombre -
pickup truck A pickup truck or pickup is a Truck_classification#Table_of_US_GVWR_classifications, light or medium duty truck that has an enclosed cabin (truck), cabin, and a back end made up of a cargo bed that is enclosed by three low walls with no roof (th ...
, a rebadged Chevrolet S10. * 1996–2001, Vertex - sedan, a rebadged Honda Integra SJ. * 1997–2002,
Filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...
, a rebadged
Nissan Elgrand The is a minivan manufactured by Nissan Shatai for Nissan since 1997, available in three generations, with model codes E50 (1997–2002), E51 (2002–2010), and E52 (2010–present). The E50 Elgrand was also configured and produced as a ligh ...
- minivan * 1999–2001, VehiCROSS - SUV * 2001–2004,
Axiom An axiom, postulate, or assumption is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning 'that which is thought worthy or ...
- midsize SUV * 2002–2008, Ascender - midsize SUV, a rebadged
GMC Envoy The GMC Envoy is a Mid-size car, mid-size SUV manufactured and marketed by General Motors for the 1998 to 2009 model years over two generations. Adopting a Envoy (automobile), nameplate used by GM Canada, the Envoy was phased in as a trim variant ...
. * 2006–2008, i-series - pickup truck - a product of the co-developed GMT355 platform that Isuzu sells overseas. * 2004–2013, MU-7 - midsize SUV, developed from D-Max platform that was on sale only in Thailand, Philippines, India and China. * 1991–2020, Panther - van and pickup truck, sold as the Isuzu Hi-Lander/Crosswind in the Philippines, also sold throughout the
ASEAN The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...
, and in India as the Chevrolet Tavera.


Former commercial vehicles

*
Bison A bison (: bison) is a large bovine in the genus ''Bison'' (from Greek, meaning 'wild ox') within the tribe Bovini. Two extant taxon, extant and numerous extinction, extinct species are recognised. Of the two surviving species, the American ...
- light commercial pickup truck, a rebadged second generation Mitsubishi Delica pickup truck for Indonesian market (not related to fourth generation
Isuzu Elf The is a medium duty truck produced by Isuzu since 1959. Outside Japan it is known as N series and Q Series. The range was originally mainly available in Japan and other Asian countries. Australia was another important market for the Elf and N ...
that was sold under Bison name in Indonesia in the early 1990s). * Fargo - light commercial van * H-Series - heavy duty truck in United States only (rebadged from GMC Topkick and
Chevrolet Kodiak The Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick are a range of medium-duty trucks that were produced by the Chevrolet and GMC divisions of General Motors from 1980 to 2009. Introduced as a variant of the medium-duty C/K truck line, three generations were ...
). * Journey-J - medium duty bus * Reach - commercial van offering over 35 percent better fuel efficiency, assembled by Utilimaster Corporation.


Race cars

*1969 Isuzu R7,
Group 7 Group 7 may refer to: * G7, an international group of finance minister *Group 7 element, chemical element classification *Halogens The halogens () are a group (periodic table), group in the periodic table consisting of six chemically related c ...
- racecar *1970 Isuzu Bellett R6,
Group 6 Group 6 may refer to: * Group 6 element, chemical element classification * Group 6 (motorsport), FIA classification for sports car racing * Group 6 Rugby League, rugby league competition in New South Wales, Australia {{disambig ...
- racecar


Concept cars

*1969 Isuzu Bellett MX1600 *1979 Isuzu Asso di Fiori *1983 Isuzu COA *1985 Isuzu COA II *1987 Isuzu COA III, AWD mid-engine coupe. *1987 Isuzu Zero Door *1989 Isuzu Costa *1989 Isuzu MultiCROSS *1989 4200R *1991 Isuzu Como F1, a pickup-style crossover with a Lotus
Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
engine (the name was later used for the rebadged Nissan Caravan produced from 2001). *1991 Isuzu Nagisa *1991 Isuzu Terraza *1993 Isuzu XU-1 *1993 Isuzu VehiCROSS *1995 Isuzu Deseo *1995 Isuzu Aisance *1997 Isuzu VX-2 *1997 Isuzu ZACCAR *1999 Isuzu VX-O2 *1999 Isuzu Kai *1999 ZXS *2000 Isuzu VX-4 *2001 Isuzu Zen *2001 Isuzu GBX *2001 Isuzu Axiom XSF *2002 Isuzu Axiom XSR *2002 Isuzu Axiom XST *2011 Isuzu T-Next *2020 Isuzu FLIR *2025 Isuzu Dragon Max


Buses (Philippines)

*LV314K *LV314L *CJM470 *CJM500 *LT132 *LV423 *LV123 *PABFTR33PLB *FTR33P *FTR45 *PABFVR33P


Buses (Thailand)

*CQM275hp *CQA650A/T *JCR600YZNN *LT112P *LV223S *LV423R *LV486R *LV771 *MT111L *MT111QB


Buses (Ukraine)

*
Bogdan Bogdan (Cyrillic: Богдан) is a Slavic masculine name that appears in the South Slavic languages and in Polish, Romanian and Moldovan. It is derived from the Slavic words ''Bog'' (Cyrillic: Бог), meaning 'god', and ''dan'' (Cyrillic: ...
buses - sold under Isuzu brand outside Ukraine


Military vehicles

* Isuzu TW340 medium truck * Isuzu TWD20/25 medium truck * Isuzu TSD45/TSD55 medium truck * Isuzu HTS12G 2.5 ton truck * Isuzu Type 73 Heavy Truck


Sponsorship

As of 2017, Isuzu has been the shirt sponsor of the
Wales Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; ) is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running of rugby in Wales, overseeing 320 member clu ...
sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...
team in the UK (
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
). The contract was renewed during 2023, until 2025.


See also

*
List of automobile manufacturers Automobile manufacturers are Company, companies and Organization, organizations that produce motor vehicles. Many of these companies are still in business, and many of the companies are defunct. Only companies that have articles on Wikipedia are ...


References


External links

* {{Authority control Mimamori-kun Bus manufacturers of Japan Car brands Car manufacturers of Japan Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Companies in the Nikkei 225 Defense companies of Japan Diesel engine manufacturers Electric vehicle manufacturers of Japan Electrical generation engine manufacturers Engine manufacturers of Japan Global Positioning System Hybrid electric bus manufacturers Itochu Japanese companies established in 1916 Marine engine manufacturers Military vehicle manufacturers Mitsubishi Motors subsidiaries Toyota Truck manufacturers of Japan Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1916 1940s initial public offerings