Isuzu enters the highly competitive, but profitable, pickup truck market in 2006 with the all new i-280 and i-350 pickup trucks to go with the Ascender, the only other vehicle sold by Isuzu, a Japanese company with financial ties to General Motors. Despite the fact there are already 30 different pick-up truck models on the market, Isuzu hopes one lure for buyers will be its truck warranties - seven years/ 75,000 miles on the powertrain, three years/ 50,000 basic limited warranty and six years/100,000 miles against corrosion.

Our test drive was the i-350 which has a 3.5-liter engine compared to the 2.8-liter found in the base i-280 model, which stares at $16,989 for the Extended Cab 4x2. The i-350 Crew Cab 4x4 takes a bigger chunk out of the wallet but the bite isn’t as big as many of its competitors, another selling point, the company hopes. Unlike its competitors with dozens of possible combinations and configurations, such as Chevrolet Silverado or Ford F-150, Isuzu only offers the two pickups.

The i-350 handled well on the highway and with a 44.6-foot turning radius, exhibited some agility for off road work. With four-wheel drive, muddy ruts and slippery pasture were controllable and except for the typical pickup truck “jounce,” the ride was acceptable with off-road suspension tuning and steering control was responsive, without any “fight-back” from the leather-wrapped steering wheel. The molded plastic truck bed stretches over 5-feet, contains 37 cubic feet of space with tie-down loops in the corners and has a fold down rear gate.

Towing capacity is 4,000 with an additional 1,190 pounds of payload available. The inline engine shows good highway manners, with electronic throttle control and variable exhaust valve timing. The truck look is similar to GMC trucks but different enough price-wise to be an attractive alternative. Five-spoke aluminum 15x7 inch wheels add some panache. Features include a shift-on-the-fly push button to go from 2-wheel to 4 wheel drive and a locking rear differential for rough patches.

Spaciousness inside appears normal for a crew cab and the rear bench seat can accommodate two adults comfortably, who will find storage pouches behind the front seats and a pair of rear cup holders. Entry and exit is a little difficult due to all four doors being somewhat smallish. Knick knack spaces are plentiful with open trays, a large glove box and a two-tier center console. Radio and climate controls are easy to access.