News

Isuzu Philippines unveils Microbus, 2010 N-Series truck

by Anna Barbara L. Lorenzo 08 Mar 2010
Photos by Vernon B. Sarne and from Isuzu Philippines

TopGear.com.ph Car News All-New Isuzu Microbus image

Isuzu Philippines has launched the Microbus, a commercial vehicle based on the N-Series truck platform, for fleet and mass transport use.

The Isuzu Microbus, which will be available starting the second half of 2010, is powered by Isuzu's 2.8-liter 4JB1-TC engine. Its body, which can accommodate up to 16 passengers, is built by coachbuilder Centro Manufacturing Corp.

"Customer-oriented establishments looking for a dependable and affordable means of transport for their clients now have the best mini bus the industry can offer," Isuzu Philippines senior vice president Arthur Balmadrid said in a statement.

In a separate interview, Balmadrid said the Isuzu Microbus on display is still just a prototype as it may still be modified prior to the vehicle's availability later this year.

"It's price will range from P1.3 million to P2 million, depending on the interior components. Right now, we are still getting a feel of what the market wants in the Microbus," he added.

Isuzu Philippines also launched the 2010 edition of its N-Series trucks, which are now Euro 2-complaint. The N-Series truck may be modified into a passenger van, refrigerated van, fire truck, cargo truck, and tanker, among other applications.

Isuzu Motors Ltd.'s Masahisa Kitamura, chief engineer of the N-Series truck who was in Manila during the launch, said the truck was really designed to meet the requirements of different businesses.

"Our customers consistently cite its durability, reliability, fuel-efficiency and low maintenance costs as being the main factors as to why they choose this vehicle," Kitamura said.

Isuzu Philippines said the N-Series has been the country's leading light-duty truck since 1999. Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers' in the Philippines showed that in 2009, Isuzu Philippines dominated the light-truck sector of the commercial vehicle segment with sales reaching 997 units representing 49.2 percent of the market.

 
Tags: Isuzu, Isuzu Philippines, Isuzu N-Series, truck, Isuzu Microbus

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COMMENTS

  • johnny says 16 passengers only? oh, c'mon. (08 March 2010)
  • Rem says Are those Alterras' wheels? And the seats in the picture doesn't look comfortable enough for long trips. (08 March 2010)
  • TJ says Good Luck ;) ISUZU pa naman :-& eewwww parang it will never last and too expensive... :| i just hate isuzu.. (08 March 2010)
  • CL says this microbus is not good parang isuzu truck tas inihalo sa mitsu coaster saka bat 16 lng ang konti naman dapat man lang ginawang 24 ou nga gulong ba ng alterra un? tama si TJ EWW! (08 March 2010)
  • Anonymouse says This is probably Isuzu's answer to Mitsubishi's Beep http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/mitsubishi-philippines-partner-launch-busjeepney-crossbreed (08 March 2010)
  • BOOGIECAT says Its Isuzu's answer to the BEEP..This one is cheaper than the BEEP..I'm interested in this one which will be available this May! (08 March 2010)
  • Hmm says Interesting- can it be customized into RV? That would be something (08 March 2010)
  • w says we own a 2008 isuzu d-max, and i really like it.. because it is very durable and fuel efficient, some would say it is very noisy, but inside it is very quiet, it already has a 70t millage but still very nice and the performance is still good (08 March 2010)
  • dcyy77 says good news!at last meron na kaming ipalit sa defective na d4d commuter.c'mon nissan & mitsu 'wag kayong magpapahuli!it looks nice inside & more comfortable. (09 March 2010)
  • Leopaul says Perfect na pang-school bus para sa mga nagsipasok sa school... (09 March 2010)
  • 458 says @dcyy77 Merong bus ang Mitsu and my Nissan Urvan na 21 seaters. (09 March 2010)
  • gvm0116 says Funny, they call it a microbus with an elf's chassis, looks and engine. Although it would be a bit more forgiving than the truck from w/c it is based due to less leaf springs at the back, it would still be very noisy as befits all Isuzu engines. The designers should have, at least, changed the front-end styling just like what Toyota and Mitsubishi did with the Coaster and Rosa. In fairness, though, it would last longer than our future president. (09 March 2010)
  • dcyy77 says @458 ang urvan kasi luma na hindi na nirerequest ng mga guest namin.sana may 21 seaters na estate.at sana may bago ng L300 na lumabas.marami kasing problema ang d4d mapa gl o commuter man at innova,na kasalukuyang unit namin ngayon. (09 March 2010)
  • arville says Guys, hold ur horses (except for CL hehe.). Again, Isuzu is not after the design, but you can rely on their products durability and performance... Again, isuzu is a TRUCK maker, okhey? I hope that will make ur thoughts a little bit considerate. Cheers now guys. ;) (09 March 2010)
  • Alamid says Love the industrial look. Ang tigas at ang tikas. Kudos Isuzu. Jackpot kayo with this piece. (10 March 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Mendoza says medyo maganda.MEDYO LNG! HEHEHEHEHE. truck maker arville? it means ang crosswind, sportivo, d-max, alterra at IPV ay mga truck? peace V.@leopaul tama ka rin pwede sya pang schoolbus. pero mahiya nmn ang isuzu sa mitsu. microbus-16str, L300 FB exceed-17str. plus 1 person sa FB exceed. (11 March 2010)
  • arville says @JMM: Yes they are a truck maker. But the vehicles that u mentioned are obviously not trucks. Isuzu's forte is truck. Got it now, or explain further? (12 March 2010)
  • doberdawg says this is a bus not a van and I love it exacto sa school bus business ko (12 March 2010)
  • Driver says Bakit nyo naman icocompare yan sa FB at Urvan nyo? 21 seater nga yang Urvan nyo e para naman kayo mga sardinas sa sikip. Mangangawit pa tuhod nyo sa trapik dahil halos hindi ka na makaupo sa soooobrang sikip. Sa akin ok 'tong ginawa ng isuzu. Sa seating arrangement palang e di hamak na mas comfortable compare sa mga bulok na FB at Urvan. (18 March 2010)
  • Rem says @Juan Miguel Mendoza, Yes Isuzu is a truck maker. Afaik, Alterra, IPV/D-MAX and Crosswinds are Pick-Up TRUCK based kaya ganun itsura nila, di tulad ng mga Innova at iba pang cars ng Toyota/Mitsu na more on MPV ang design. tska tinigil na nila yung pag gawa ng passenger cars like yung Gemini. And sa palagay ko kaya naging 16 seater yan e dahil sa individual seats yung configuration kaya konti kasya di tulad sa L300/Urvan na magkaharap ang upuan na bench seat type. (24 March 2010)
  • ISUZU USER says bat niyo ba cinocompare ang TOYOTA at MITSU sa ISUZU ? eh walang kwenta mga sasakyan ng TOYOTA at MITSUBISHI bulok mga makina nila .. (30 March 2010)
  • dong says ok t0h! all purpose vehicle, pwedeng pang tao at pang bigas.. hehe! kelan b mabibili to? (23 April 2010)
  • biztado voyz says ok yan comportable at maganda (28 April 2010)
  • T.J. says hoy! bbli ba kau!? reklamo kau ng reklamo! kaya nyo bng gumawa ng microbus? (17 May 2010)
  • T.J. says weh........... c isuzu user naman........ bulok daw engine ng toyota at mitsubishi........... kaya pala corolla at lancer ung car nya.. (29 May 2010)
  • esteban says sana naman maglabas ang Isuzu na panglaban aa Grandia in terms of design comfort. (04 June 2010)
  • Paulo Sy says maganda sana yung isuzu sabi ng mga kilala kong mikaniko pero sana naman pagagandahin nman yung itsura ng microbus sa harap kasi ang pangit ng harapan parang cargo truck malayo sa itsura ng GL at commuter maganda pa nga yung nissan sa harapan. (10 June 2010)
  • Andrelyn Tag-at says sna pagandahin nman nnyo ang harapan ng micriobus na yan at ako'y tlgang bibili mismo sa taong ito........ (10 June 2010)
  • Kelsey Ulrich Quinain says sa plagay q,, skaling mpaganda ang hrapan ng microbus tyak na maraming bibili ksi mrmi na ang nkaalam sa meaning ng D4D ng toyota "DEFECTIVE DIESEL ENGINE". . .dpat sna tatlong D yan sa toyota "DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE DIESEL ENGINE". . .hehe. (10 June 2010)
  • Romel says well this microbus model is good. everything is fine except the engine size. It's too small comparing to it's size and seating capacity. They shld make it 3.0 or even bigger man lang sana para di masyadong mahirapan specialy when going up to Baguio with seating capacity or I mean loaded you know! (12 June 2010)

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