Isuzu SWB NLR series as tow vehicle - how has it been

mbkitmgr
If using the caravan on an Isuzu truck I would make sure the HITCH has a SHOCK ABSORBING FEATURE which reduces or nullifies the sudden rear road shocks which the hitch on the van would be experiencing ALL THE TIME. Being a short wheel base truck that could be very important for life of van A frame.

Forget the caravan :)
Put super singles, parabolic springs and a slide-on on the 4WD Isuzu and go places the caravan would never go.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

G/Day Mbkitmgr

I have had a lot to do with tippers in the light Isuzu range and have found clutches, front springs and terrible notchy gear shifts to be a very annoying problem with them.
For your intended use with that model it maybe ok ,we all have a different view, especially with. vehicles.

Cheers Axle.

I've emailed Gilbert and Roach in our area with my list of Questions and your combined suggestions.

What day can you all attend for a Team Purchase, squeeze the salespeople, and Beer and food afterwards :)

Hi mbkitmgr,

I just noticed on the paid ads that appear at the bottom of the page, that there is a company called The Seat Shop. You might want to search this forums ads and see if you can get a contact number.

Macca.

Hi mbkitmgr
I too have considered this option in the past as an alternative to my Prado. You would certainly gain with load/towing capacity with the truck but if you are still stuck with a typical twincab/SUV motor then are you really going to be much better off.
I feel you need to be looking at an actual small truck motor but then you are probably looking at a vehicle needing a truck license too.
I have a heavy vehicle license and I do all the driving so not a real problem for me but costs can quickly add up and get out of hand with all this especially if you start looking at 4WD options.
Just my thoughts.
Roy

Hi mbkitmgr,
Sorry I am not answering your specific question and I realise you must have done a bit of research to come to your final decision of the 2 vehicles; however I am a little curious why the Isuzu NLR45-150 when you don’t seem to be carrying or towing much? I do like the idea suggested of a slide-on, as I have been using one for over 40 years now but I also see the benefit of a caravan.
You have said your van is “just over 2800kg” and you want to carry a load of “just under 500kg”, You have also said your partner doesn’t want to get a heavy licence and are already talking about replacement seats.
I just had a quick look at the specs of the Isuzu D-max (only because you looked at Isuzu) Single cab and Space cab Utes have a payload 1310 & 1235, well above the 500kg you want to carry and a 3500kg tow capacity. GCM is 6000kg. They can be auto or manual, your partner can drive it on current licence and would surely be a lot more comfortable than the NLR45. Also plenty of aftermarket accessories for the D-max. Not sure what I am missing here, but given the weights you want to carry/tow, I’d get a single cab/extra-cab ute, put an aluminium tray with short gullwing canopy and room for the bike.

Hi mbkitmgr,

Did you know that you can get these “Light Trucks” with the suspension derated so that you can drive it on a car licence? They derate them to 4.9 Tonne GVM, and a GCM of 7.9 Tonne.

Macca.

Macca.

FYI for anyone researching light trucks:

As part of my recent research, I’ve been comparing a number of light truck brands. This week I narrowed it down to Isuzu and Hino. My goal was to test drive the specific models I’m considering — or at least something close in spec (e.g., I’m after a tray, but was happy to test a cab chassis or similar trade-focused variant).

I also needed my wife to do the test drive to make sure she felt comfortable driving a light truck — visibility, size, ease of driving, and so on.

The difference in experience couldn’t have been more stark:
Hino:
I called their head office, explained my “mission,” and within minutes I had a callback with dealership locations nearby that had the right model available. The person had already spoken to the sales managers and gave them a heads-up. She even offered to help further if I needed anything else. Within 30 minutes everything was lined up. Very professional and helpful.

Isuzu:
Called the main line — wasn’t even sure I had the right number at first - no "Isuzu", just "Yes". After explaining my request, I was told I’d have to call all the dealerships myself. I suggested they might know which ones had demo stock — eventually they reluctantly checked and gave me the name of a dealership (no location, no contact details, and no confirmation the vehicle was actually there). I rang the dealership myself — nope, no demo units until August 2025. One hour later and I was still no closer.

So.... me starting think I am too much of an inconvenience to one brand. What am I doing wrong??

Back-to-Back Test Drive: Isuzu NLR 45-150 Tray vs Hino 300 Series 616 SWB

Today was all about testing two contenders in the light truck space—the Isuzu NLR 45-150 Tray and the Hino 300 Series 616 SWB. The main goal was to see whether the Chief Cook (my better half) would be comfortable both riding in and possibly driving a light truck, as we're considering one for future travel and general utility.

Isuzu NLR 45-150 Tray (AMT)
We had a good intro from the salesman, who walked us through the basics and gave a few tips on driving with the AMT. Our test route had a great mix: 100 km/h highway, rough undulating country roads, and some motorway.

The ride was rough (as expected in a light truck), but surprisingly better than the rental trucks I’ve hired over the years. The suspension seat worked well for both of us, though it occasionally felt like it was just holding on.

The AMT took some getting used to. It’s not a traditional automatic—more like driving a manual without the clutch. You really have to plan your throttle inputs if you want to overtake or pull into traffic—it won’t just “go” when you plant it. Otherwise, very easy to drive and visibility was excellent.

Hino 300 Series 616 SWB (Manual, Cab Chassis)
There was a mix-up at the dealer and we ended up testing a manual cab chassis rather than the tray with auto we were expecting. I had to keep reminding the Chief Cook to focus on the cab ride and ignore the bounce from the unloaded rear.

That said, we both preferred the Hino. It felt more refined to drive and was noticeably quieter in the cabin. Despite lacking a suspension seat, it didn’t seem to need one—the ride in the cab was smoother and less harsh than something like a Hilux. Overall, a very confidence-inspiring drive.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps
After the Hino test, I spoke to the dealer again and explained what we were after: an automatic version with a load in the tray to simulate real-world use (around 500 kg). He’s already arranged another test vehicle and offered to throw some drums in the back to mimic the weight. Great service.

Both trucks offer excellent visibility and practical setups. The Isuzu has the edge in seating options and flexibility, but the Hino feels more refined, quieter, and simply nicer to drive—especially from a passenger’s point of view.

Looking forward to the next test drive and getting a better feel for how the Hino performs under load.

Let me know if anyone wants me to report back after the weighted test!