Isuzu NLR vs Fiat Scudo

What's the difference?

A truck like the NPR (or any other truck, really) is never going to replace a dual-cab ute in terms of its duality. While the latter can tend to weekday chores and be quickly reconfigured for weekend fun, the light truck has no such facility. Nope, it’s a workhorse. Period.

You need a fair bit of real estate just to park the Isuzu overnight and it certainly won’t fit in the typical supermarket car space. It’s hardly sporty to drive, either, although the latest upgrades have made it more user friendly in a total sense and safer than ever before.

But what it does do that a dual-cab ute can’t often do, is tackle bigger, heavier jobs with a fair bit of bandwidth still up its sleeve. And if the nine-to-five side of things is where you need to be, then a vehicle like this has to be worth a look. And if you consistently find that you’re sailing close to the wind in terms of exceeding a ute’s legal payload, towing capacity or GCM, then the extra bigness of a light truck could make a huge difference.

That’s especially so given the price tag. Okay, you’re not buying a lot of high tech for your money, but you are getting some seriously stout engineering and an expectation that you won’t be working the thing to death anytime soon.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

The Fiat Scudo LWB Primo offers a large payload rating, excellent fuel economy, peppy performance and practical features like its load-through flap. However, it also has shortcomings like a tiny tow rating and no sequential manual-shifting. So, only a potential buyer can determine if the positives outweigh the negatives when deciding if this largely badge-engineered European van is the right fit for their business.

It can’t be easy to make a light truck look fashionable, but Isuzu has done a reasonable job of making the thing look, at least, current. The lighting has all been changed to LEDs now, and the bold, angular face the truck presents looks pretty modern.

But new tech has also forced some design changes. The bull-bar that is part of the Tradepack deal, for instance, has been redesigned with changes to the main hoop. That’s all to accommodate the radar units inside each headlight that inform the front cross-traffic warning system of anything in the way.

Also notable is the attention to detail of the optional (rather than the alloy tray seen here) Australian-made service body. With a choice of internal layouts, the flip-up sides reveal a proper workshop on wheels when configured that way.

It’s also nice to see that all the clips and catches on the drop-side tray can be easily replaced if damaged.

Like its platform-sharing Peugeot Expert associate (which differs only in cosmetic changes) and other continental rivals like the Ford Transit Custom and Renault Trafic, the Scudo has a distinctive ‘Euro’ look which combines boldly sculptured bodywork with work-focused practicality.

It also employs unpainted dark grey plastic in areas most vulnerable to bumps and scrapes including the bumpers, door mirror shells, side protection strips, sliding door tracks and hubcaps.

The cabin is spacious, comfortable and visually appealing but like the exterior is designed with work in mind given its wipe-clean vinyl floor and fabric-trimmed seating for up to three crew members, comprising a driver’s bucket seat and two-passenger bench seat.

Confusingly, the SWB and LWB share the same 3275mm wheelbase. The difference between them is purely in body length, with the LWB being 330mm longer due to its extended rear overhang.

The new cabin Isuzu has brewed up certainly brings the truck into the present, but it’s still very much a light truck in some respects. As in, it’s still a pretty good climb inside, although there are steps and handles to make that easier. The steering column still gets in the way as you swing your left leg inside, though.

The plastic surfaces would still make a car interior designer cringe, and the floor is vinyl and the seats cloth. But the three-abreast seating arrangement makes sense and, should you choose the dual-cab N Series option, there’s actually seven seats in all.

Cabin storage has obviously been a priority for Isuzu, and there are three large, netted overhead bins above the top of the windscreen, as well as bins and buckets across the width of the lower dashboard. Interestingly, each door has just a single, slim pocket and no bottle storage.

The centre console addresses that somewhat with a pair of cup-holders and a pen slot, while there’s also a large bin behind the seat on the bulkhead. There’s also an interior light that wouldn’t look out of place in an industrial kitchen.

The dashboard is home to a pair of USB charge-ports in the centre and the truck stuff continues with a wand for the exhaust brake and a knob near the steering column for a fast-idle setting. It’s also nice to see that even though Isuzu has adopted keyless entry and start for the N Series, the starter button resembles a conventional key and is located right where it should be in the side of the steering column.

What’s missing? Mainly a vanity mirror on either side of the cabin and a physical volume knob for the stereo. Oh, and paddle shifters would be nice too, especially when towing.

Externally, the Tradepack option gets you an aluminium drop-side tray, sturdy ladder racks, a tow bar, bull bar, toolboxes fitted below the tray between the axles and even a wash station for after-work clean ups.

The tray is fitted in Australia (many of the Ready to Work body options are also made here) and the load floor is a vast expanse of alloy with the ability to cope with small, heavy objects thanks to its high-impact materials. But the usual drop-side tray caveats apply including a high loading height, rattling from the sides and the legal requirement to lash everything down before hitting the road.

Meantime, part of the overall appeal of the Isuzu line-up is that there are something like 40 different permutations of cabin width, wheelbase, GVM, overall length and driveline.

But here’s perhaps the N Series’ greatest trick when it comes to being practical: While it’s easy to dismiss the vehicle for being too big and unwieldy, many operators would possibly find that the extra payload and real estate in the cargo area means that they might not need to tow a trailer every time they venture on to a job site. At which point, the dual-cab ute with a tandem trailer starts to look less convenient, especially if there’s any reversing or squeezing on to a tight site involved.

Oh, and if tight spaces really are an issue, the N Series’ sub-10m turning circle makes a typical dual-cab’s 12.5 metre turning circle look ridiculously ungainly. And that’s before we get to that trailer.

Typically for a vehicle like this, a full-sized spare tyre is included.

Our test vehicle’s 1796kg kerb weight is relatively light, which when deducted from its 3100kg GVM leaves a substantial 1304kg payload rating of which up to 170kg can be carried on the roof.

However, in stark contrast the Scudo is only rated to tow up to 600kg, which is below the 750kg threshold for mandatory trailer brakes. And Fiat does not publish a GCM rating (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) so we don’t know if the Scudo can carry its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

In practical terms this tow rating would restrict users to the smallest and lightest box trailers to leave enough capacity for a decent load, which could be a deal breaker for those who need to tow heavier weights.

The cargo bay, which in LWB form provides a competitive 6.1 cubic metres of load volume, can be increased to 6.6 cubic metres by opening the large load-through flap at the lower left of the cabin bulkhead and raising the outer passenger seat’s base cushion into its vertical position.

This extends the load floor to an expansive 4024mm which allows extra-long items like timber, electrical conduit, copper/PVC pipe, carpet roles etc to slide through to the passenger footwell, which greatly increases practicality.

For example, we used this handy feature to transport several 3.6-metre wooden posts from a hardware store (see images) which would have been too long for the standard floor, so it was a convenient solution.

Our only criticism of this feature is that the flap is hinged at its base which means when opened it lies flat on the floor, which makes it more vulnerable to load damage than a top-hinged flap (like the Renault Trafic) which opens upwards and therefore out of harm’s way.

The LWB cargo bay’s load floor is 2862mm long (without using the bulkhead flap) and 1628mm wide with 1397mm from floor to roof. There’s also 1258mm between the rear wheel housings, which means it can carry up to two standard Aussie pallets or up to three Euro pallets, secured by a choice of eight load anchorage points.

The cargo bay is accessed through solid sliding doors on each side and glazed twin barn-doors at the rear (a glazed rear liftgate is available as a $700 option). The barn-doors can swing open to 270 degrees to optimise forklift and loading dock access but there are no detents in the hinges or other stays to hold them open, so they can easily swing shut in a light breeze or if parked on an incline.

There’s no standard floor protection which makes it prone to load damage but the cargo bay walls are neatly lined to mid-height plus there’s ample lighting and a handy 12V socket.

Although it can seat up to three occupants, centre seat comfort is compromised by the large dash protrusion housing the gear selector. This forces the central passenger to sit with knees skewed to the left, which also encroaches on the outer passenger’s legroom. So, a crew of three is okay for short trips but ideally should be capped at two for longer journeys.

Cabin storage includes bins in the base of each door which are big enough to carry large bottles. The dash provides cupholders on each side and a clamshell-lidded compartment in the centre plus a glove box and adjoining open storage compartment.

The Primo’s centre console has wireless phone charging in addition to the standard 12V socket and pair of USB-C ports. The centre seat backrest also folds forward to reveal a handy work desk and under its base cushion is an insulated compartment lined in polystyrene foam to help keep food and drinks hot or cold.

The Scudo is available in a choice of short wheelbase (SWB) or long wheelbase (LWB) and two trim levels across four models, comprising the entry-level Scudo SWB ($48,490, plus on-road costs) and better equipped Primo SWB ($50,990), plus the Scudo LWB ($50,490) and Primo LWB ($52,990).

Our test vehicle is the top-shelf Primo LWB with its sub-$53K list pricing in the same ballpark as the major players in this league including the Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Auto ($57,890), Hyundai Staria Load Premium Auto ($52,740) and Toyota HiAce LWB Auto ($53,880).

Like all models in the Scudo range, it shares the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine and eight-speed automatic transmission plus other standard features including 16-inch steel wheels with 215/75 R16C tyres and a full-size spare, front/rear parking sensors including side-of-vehicle coverage, reversing camera, front fog lamps and heated door mirrors to name a few.

Inside there’s a metal bulkhead to separate the cabin from the cargo bay plus a heated driver’s seat, steering wheel audio controls, 12V socket and two USB-C ports, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, 10-inch multimedia touchscreen including wireless Apple/Android connectivity and more.

The Primo, which costs $2500 more than the base model, adds body coloured exterior door handles, automatic LED headlights, keyless entry/start, a leather wrapped and heated steering wheel, unique interior door trim highlights, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control, LED cargo bay lighting, a fold-down work desk and a load-through flap in the bulkhead (see Practicality).

Believe it or not there’s actually a family connection between the 3.0-litre turbo diesel in the Isuzu NRL and the Isuzu D-Max dual-cab and MU-X SUV.

While the displacement of the D-Max remains, the unit in the light truck has been retuned to liberate more torque at lower engine speeds. In this case, that’s 129kW at 2860rpm and 430Nm of torque anywhere between 1450rpm and 2860rpm. That gives the engine great flexibility, but the transmission also plays a part.

That’s either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed dual-clutch unit. The latter has either manual or fully automatic shift modes, and it’s worth is backed up by the potential for lower fuel consumption thanks to the inherent efficiency in such a transmission as well as the three extra ratios.

Designed and made in-house at Isuzu, the brand says it’s confident the wet-clutch unit doesn’t carry the potential flaws of some other dual-clutch units we could name. That said, Isuzu has downgraded the towing capacity from 4.5 to four tonnes if the nine-speed is fitted.

And just like any good truck, there’s the provision for a power-take-off on the side of each transmission option, as well as an exhaust brake to help the mechanical brakes when fully laden.

Unlike many light trucks before it, the Isuzu doesn’t get stuck with a rigid front axle. Instead, you get a proper independent set-up with coil springs, while the rear end remains a live axle with leaf springs in the interests of carting lots of heavy stuff.

The Scudo is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which produces 110kW at 4000rpm and 370Nm of torque at 2000rpm.

It drives the front wheels through an eight-speed torque converter auto transmission which in Australian delivered specification does not include the choice of sequential manual shifting.

Our test vehicle rides on a quartet of coil springs courtesy of MacPherson strut-style front and oblique wishbone rear suspension. Steering is via electric power-assisted rack and pinion and stopping is courtesy of four-wheel disc brakes.

This is a cursed subject in the truck segment, because there’s just no standard pattern of usage, nor a typical loading scenario. Some trucks will spend their whole lives heavily loaded going from red light to red light, others will be less burdened and driven between regional towns.

But what we can tell you is that unladen and driven sensibly, this truck should be able to return fuel consumption figures in the low teens per 100km. Throw the full payload and a trailer on the back and head for hilly country and you could easily double that and then some.

As such, the range from the 100-litre fuel tank is going to vary enormously, but should be somewhere between 500 and 800km.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the upgrade to this model has brought the Isuzus in line with Euro 6 emissions or their Japanese equivalent. So they now need AdBLue and there’s a 14-litre tank for that.

Fiat claims an official average combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle consumption of just 6.3L/100km and the dash display was claiming a slightly higher 7.3 figure when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our test, which covered 334km and included our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third was hauling more than one tonne of payload.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was only slightly higher at 7.8L/100km which is outstanding economy for a mid-size commercial van in real-world driving conditions. So, based on our test consumption, you could expect a lengthy driving range nudging 900km from its 69-litre diesel tank.

Actually climbing aboard the Isuzu is job one, and you’ll need the handles and step to do it safely. Then again, it’s probably no more testing than getting into a really low sports car in a degree of difficulty sense.

With that accomplished, you’re met with two things; the view out and the very un-car-like driving position. The first is fantastic for forward vision. And it’s not just the height advantage over other traffic. The cab-over-engine layout also means you’re almost at the very front of the truck, meaning you can see a lot more of what’s directly in front of you, even if it’s almost under your nose. Jumping back into a dual-cab ute for comparison emphasises the point enormously.

The driving position, meanwhile, might take more getting used to. The steering wheel is almost flat and you tend to sit pretty upright. Long-distance drivers will tell you this is actually great for long stints at the helm, and it honestly feels pretty natural after just a few minutes. But the steering column placement means there’s no chance of left-foot braking which some drivers (this one included) prefer.

Once you’re rolling, the dual-clutch transmission starts to feel pretty handy with short, sharp upshifts and a calibration that sees it keen to downshift on deceleration to help balance the vehicle, take the stress off the brakes and ensure that the engine is in its power band for when you next throttle on.

Speaking of which, the engine is not exactly overpowering, but it does produce the meat of its muscle in the right places, helped no end by having nine ratios to play with. And here’s an interesting point: The way the engine is installed in the NPR – and despite the fact that you’re sitting pretty much right on top of it – there’s less noise and vibration from the 3.0-litre than in an Isuzu D-Max ute. Obviously, low vibrations and less noise are factors in staving off driver fatigue, and clearly Isuzu knows how to achieve this.

Ride quality will vary hugely depending on what’s on board. We tried the NPR with a full load of gear on the tray, taking it almost to its payload limit. At that point, the ride was actually quite compliant, and the only odd sensation is that of having your backside right over the front axle.

The other mantra held dear by fleet managers is that the best way to reduce breakdowns is to take the driver out of the equation as much as possible. That explains the dual-clutch transmission, for one, but it also perhaps explains why the NPR is set up to be actually very easy and simple to drive. It’s definitely scarier to look at than to pilot. And that turning circle is something else!

It’s easy to step aboard and the car-like driving position is spacious and comfortable given I’m 186cm and have ample head and legroom with good eyelines to all mirrors. In that context, the centre seat headrest can be easily removed and stored when not required to improve the central mirror’s view through the bulkhead window.

The flat-bottom steering wheel leaves plenty of torso clearance for easy entry and exit plus there’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat with its manually altered lumbar support and fold-down inboard armrest. A wide left footrest provides additional comfort and support.

Unladen ride quality is excellent given the suppleness of its four-coil suspension, enhanced by load-adaptive dampers which allow a softer ride when unladen but automatically increase damping resistance under heavy loads.

The eight-speed auto offers crisp and smooth shifting, which combined with close to 400Nm of torque and a relatively light kerb weight ensures energetic performance. Although torque peaks at 2000rpm the engine displays ample flexibility either side of that figure, which ensures good throttle response in the mostly metro driving we encountered.

The engine is relatively quiet during highway travel with most noise coming from the tyres, which can become intrusive at these speeds particularly on coarse bitumen surfaces.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 975kg into the cargo bay which combined with driver equalled a total payload of 1075kg that was about 200kg less than its legal limit. The rear suspension only compressed about 40mm under this weight which ensured plenty of travel remained and it hauled this sizeable payload with ease.

Two criticisms, the first being the absence of sequential manual shifting offered in other markets, which is desirable when hauling heavy loads in hilly terrain and optimising engine braking on steep descents.

We also noticed the traffic sign recognition (TSR) function worked fine with traditional metal signage but became glitchy when interpreting the brightly illuminated speed signs displayed on overhead motorway gantries.

The MY26 Fiat Scudo scored a Gold grading in ANCAP’s Commercial Van Safety Comparison, which is one grade lower than the premium Platinum achieved by several rivals including the Ford Transit Custom and Toyota HiAce. Active safety includes Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, intelligent speed assist, traffic sign recognition, driver attention assist, front and rear parking sensors including side-of-vehicle coverage, tyre pressure monitoring and more, but no adaptive cruise control like Ford's Transit Custom.

Despite the hard life many trucks are destined to live, Isuzu offers a standard six-year/250,000km warranty on the cabin and chassis of this model. The rear RTW body (whatever form that takes) is covered for three years. There’s also a three-year warranty on genuine accessories provided they were installed by a certified fitter.

Service intervals are every 25,000km, 12 months or 5000 hours of operation, whichever comes first. There’s also six years of roadside assistance thrown in.

Isuzu offers a range of service agreements ranging from the basic package right up to a plan that covers everything including wiper blade replacement.

There are currently 84 Isuzu dealers or authorised service outlets around the country, including some pretty far flung spots, so service and parts should be less of a problem than for some other brands.

Mechanically, Isuzu has worked to reduce servicing times, including the use of sealed-for-life wheel bearings.

The Fiat Scudo comes standard with a five-year/200,000km warranty and five years' roadside assist which is competitive with the major players.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/20,000km whichever occurs first, which is also up there with rivals and twice as good as the Toyota HiAce’s six months/10,000km requirement.

However, local servicing costs for the Scudo are yet to confirmed, which hampers cross-shopping for potential buyers.

Fiat Professional has a relatively small national network of around 10-15 dealers.