Isuzu NPS vs Audi SQ5

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.

Let’s forget the money, for a second, because yes, you’re paying more for the Sportback variant. But if you can afford it, then why wouldn’t you. This is a sleeker, sportier and more stylish answer to the regular Q5, which was already a super-solid offering in the segment. And as far as I can tell, the practicality sacrifices you have to make are minimal at best. 

So why not?

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.

Our adventure began with the SQ5, and, to my eye at least, it looks mean, and more like a jacked-up hot hatch than sportier version of a mid-size SUV.

Speaking of which, it looks bigger than a mid-size, too, as though the flattened roof has pushed the rear out for more length, at least visually.

By far its best angle, though, will be afforded to the people in front of you on the road, with each peek in the rear-view mirror revealing a wide, forward-leaning grille, all black honeycomb mesh, with a cat-clawed bonnet and headlights that sweep back into the bodywork, hinting at speed before it even sets off. 

Side on, the massive 21-inch alloys hide red brake calipers, but it does also reveals a tale of two SUVs, with the front half looking taller and straighter, while the rear roofline is more raked as it flies towards a fairly small rear windscreen with a roof spoiler that juts out over it. 

At the rear, the quad exhaust tips (which sound great), and a boot spoiler moulded into the bodywork complete the package.

But even in lesser lesser Q5 45 TFSI guise, this Sportback looks the business, I reckon. Though a little more premium than performance-focused, perhaps.

As the name suggests, the Sportback version gives you, well, a sportier back, and it all starts at the B-Pillar, with a more raked roofline that gives this version of the Q5 a sleeker, more slippery look. 

But they aren’t the only changes. In Sportback models, the single-frame grille upfront is different, and the grille is also positioned lower, and seems to jut out from the bonnet more, for a lower, more aggressive look. The lights are also positioned a little higher, and those massive air vents on either side are different, too.

The cabin is the usual level of Audi niceness, with a big central screen, big digital screen in front of the steering wheel, and a sense of genuine solidity and quality wherever you look.

There are some questionable materials at work, though, like the door trims and the hard plastic that your knee rubs against when driving, but all in all, it's quite a lovely place to spend time.

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.

The Q5 Sportback range stretches 4689mm in length, 1893mm in width, and around 1660mm in height, depending on the variant. It rides on a 2824mm wheelbase. 

And remember when I said there were few practicality penalties for the new sportier look? This is what I meant.

Up front, it's basically the same Q5, so if you know that car, you'll know this one, with its spacious and airy feeling front seats.

In the back, though, things are a little different, just not quite as different as I was expecting. The new sloping roofline has actually only reduced headroom by 16mm. I’m 175cm tall, and there was clear air between my head and the roof, and plenty of leg-room, too.

The central tunnel arrangement means you probably don’t want to squeeze three adults across the back, but two would really be no problem at all. That way, you can deploy the back seat divider to uncover two cupholders, use the two USB charge ports or adjust your climate controls, including temperature settings.

In the 45 TFSI and SQ5 models, the rear seats also slide or recline, meaning you can prioritise luggage space or passenger comfort, depending on what you're carrying.

Up front, there’s heaps of little cubby spots, including a key storage spot under the aircon controls, another in front of the gear shift, a phone slot next to the gear shift, two cupholders in the big centre console, and a surprisingly shallow centre console that’s home to a wireless phone charger and a USB port, joining the regular USB port under the drive mode selector.

And at the rear, Audi reckons there’s 500 litres of storage, only about 10 litres less than the regular Q5,  which grows to 1470 litres with the second-row folded.  

The three-model line-up (two regular Q5s and the SQ5) Sportback range kicks off with the Q5 40 Sportback TDI quattro, which will set you back $77,700 (which is plenty more than the $69,900 of the regular Q5).

The entry-level Q5 Sportback gets 20-inch alloys, a standard S Line sporty exterior styling treatment, LED headlights and tail lights, and an electric tailgate with gesture control. Inside, there’s leather trim, electric sport seats, three-zone climate, paddle-shifters for the steering wheel and ambient interior lighting.

You also get the virtual cockpit, the 10.1-inch central screen with all the Connect Plus services, like live traffic, weather and restaurant tips, as well Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.

The range then steps up to the Q5 45 Sportback TFSI quattro, yours for $86,300. That's another marked jump from its regular Q5 equivalent.

That model delivers a new 20-inch alloy wheel design, a panoramic sunroof, and Matrix LED headlights, The S Line treatment extends to the interior, along with Nappa leather trim, heated front seats and a sliding or reclining rear bench. You get a better sound system, too, with 10 speakers, including a sub-woofer. 

Finally, the SQ5 Sportback is yours for $110,900 (up from $106,500), and delivers 21-inch alloys, adaptive dampers and red brake callipers, while inside you get electric steering adjustments, a head-up display, colour ambient lighting and a banging Bang and Olufsen stereo with 19 speakers.

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.

There are three engines total here, kicking off with the 2.0-litre TDI in the Q5 Sportback 40. It produces 150kW and 400Nm - enough for a sprint to 100km/h in 7.6s. The 2.0-litre TFSI in the Q5 Sportback 45 petrol bumps those figures to 183kW and 370Nm, lowering your spring to 6.3s. 

Both pair with a seven-speed S tiptronic automatic, and feature a 12-volt mild-hybrid system to smooth out acceleration and lower fuel use, as well Quattro ultra, which can disconnect the rear drive shaft so only the front wheels are driven.

The SQ5 gets a seriously lusty 3.0-litre TDI V6 which deliver 251kW and 700Nm, and a sprint of 5.1s It also gets a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, and an eight-speed tiptronic transmission.

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.

All Q5 Sportback models are fitted with a 70-litre fuel tank, which should produce a driving range in excess of 1000kms - though prepare for pain at the pump. Sometimes premium fuel in Sydney can run to around $1,90 a litre, for example, so the good stuff will cost you around $130 bucks a tank in the petrol cars.

Audi says the Q5 Sportback 40 TDI will sip 5.4 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, while emitting 142g/km of c02. The 45 TFSI needs 8.0 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, and will emit 183g/km of c02. The SQ5 sits somewhere in the middle, with 7.1 litres per 100km and 186g/km of c02.

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!

How to best describe the drive experience in the Q5 Sportback? That's easy. And it's 'easy'.

Honestly, I know this is ostensibly the sportier version of the Q5, but the truth is that, in the 45 TFSI version we tested, it's a comfortable, light-feeling drive experience that only ever reveals its sporty nature when you really command it to.

Left in its Auto drive mode, the Q5 45 TFSI will positively waft around town, road noise kept to an absolute minimum, and feeling somehow smaller and lighter than its dimension would suggest.

You can dial-up the aggression by cycling through the drive modes, of course, but even in Dynamic guise it never feels too harsh, too aggressive. More that you've simply tightened the screws a little bit.

Plant your right foot and the 45 TFSI will collect speed in a way that Audi refers to as "hot hatch-like", punching towards the 100km/h sprint with verve and aggression. But having just stepped out of the SQ5, it still feels somehow sedate, and almost relaxing, rather than out-and-out aggressive.

And that's because the SQ5 variant is clearly, purposefully, the performance-focused variant here. I think this V6 engine is an absolute peach, and its the kind of powerplant that inspires you to stick with the vehicle's most dynamic settings, putting up with the just-too-firm suspension settings so you can access more fo the grunt more quickly.

And it feels constantly ready for action. Tap the accelerator and the car bristles, dropping down a gear, revving higher and preparing for your next command.

Through bends, it feels smaller and lighter than you might expect, with plenty of grip and steering that, while not overflowing with feedback, feels true and direct.

Short answer? It's the one I'd take. But you'll pay for it.

The Audi Q5 Sportback carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating thanks to the regular Q5, but that’s really the minimum cost of entry these days. So what else do you get?

Advanced driver-assist systems on offer here include autonomous emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), active lane-keep assist with lane change warning, driver attention assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, park assist, a great surround-view camera, parking sensors, exit warning and tyre pressure monitoring, and more radars than you can poke a stick at. 

There's also twin ISOFIX anchor points, and top-tether points for child seats.

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.

All Audis are covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which really isn’t great in a world of five-, seven- and even 10-year warranties.

The brand will let you prepay your services, required annually, for the first five years, with the regular Q5 Sportback billed at $3140 and the SQ5 billed at $3170.