SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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Review: 2008 Isuzu KB 300LX

The Brad Pitt of farm pickups

Exterior pics by author
Interior pic by Quickpic
First Posted: January 5, 2008

Three things are new about the Isuzu KB 300 LX TDi  5 speed manual we had on test recently:
. there has been a styling revision,
. it has a new D-Teq 3,0 litre engine that puts out an additional 24 kW and 80 more Nm of torque - both at slightly lower revs than previously,
. Isuzu has also joined the extended cab club, offering those who want it, lockable storage within the cab and a load bin midway in size between those of the single- and double cabs.

First, the styling: This includes new front bumper treatment, a new "lattice" type grille, new front end with revised bonnet, featuring on the 3,0 litre, a massive air scoop for the intercooler, new fender and headlight styling, revised outer side panels, restyled running boards and a new rear step bumper. This item includes a factory-fitted towing kit on LE and LX models.  

Inside, you will find new combination leather and cloth seats, fuel consumption and outside temperature meters, 2 airbags, ABS, cruise control and "shift on the fly" 4 x 4 selection. Floor covering is carpet, with a rubber heel pad on the driver's side. The test unit was supplied with useful carpeting overmats front and rear.

The specifications mention silver hard trim on LX models. This takes the form of a somewhat unfortunate aesthetic lapse in the treatment of the vent/aircon controls and to a lesser extent, the sound system's head unit. It makes one wonder whether the designer of the interior bits was perhaps moonlighting at the toy factory across town and the drawings got mixed up?  Silver hard trim aside, the test unit with these styling changes and a firetruck-red paint job (the factory calls it "Maranello Red") was just 'way too pretty to be taken seriously as a country workhorse - perhaps we could call it "the Brad Pitt of  'plaas bakkies"?

Second, the engine: Isuzu has been criticised recently because its diesel engines were seen as underpowered. While it shares dimensions with the previous 3 litre, in D-Teq form power is up from 96 kW at 3800 rpm to 120 kW at 3600 rpm. Similarly, torque is up from 280 Nm at 2000 rpm to 360 Nm at 1800 rpm.  These changes put the Isuzu unit in the same ball park as its major competitors. For the automatic transmission variant,  torque is remapped slightly to 333 Nm at 1600 rpm, effective over an even wider rev range.

Third, the extended cab: Intended for owners of small businesses, site managers, service professionals and others who don't need a double cab for moving people, but who do need the added security of in-cab storage, the extended cab model as tested is ideal. Behind the seats, two lockable storage bins not only keep valuables from bouncing around, but out of sight as well. Should owners need additional space for larger items and be willing to forego hiding power, the bins are individually removable.

On the road, the KB 300 TDi LX 5-speed is what one would expect. As usual for a pickup, first gear is a stump puller and for day-to-day use one takes off in second. Empty, the ride on freeways and on rougher surfaces is truck-like - somewhat  firm, but acceptable. Loaded, the ride improves.

Being a long stroke diesel, the engine runs out of steam beyond 4000 rpm but lugging power is plentiful over a wide range from about 1800 rpm to 2800 and beyond. Being turbocharged, acceleration through the gears is almost car-like. Expect to cruise at about 2 500 rpm in fifth on the freeway.

To find out what to expect in its natural habitat, we visited a local farmer of our acquaintance who has an older Isuzu 4 x 4 in his stable and more than 'some' off-road driving experience. The day chosen followed two and a half months of above-average rainfall, reinforced by a thorough downpour the night before. The vehicle was given a light load of hay bales for photography purposes and taken out into the nearest pasture. He pointed out the "road" as the narrow strip where the grass was slightly less weed-filled than the rest.

Being unused to "this new-fangled electronic selection of 4 x 4," he pushed the right button but was a little put out that he had to take a second run at a hill he had chosen. After sailing over it, he stopped to check. A test "failed in high range 4 x 4" was actually a test well-passed in 4 x 2 - the desired selection had not taken place. To stop it happening again, we showed him the instruction card in its clear plastic pocket behind the driver's-side visor. Once he was used to the drill, drive mode selection was easy, but one hopes that the system remains infallible when far from home and the closest friendly Isuzu dealer?

Further trials in a nearby cane field with lots of loose wet soil, rocks and wash-aways left him satisfied that this vehicle is well up to what might reasonably be expected of it - the only limiting factor on the day was the standard-issue "town and country" 245/70 R 16 C footwear on the 7J x 16 alloys.

To sum up, while the three-litre with leather upholstery and carpeting might be a little out of place as a farming tool,  its natural owner would be someone needing a high image town and country runner with the ability to get down and dirty when the need truly arises.

For those requiring such wheels, this "Brad Pitt of plaas bakkies" could well be the answer.

Test unit from Isuzu SA press fleet

The numbers
Price on date of report: R 275 748
Engine: 2999 cc 4 cylinder turbodiesel, with air to air intercooler
Power: 120 kW @ 3600 rpm
Torque: 360 Nm @ 1800 to 2800 rpm (333 Nm @ 1600 to 3200 rpm - automatic transmission models)                                                                                                     Tank capacity: 76 litres

Warranty: 3 years/100 000km
Servicing: 15 000km or 12 months
Service plan: 5 years/90 000 km (included in price)

Performance (according to Car magazine)
0 - 100 km/hr: 14,5 secs
Top speed: 171 km/hr
Fuel index: 11,2 l/100 km

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
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