Isuzu FTS 150-260 4X4 2026 Review

The updated Isuzu F Series narrows down the brand’s heavy-duty 4x4 range, with the FTS 150-260 Crew Cab 4x4 we’re testing here acting as the lineup's flagship model.

Trading Isuzu’s outgoing 7.8-litre six-cylinder for a robust Cummins co-developed 6.7-litre six-cylinder engine and a smooth Allison six-speed automatic, the new FTS steps up to a 15-tonne GVM and a beefier 5.5-tonne steer axle capacity.

Throw in a rivetless frame that makes it easier for bodybuilders to add a mega camper or service body, alongside a full passenger-car active safety suite, and Isuzu has delivered an incredibly capable severe-duty heavy lineup that is safer and easier to operate than ever before.

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The Isuzu FTS 150-260 Crew Cab 4x4 is priced at $240,964 plus on-road costs (as tested), but the final drive-away figure will obviously vary depending on final specification, body fitment and other factory options. Of course, single-cab models are cheaper, too.

The entire updated range benefits from a standardised service interval of 12 months, 25,000 kilometres, or 400 hours (whichever comes first). The modes are also covered by a standard three-year factory warranty up to 200,000km, paired with three years of 24/7 unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance.

Outside, the FTS scores high-output Bi-LED headlights with integrated daytime running lamps (DRLs), LED front fog lamps, and roof-mounted clearance lights.

The cabin sits on a high-tensile steel, rivetless bolted ladder chassis that offers a completely flat top flange, improving aftermarket body fitment. This means more body options can be fitted and the process is now simpler.

Inside the ECE-R29 crash-certified cab, both the driver and front outboard passenger are treated to ISRI 6860/875 NTS2 air-suspension seats with in-built heating and ventilation. An automatic climate control system is also standard, while an ADR42-compliant sleeper section sits directly behind the front rows in crew-cab models.

The centre stack features a 10.1-inch touchscreen with DAB+ digital radio, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a truck-tailored GPS navigation system that factors GVM into route selection. The new models also score a passive entry and start system that is essentially keyless.

Isuzu has loaded the FTS with its comprehensive ADAS active safety suite, as found on the new roadgoing F Series models. This includes advanced emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning , a distance warning system, traffic sign recognition, electronic stability control, and an attention alert system. Passive protection includes dual front airbags and integrated seatbelt pretensioners.

The FTS 150-260 is powered by Isuzu’s new DB6A-TCN 6.7-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (co-developed with Cummins), producing 191kW of power at 2070rpm and 883Nm of torque from 1000 to 2070rpm.

This is mated exclusively to an Allison LCT2500 Gen 6 six-speed automatic transmission and uses a part-time 4WD system. A benefit of the new engine is a Jacob’s brake, which offers serious pull-up down steep descents both on- and off-road.

The introduction of the Cummins-derived six-cylinder engine gives the FTS a grunty wave of low-end torque that transforms how this truck carries its bulk. Paired with the smooth shifting of the six-speed Allison automatic, it’s significantly more refined than the outgoing model.

This ultimately means it’s even better suited to mixed-use fleets, offering ease of use for drivers and car-like safety too. Both on and off-road during our testing, the FTS was about as simple to drive as a 15-tonne GVM truck gets.

Upgrading the front axle rating to 5500kg is a massive win for industries like emergency services, mining, or the high-end adventure market, allowing operators to bolt on heavy front bull bars and specialised winching gear without risking legal weight limits. It of course also allows more weight overall.

Treating both front occupants to heated and ventilated ISRI air seats is also generous in this class, which not only offers improved comfort but reduced fatigue too. Long days on rough roads wear you down, but air seats make a big difference.

We also think the rivetless top frame chassis rails are a smart move, making the FTS easier to kit-out with heavy steel service bodies or luxury overland campers.

While the inclusion of a full passenger-car-like ADAS active safety suite is excellent for corporate fleet compliance, its dual-lens camera and radar sensors won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. They weren’t intrusive off-road, or on-road either, but if you intend to fit aftermarket bullbars or lights, you’ve got to make sure you steer clear of the radars.

In solving this issue, Isuzu does offer a range of factory bullbar options that leave space for the radars, with space for lights.

Additionally, because this truck is engineered primarily as a severe-duty vocational workhorse, the heavy-duty multi-leaf steel spring suspension setup delivers a notably firm, jittery ride when tracking over broken country bitumen completely unladen. It’s definitely a truck that’s designed to be loaded.

Lastly, meeting strict Euro VI emissions means managing a secondary 65-litre AdBlue tank right next to the 200-litre diesel tank, adding some extra admin when deploying into remote regional sectors. This is something the majority of operators will be used to by now, but extremely remote operators making the upgrade from an older model will now have to carry AdBlue.

If your business or travel ambitions demand a heavy-duty 4x4 platform that doesn’t compromise on payload or go-anywhere ability, the FTS 150-260 is a strong proposition.

The new model successfully bridges the gap between old-school mechanical toughness and modern operational ease, positioning itself as an ideal foundation for emergency services, mining utilities, or mega overland camper builds. 

While the lighter, manual-only FSS exists for simpler 11-tonne applications, the bigger FTS represents the pinnacle of Isuzu's heavy off-road offerings. It is now safer, more comfortable, and easier to drive than ever before.

2026 Isuzu FTS 150-260 4X4 at a glance:

Price (as tested): $240,964 + on-road costs
Engine: Isuzu DB6A-TCN 6.7-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel (Euro VI compliant)
Power: 191kW @ 2070rpm
Torque: 883Nm @ 1000–2070rpm
Engine brake: Isuzu I-Brake engine compression brake
Transmission: Allison LCT2500 Gen 6 6-speed automatic
Front axle: Isuzu FD055 single drive with Birfield outer joints (5500kg capacity)
Rear axle: Isuzu R100 single drive banjo type (10,000kg capacity)
GVM: 15,000kg
GCM: 21,000kg
Suspension: Single stage steel multi-leaf springs (front), two stage multi-leaf main and helper (rear)
Fuel tank: 200L Steel diesel tank and 65L AdBlue tank
Safety: Full ADAS suite (AEB, ESC, LDW, FCW, DWS, TSR, ASR, ABS, AAS)