When I arrived at work and saw the Isuzu i-280 sitting in our lot, I was curious to take it for a drive since I had owned a 1997 Rodeo from new and drove it for many trouble-free years. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much and that is what I got. Not that that is a bad thing. Isuzu builds basic, competent vehicles that deliver the goods without the high price and all of the frills.

The Isuzu i-280 is really what I had expected. No glitz and no glam, just a basic, get-the-job-done vehicle. The four banger under the hood is surprisingly smooth at freeway speeds. In fact, on more than one occasion I found myself cruising along in fourth gear oblivious to the fact I was still in fourth gear and not fifth. The engine is that smooth. No high revving buzz here. With the manual transmission the four-cylinder provides plenty of get up and go but I would be very afraid to equip the i-280 with the optional four-speed automatic.

The interior is simple yet comfortable and the cloth seats are supportive and come equipped with a manual lumbar support adjustment. All knobs and switches are clearly marked and easy to read. The stereo offers both CD and MP3 capability, a plus I didn’t expect to find on a truck in this price range.

The only big negative I found the 2006 Isuzu i-280 to possess was the tendency to follow every groove in the pavement and exhibit a floating sensation. Constantly correcting the steering to compensate for this became tedious. I’m sure dumping the standard issue General tires in favor of better rubber would resolve this issue. Another less annoying issue was the inability to enter the back seats (if you can call them that) from the passenger side. The seatback doesn’t tilt forward enough to allow access, so all passengers must enter via the driver’s side. Over time, this could get annoying.

Based on the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon, the Isuzu i-280 should be given more consideration by truck buyers simply due to the warranty. With the Colorado and Canyon trucks only offering three-year/36,000-mile warranties, the Isuzu i-280 shines with a seven-year/ 75,000-mile powertrain warranty. That alone should seal the deal.