Isuzu has announced that its Truck of the Year competition has kicked off for its 28th year and is now open for entries from Isuzu truck owners around the country.
Isuzu’s Truck of the Year is potentially and arguably what Isuzu describes as ‘the longest-running truck appreciation competition in Australia’, which sees hundreds of Isuzu trucks entered annually from across a gamut of trades and industries.
Originally published in Isuzu’s Truckpower magazine—collected from Isuzu Trucks dealerships—the competition remains true to its origins in print but has moved predominantly online with a monthly blog shared across Isuzu Australia’s social media and Content Hub.
Isuzu marketing and advertising manager Sam Gangemi said the company was thrilled to welcome Isuzu owners to another year of the competition.
“Life on the road is never dull, and neither are the entrants and the Isuzu trucks that support them,” said Gangemi.
“The competition truly serves to highlight that Australian flair for ingenuity and drive to create the perfect rig, whether it’s a truck being used in trade, waste, freight movement or a dozen other industries.
“Every year, we are blown away by the calibre of trucks and also the support of our customers who rely on Isuzu for their transport,” he continued.
“We can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store!”
The Truck of the Year competition opened this week (on 3 March) and closes on 1 December 2025. Entrants can find instructions on how to enter, plus a full list of terms and conditions at isuzu.com.au/news/truck-of-the-year.
Isuzu says multiple prizes are up for grabs, including monthly Isuzu Trucks merchandise prize packs and cash prizes, and PR opportunities with Isuzu Trucks that can take business exposure to the next level.
For those lucky enough to be chosen as a monthly winner, Isuzu will send home a bag of swag: an Isuzu Trucks merchandise pack valued at $300.
For ‘Series’ Prize winners (one each from Isuzu’s N, F, FX/FY truck series), a $1,500 cash prize is awarded, with one of the three kingpins then going on to score the title of Isuzu’s Truck of the Year and the massive Grand Prize of $6,000.
Recent grand prize winners in the Truck of the Year competition show that award-worthy trucks come in all sizes and configurations and can hail from any location or end-use.
Last year, Sydney Side Plumbing won the title of the top truck with an NLR 45-150, which sports a highly customised body for carrying plumbing and leak detection equipment.
The business loves the nimble plumber’s truck for its manoeuvrability around Sydney streets and its payload for the specialised equipment onboard.
“We’ve designed a custom NLR 45-150 that’s equipped with everything for our business of leak detection and plumbing in Sydney,” said Sydneyside Plumbing director Mohammad Mourad.
“My Isuzu truck has a high-pressure water jet out the back, PVC pipe holders on top, and emergency lights and an LED board that can display messages while working on the road.”
VTG Waste and Recycling scored first place in the 2023 round of the Truck of the Year competition with an FYJ 300-350 8×4 waste compactor used in recycling and commercial waste disposal in Darwin in the Northern Territory.
“Isuzu trucks are reliable, functional and well-suited to the tough environment of the Top End,” commented Managing Director of VTG Waste and Recycling, James Prakash.
Family-run business Craneworx in South Australia won the 2022 round of the competition, entering their distinguished FYJ 300-350 crane truck, fitted with an eight-metre tray and 2.5-tonne Hyva loader crane.
“Isuzu is very well respected in the trucking industry. The reliability of their product is why we chose them to support Craneworx,” said Operations Manager of Craneworx, Daniel Lockwood.
