The Isuzu Journey is a minibus that Isuzu built from 1970 to 2021, sold mainly as a city bus and tourist coach. It competed in Japan and in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa and South America with the Mitsubishi Fuso Rosa, Mazda Parkway, Nissan Civilian and Toyota Coaster, and the final W41 series was based on the Nissan Civilian.
Isuzu Journey at a glance
| Maker | Isuzu Motors, Japan |
|---|---|
| Production | 1970–2021 |
| Class | minibus and light bus |
| First model | Journey S of 1970, Elf 150 with a 15-seat body |
| Seating | 15 to 53 passengers depending on model |
| Journey M and L | 26 and 29 seats from 1973 |
| Journey K | 53-seat rear-engine bus from 1972 |
| Later series | BE/BL/BM 1973–1993, K 1972–1999, W40 1993–1999, W41 1999–2021 |
| Rebadges | W40 and W41 were Nissan Civilians, Journey-J a Hino Liesse |
| Licence-built | GM Korea Chevrolet BLD24 |
based on one source (English Wikipedia)
History of the Isuzu Journey
Journey S, M, L and K
The first Journey of 1970, the Journey S, was an Isuzu Elf 150 truck with a fifteen-seat bus rear on a KA5#B chassis. The Elf had been available as a compact bus since 1964 but was still called an Elf, and the Journey S was replaced in 1981 by the lighter and more spacious Isuzu Fargo. In 1973 came the 26-seat Journey M on an Elf 250 basis and the longer 29-seat Journey L on the Elf 350, with diesel engines of 2.8 and 3.6 litres later upgraded to more powerful and cleaner units. Much larger was the 53-seat rear-engine Journey K of 1972, replaced by the Isuzu Erga Mio in 1999. A light-duty Journey E was also made on the Elf basis with bodywork from an outside firm.
Rebadged Civilians and Liesses
The Journey L and M were replaced in 1993 by a rebadged Nissan Civilian, and the Isuzu Journey W40 and W41 were Civilians as well; the W41 was sold from 1999 to 2021. A separate Journey-J of 2003 to 2011 was a rebadged Hino Liesse, sold as the PB-RX6J for 2004 and the BDG-RX6J for 2007.
Built in Korea
GM Korea built a licence-made version of the Journey M as the Chevrolet BLD24 micro bus. The company had re-entered the micro bus business after taking over from Shinjin Motors in May 1973, with room for 25 passengers and Isuzu’s 74 PS C240 four-cylinder diesel. Only 121 were made before the model was discontinued in September 1974.
Design and features
- Elf-based start: the first Journey was an Elf 150 with a bus body.
- Many sizes: from 15-seat minibuses to the 53-seat Journey K.
- Rebadges later: the last Civilians and the Liesse carried Isuzu badges.
- Long life: fifty-one years of continuous production.
Isuzu Journey versions
- Journey S (1970): fifteen seats on an Elf 150 chassis.
- Journey M and L (1973): 26 and 29 seats on Elf 250 and 350 chassis.
- Journey K (1972–1999): 53-seat rear-engine bus.
- Journey W40 and W41 (1993–2021): rebadged Nissan Civilians.
- Journey-J (2003–2011): rebadged Hino Liesse.
- Journey E: light-duty Elf-based bus with outside bodywork.
The Journey began as an Elf conversion, and its largest model was replaced by the Erga Mio. The Fargo took over the smallest Journey. More vehicles are in the Isuzu collection.
Video: ISUZU journey bus for sale (www.watapita.lk)
Video by Adz King on YouTube.
Sources
- Isuzu Journey, English Wikipedia: history, models, rebadges
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