Falling sales for its SUV and pickup models has led to a decision by Isuzu to abandon the car market to concentrate efforts on sales of its money-making mid-range and medium-duty cabover trucks.

With Navistar International taking over the General Motors medium truck business, it is likely that the GM- and Chevrolet-badged Isuzu cabovers and the crossover conventional H-Series GM conventional chassis with Isuzu power will go away, leaving the staff at Isuzu Trucks North America to concentrate on the low cabover market where Isuzu dominates.
Isuzu entered the North American auto market in 1981 after building small pickups for GM in the '70s. Initially it offered the Pup pickup and the Trooper. At the time, the Trooper was the only four-door SUV apart from the Jeep Cherokee, and to a great extent helped establish the SUV car market. Another popular Isuzu model, the Rodeo, was a popular SUV for Isuzu and also rebadged, sold well as the Honda Passport.
Isuzu passenger vehicle sales peaked in 1986. With only a few more than 7,000 of its Ascender SUV and i-series pickups sold last year, Isuzu management said on Wednesday that the company would pull out of the car market within a year, but would continue to support customers with Isuzu passenger vehicles.