Isuzu D-max

I’ve always had an appreciation for the D-max as an underdog ute – cheap as chips, dependable as daybreak, good all-round performer, tough as nails and so easy to drive.

Isuzu’s D-max however, seemed to lack more than a little bit of love from its parent. While other utes (the ones which replaced the fourdoor sedan), seemed to get upgrade after upgrade, Isuzu seemed quite content to let its ute continue along its merry way.

Of course, the truck company which builds utes has its engineering fingers in much larger pies, um, I mean, vehicles, where there is considerably more money to be had.

I can hear the boardroom conversation now: “If the ute ain’t broken, why fix it? Besides, we’ve got widgits to fit to the 4.5-ton trucks, so let’s do that first, shall we?” All in fluent Japanese, of course.

So, when the first major overhaul for the ute in eight years was announced, yes, there was some excitement.

There were a lot of rumours circulating too, chief among which was: you know the new D-max is going to be a $70k plus ute, right?

Well yes, the top end model is, but there is a raft of other models on the way up to that one, so the D-max hasn’t really lost its everyman appeal. Not quite anyway.

It just so happens that the $70k-plus model, the X-terrain, is the one with the most appeal and is the top seller for the brand.

I was looking forward to the new D-max, but I was also looking forward to seeing that affordable upstart ute I saw when the brand first entered the market, not one which could play catchup with the rest of the mob over eight years. However… that was before I drove the new X-terrain.

I’m not going to rave about it, because frankly, the D-max has done what its twin – the BT-50 – has done: it has lost some of its individuality which is only to be expected when two companies go into developmental partnership.

Between the D-max evolution from the model before and the Mazda, the D-max shows the most remarkable transition. Isuzu has gone through more of a revolution rather than an evolution.

Or has it? Looking at the old and new models side by side, there are some obvious physical similarities, though the new model looks considerably more aggressive and contemporary.

Interestingly, the sharp, exterior lines which at one time spread out from the centre now draw the eyes in, and yet the modern D-max looks so much bigger as a result.

The lower lights have seen a major redesign and the Isuzu logo is no longer as in your face as it was while there is a more purposeful design to the protective plastic shield under the radiator grille.

Inside is where the D-max has seen the most significant upgrade and while the outgoing interior was practical and functional, it was definitely looking dated.

The one-time spartan centre console stack with its cyclopean central controller and somewhat inadequate display screen has seen a major overhaul to the nine-inch display with its combination of soft touch and solid-state switchgear.

From an aesthetic perspective, the console has become wider and is considerably more sophisticated in appearance.

Is there an eight-year difference/ improvement in regards the interior? Most definitely. And ergonomically, the cabin is better too, thanks to increased shoulder and legroom.

Alright, so what about the engine? Any changes there? A little bit, but it’s still a durable Isuzu powerplant under the bonnet skin.

The three-litre turbodiesel has seen a little tweaking to bring power and torque outputs up to par with the competitors and to give credit where it is due, the power delivery of the engine does seem a little more refined than I recall from the outgoing model.

There’s no denying that with its ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) suite, five-star safety rating, aggressive and contemporary styling, the Isuzu D-max has left its indelible tyre print among the top five utes in the market for the month of February and YTD registrations at this point.

It is quite likely that this will be the best the D-max will ever be, so if you can swallow the price pill – big pill to swallow – a D-max might be the D-eal for you.