2020 Isuzu D-Max

By Alex Forrest

When you combine 4x4 and 4x2 models, utes made up almost one fifth of Australia’s total new vehicle market in 2019, leaving medium sized SUVs as the only market segment that’s bigger. 

As a manufacturer which sells only utes and a ute-based SUV, Isuzu has more interest than most in securing a substantial piece of this pie. 

The Isuzu D-Max ute already has a loyal customer base, but the vehicle was updated in 2019 to make the ownership experience better, in a bid to pull more customers away from its competitors while keeping existing owners within the brand.

Most significantly, Isuzu has increased its factory warranty coverage from five to six years, and from 130,000km to 150,000km, suddenly hoisting the D-Max’s warranty credentials above most other mainstream utes.

The D-Max also now gets a capped price servicing coverage over seven years and 105,000km, up from five years/75,000km.

Cosmetically, the D-Max has had a nip and tuck in the form of a revised front grille and roof rails, but these are small changes compared to the recent major revisions to the Mitsubishi Triton and the Mazda BT-50.

The D-Max LS-T gets a fresh set of alloy wheels, newly designed side steps available as options and even ambient interior lighting to help keep you calm of an evening while enjoying the off-road ute lifestyle.

On the road, the D-Max’s big 3.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel has ample torque (430Nm) for hauling loads, but like most diesels in twin cab utes, it likes to be kept in the sweet spot of its rev range. We also note it needs to be revved higher than engines in other utes to reach its peak torque output, meaning the maximum is slightly less accessible.       

Its towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes for a trailer with brakes matches the competition.

Its on-road performance is strong, but it’s still a noisy thing compared to some of its rivals.

While the D-Max’s ownership proposition is now better, prospective buyers will need to consider this against its downsides such as the lack of safety features like autonomous emergency braking, and no Apple Carplay and Android Auto.