Ford Ranger vs Isuzu D-Max

What's the difference?

There’s a lot to like about the Ford Ranger Sport, especially with the V6 engine. It's nice to drive, comfortable and packed full of features and tech.

Sure, it’s better suited to towing and open-road/track recreational duties than being used as a rock-crawling 4WD, but that doesn’t matter one iota to the Ranger’s core market.

One thing though: the bi-turbo is just as good as the V6, I reckon. And it’s cheaper. 

However, if you plan on repeatedly towing large boats or horse floats over long distances, then perhaps the V6 is the better option, especially if you’re concerned about the smaller engine’s ability to withstand the stresses and strains of lugging loads over an extended period of time.

The new D-Max hasn’t been majorly overhauled and instead bundles together a whole bunch of small but important changes, all of which have been designed to keep it fresh in the face of its competition, like the Triton, Ranger and HiLux.

Has it done enough? Only time will tell. But there’s little doubt that these updates only improve the D-Max formula.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Ranger Sport is the same look (inoffensive) and size (big) as other dual-cab variants in the line-up but it has those few aforementioned styling differences – black grille, machined alloy wheels etc – to set it apart from its stablemates.

Lower-spec Rangers look good, and the Sport is essentially a mildly jazzed-up version of a standard Ranger – not quite reaching the stylistic levels of Wildtrak, Platinum, or the Raptor – and so its appearance lands it squarely on the correct side of inoffensive.

There are some big-ish changes for this new-look D-Max, but how many of them you get depends on which of the six trim levels you’re shopping for.

Spring for one near the top of the family tree, and you’ll get all of the updates, which include new-look headlights that are LED with LED DRLs (but halogens on the SX), and a new-look front-end and grille. At the rear, there are new LED rear light clusters.

It doesn’t look a million miles away from the current D-Max, to be honest, but it does look a little newer, and a little fresher, which is important in the battle of the inches that is the new-ute market.

Inside, the brand describes the cabin as a mix of utility and comfort, and that’s feels pretty accurate from the driver’s seat.

The tech is new, with the 8.0- or 9.0-inch central screen joined by USB connection points, and there’s a new Digital Driver Display screen in the mix, along with new seat materials and trims, too.

But back to that that mix of utility and comfort. I’m not sure Isuzu has gotten the mix exactly right. There are plenty of soft-touch materials in the higher-trim levels, just not always where I want them to be.

I don’t know about you, but I like to have my elbow up when driving, and that plastic is still scratchy and hard, as is the place where my knee touches the centre console.

That said, it’s largely comfortable, definitely functional, and it serves up pretty much exactly what you might expect.

The Ranger cabin does pretty well in terms of practicality and comfort – for the ute segment anyway.

The multimedia system is easy enough to navigate and operate and that screen is big enough and crisp enough so even my old bloke eyes could cope with it.

Driver and front passenger have easy access to plenty of storage options – centre console, cupholders, big door pockets, a pocket-dump shelf etc – and charging points – wireless charger, USB and USB-C sockets – in this ute’s control room.

There’s also plenty of space inside for the driver and the passengers, front and back. The seats are supportive and comfortable upfront and only marginally less so in the back row. There’s enough room back there for a three-person party – I sat behind my driving position and had loads of space.

Second-row passengers get a fold-down centre arm-rest, door pockets, and map pockets as well as air-con vents and controls.

The business end of this ute, the tub, has a sturdy-looking liner, four tie-down points, a 12-volt outlet, and LED lighting.

But beyond all that it has a handy built-in step at the rear right-hand side of the vehicle. I can attest to the usefulness of something like this because a few years ago while loading a ute – not a Ranger – I injured myself trying to get into the tub by standing on top of one of the tyres. It was raining at the time, the tyre was wet, and the soles of my old boots unfortunately didn’t provide the requisite amount of traction required to prevent me from slipping. I sustained a deep haematoma to my upper right thigh, which calcified and still troubles me to this day. Boo-hoo, I hear you say. Well, my point is this: well done, Ford, because that step is a worthwhile addition, not at all a novelty.

For measurement nerds, such as myself, the tub measures 1464mm long (at the floor; a pallet-swallowing 1217mm between the wheel-arches), 1520mm wide and 525mm deep. Opening width at the tailgate is 1393mm.

If you’re keen to build your Ranger as an adventure vehicle then you’re in luck. When you order a new Ranger you can order an ARB ‘Build’ to suit your lifestyle. That chosen build will be fitted to your Ranger prior to you taking delivery of it. 

There are three builds – Family Adventurer, Tourer, and Serious Off-roader – and each one includes a specific set of aftermarket accessories (covering protection, suspension, lighting and more) and, when you’ve specified which build you want at Ranger-ordering time, those will have already been fitted to it when it comes time for you to collect it. The builds are covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited km warranty. 

Isuzu has taken to calling the D-Max one of Australia’s most capable utes out of the box.

That includes up to 240mm in ground clearance, 800mm in wading depth, and a towing maximum of 3.5 tonnes for the bigger diesel engine, dropping to three tonnes with the 1.9-litre powerplant fitted. Payload is up to 1405kg, too, but to get you need the SX with Cab Chassis. It’s more like 1045kg for most dual-cab ute trims.

Also new for this update is the addition of Rough Terrain Mode — a technology borrowed from the MU-X, then improved to pair with the D-Max’s mechanical off-road features.

In short, the tech taps into the traction-control systems to detect wheel slip, and can then brake individual wheels and send torque to where it is needed to smooth your progress. In the D-Max, it works with the rear diff-lock, too.

The back seat of the D-Max shows why vehicles in this category are now doubling as family vehicles. Behind my own 175cm driving position there was enough knee and headroom to get comfortable, and I’m confident you could fit three across the back row pretty easily, too.

There are some creature comforts, including a USB-C charging point (trim dependent) as well as air vents, but no temp controls, and even a little coat hook as well, but it’s not swimming with niceties.

Ute ranges being the insanely complex webs they are, you’ll be unsurprised to hear there are lots of options here. In fact, there are some 25 combinations, spanning six grades, two engines, two gearboxes, a choice of two- or four-wheel drive and four body styles.

The price range is vast, too, now starting at $32,700 for the SX Single Cab Chassis with a 1.9-litre turbo-diesel and two-wheel drive, and climbing to a $70,500 MSRP for the X-Terrain Crew Cab with a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel and four-wheel drive.

To keep this brief, we'll focus on the Crew Cab Ute, which is yours in SX, LS-U, LS-U+, LS-M, X-Rider and X-Terrain guises, but we will also post a full price list below so you can choose your own adventure.

The SX range is now $500 more expensive across the board, and it starts at $42,700 with a 1.9-litre engine and two-wheel drive, or $50,700 for four-wheel drive. If you want the bigger 3.0-litre powerplant, it’s $44,700 for the 2WD, or $52,700 for the 4x4.

Then it’s the LS-U, which is big-engine only, and is $54.5k (which is up by $1500, by the way) for the 4x2, and $62.5k (again up $1.5k) for the 4x4. There’s also a LS-U+, which is $65,500 in 4x4.

Next is the LS-M, which is $55,800 (up $500), before the new-for-2024 X-Rider jumps in at $59,500. Both are four-wheel drive only and feature only the big engine.

Finally, there’s the flagship X-Terrain — big engine only, and four-wheel drive as standard — which is $70,500 (up a sizeable $3k), but which is also just $67,990 drive-away, at least for now.

The entry-level SX gets a vinyl floor, cloth seats, powered windows and mirrors, and air-conditioning with rear vents. Tech is handled by a new 8.0-inch central touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, pairing with four speakers, while an also-new 4.2-inch screen sits in the driver’s binnacle. You also get 17-inch steel wheels, automatic wipers and halogen headlights.

Stepping up to LS-M trim gets you new and softer rear suspension, a higher-grade cloth interior treatment, bi-LED headlights and DRLs, 17-inch alloy wheels and body-coloured mirrors, door handles and tailgate handle. If you can spring for this trim, it feels like the sweet spot of the lower-range models.

Next there’s the new X-Rider, which was once was a special edition but now rejoins as a permanent member of the family. It’s all about upping the street credibility, so there’s black gloss on the grille and a black underbody spoiler, as well as black on the rear step bar, the mirrors, door handles and tailgate handle, the B-pillars, the sports bar and on the soft tonneau cover. There are also black 17-inch alloy wheels and dark grey side steps.

Next up is the LS-U, which ups the cabin tech with a new 9.0-inch central screen, but with tactile dials for volume — fixing what was apparently a big complaint about the outgoing D-Max – as well as a new 7.0-inch Driver Display. There’s also keyless entry and push-button start, including a new welcome light that illuminates the interior when you approach, dual-zone climate control and a nicer interior treatment. Outside, there’s a tub liner, silver side steps, chrome on the handles and mirrors and 18-inch alloys.

The LS-U+ then adds leather seats which are heated in the front and eight-way power-adjustable for the driver, and four-way power-adjustable for the front passenger.

Finally, the flagship X-Terrain gets red stitching across its leather interior, remote engine start, a rolling tonneau cover, a unique sport bar, dark grey side steps, mirrors, handles and roof rails, and 18-inch matte-grey alloys wheels.

2024 Isuzu D-MAX Pricing (RRP before on-road costs unless specified)

Our test vehicle has the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine, producing 184kW at 3250rpm and 600Nm at 1750-2250rpm.

It has a 10-speed automatic transmission and a 4WD system with selectable two-wheel drive (2H), four-wheel drive high-range (4H), four-wheel drive low-range (4L) and four-wheel drive automatic (4A = 4Auto) that sends drive to the front and rear axles as needed, and which can be used on high-traction surfaces.

It has a variety of selectable drive modes – including Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Sand – and a locking rear diff.

The D-Max’s powertrains for 2024 remain unchanged, with the choice of a 1.9-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine good for 110kW and 350Nm, or a 3.0-litre unit producing 140kW and 450Nm. They are paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, and two- or four-wheel drive, depending on the model.

Official fuel consumption for the Sport V6 is 8.4L/100km on a combined cycle.

I recorded fuel consumption of 12.4L/100km on this test.

The Ranger has a 80-litre tank, so, going by the above figures, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 645km from a full tank.

Isuzu reckons you’ll see around 8.0L/100km on the combined cycle with the bigger engine, with fuel use dropping to 6.9L/100km with the 1.9-litre unit fitted.

The 76-litre tank is the same for both engines, meaning a theoretical range of 950km or 1100km.

I've driven a lot of variants of the Ford Ranger on all sorts of terrain and I've always been impressed with how well they've performed.

The Ranger is nice to drive on-road – quiet inside, refined, comfortable and that engine and transmission are a clever and relaxed combination – and it’s very capable off-road but one or two niggles prevent this ute from being a great all-round daily driver.

Let’s get a few of those negatives out of the way first.

This ute is hampered by its own physical dimensions when it comes to four-wheel driving. The Ranger's extended wheelbase especially impacts its ability to traverse steep rock steps without experiencing bumps to the underbody or scuffs to the side-steps.

Its wheelbase is longer than in any previous iteration, great for giving the Ranger a settled stance on a road or track but not so helpful for traversing challenging terrain. Because that stretch has impacted ramp breakover angle which is now listed as 21 degrees, whereas the previous-gen Ranger offered 25 degrees.

For reference, approach and departure angles are 30 and 23 degrees respectively.

The Ranger’s tyres – Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT (255/65R18) – are not as off-road-suited as you might like, especially for anything beyond light-duty 4WDing. (As always, with most standard 4WDs, these kinds of problems – compromised off-road angles and less-than-ideal off-road tyres – can be addressed with a mild - two inch or so - aftermarket suspension lift and a good set of aggressive LT-construction all-terrain tyres.)

I still think the driver-assist tech that has off-road applications – the track-view/360-degree camera and vehicle-info read-out (displaying driveline/diff lock indicators, and steering, pitch and roll angles etc) – are more novelty than necessity, but on this test I became more used to them than on previous trips.

The brake pedal feels spongy – taking a long time between initial foot pressure to actually ‘biting', and then the brakes – discs all round – quite abruptly clamp into action.

I’ve previously expressed annoyance at the auto transmission shifter – a kind of joystick on steroids – but it’s also another element in the Ranger to which I’m becoming accustomed.

Anyway, to the positives…

Off-road, the Ranger does well.

With a listed length of 5370mm (with a 3270mm wheelbase), a width of 2208mm, a height of 1886mm and an official kerb weight of 2351kg, this is not a small ute. It has a turning circle of 12.9m, but never feels too unwieldy on bush tracks, no matter how tight they become.

The V6 engine is rarely stressed, offers plenty of torque across a decent spread of revs and it doesn't have to work hard to get you through most obstacles or challenges.

The 10-speed auto transmission is clever – scrambling between ratios has been minimised if not completely ironed out – and if you want to take over duties yourself you can do so via the manual shifter. The ‘e-Shifter’ in 4WD Rangers is mildly annoying but, as I mentioned earlier, I’m getting used to it.

Low-range gearing is adequate and the Ranger has an electronic rear diff lock for more traction-boosting control.

There’s plenty of driver-assist tech onboard and off-road driving modes include Mud/Ruts and Sand. These are no substitute for track-worthy 4WD mechanicals, but these modes do effectively adjust engine throttle, transmission, braking, traction and stability controls to suit the driving conditions.

Hill descent control is effective, and held the Ranger to a controlled 3-4km/h while we crept down to the turn-around point on a set-piece hill.

Wading depth is 800mm and, while there had been recent rain in our 4WD proving ground prior to this test, I couldn’t find any mudholes deep enough to seriously challenge the Ranger’s water-crossing ability. 

Wheel travel – how far the axle can move up and down relative to the chassis – is not great, with the Ranger’s tyres sometimes left to dangle in space rather than stretching to the dirt.

If you’re planning to use your Ranger as a remote-area touring vehicle or even a weekend adventure machine, then take note of the payload and gross vehicle mass (GVM) figures, which are 929kg and 3280kg respectively. Remember: any aftermarket equipment (bullbar, roof rack etc), people, pets and camping gear must figure in your payload and GVM equations.

If you want to use the Ranger as a tow vehicle, it’s handy to know that its towing capacity is listed as 750kg (unbraked) and 3500kg (braked). Gross combined mass (GCM) is 6400kg.

The Ranger’s big physical dimensions, long wheelbase, and settled driving feel may seem like it’s a shoe-in as a tow vehicle of choice, but there have been rumblings in the general public about the 10-speed transmissions becoming unusually hot when the vehicle is under load for a sustained period of time, so keep an eye out for any reports on those kinds of issues.

Remember, it’s evolution over revolution for the 2024 Isuzu D-Max, so don’t expect the drive experience to be dramatically different. 

Instead, the brand says it has focused on fixing some of the complaints surrounding the outgoing model, something Isuzu is pretty open about.

It says they’ve taken feedback from the media, from their customers, and from their big fleet users, and they’ve fed it up their Japanese HQ. And the result of all that is this 2024 update.

Apparently one of the biggest complaints focused on the infotainment screen having no physical buttons, but the new one changes that with its wireless Apple CarPlay and twin USB connection points joined by a physical volume dial. I know that feels a little like you’ve taken a step backwards through time, but when something works, it works.

The’ve also made some key, and worthy, changes to the safety systems, but we will get to those in a moment.

The reality is — and I don’t mean this in an insulting way — that the new D-Max largely drives much like you might expect a top-selling diesel dual-cab to drive.

The torque on offer from both engines, but especially the bigger one, is plentiful, even if the noise of the diesel is an ever-present passenger when you put your foot down, and there is that inescapable truck-like feeling from behind the wheel.

There are some elements that set it apart, though. The steering is smooth and responsive, as is the quick-witted automatic gearbox, and despite us tipping into corners a little faster than we would on our daily commute, there wasn’t much in the way of side-to-side body roll, and no complaints from the rubber.

That might sound like I’m damning the D-Max with faint praise, but that’s not the intention. It’s a comfortable, capable, practical workhorse, and that’s ticking plenty of ute boxes, right?

The bigger-engined D-Max remains a towing powerhouse, too. We pulled some serious weight, and 3.0-litre turbo-diesel made pretty light work of it, with ample torque on offer to keep things moving.

It wouldn’t be the launch of an updated diesel dual-cab without a tour across a tailored off-road course, and Isuzu delivered, specifically to plug the merits of its new Rough Terrain Mode.

Tested back-to-back with the system switched on and off, there does seem to be less slip from the wheels when traversing bumpy, tyre-torturing articulations, with the D-Max just gripping and going. It’s another off-road tick for a ute already very good in the rough stuff.

Full credit to Isuzu for equipping the entire D-Max range with the best of its safety equipment, much of which has been overhauled for this generation.

That starts with a new-generation camera that scans the road for cars, pedestrians and cyclists with greater clarity. It also includes a charging plug for an aftermarket dash-cam.

There’s now updated Lane Keep Assist, better programmed to centre in the lane rather than bouncing from edge to edge, bumper bowling style. There’s Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Brake and Adaptive Cruise Control, too.

That fact that it’s all standard from the entry-level SX is fantastic, and the D-Max range copped the full five-star ANCAP rating when tested in 2020.

The Ford Ranger line-up has a five-year/unlimited km warranty and five years of roadside assistance as long as you always service your Ranger at an authorised dealer.

Service intervals are scheduled for every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever occurs soonest.

Capped-price servicing applies to a MY24 Ranger’s first four services for a total cost of $1516, according to the Ford Service Price Guide.

The D-Max is covered by Isuzu’s six-year, 150,000km warranty, and we like the years, but less so the kilometre limits.

There’s five years of capped-price servicing, too. You’ll be visiting the service centre every 12 months or 15,000kms, and each visit will cost you $449 for the first five years, or $2245 in total.