2019 Ford Ranger vs Isuzu D-Max

What's the difference?

Ford’s 2018 launch of its 2019 Ranger (or PX III) brought numerous upgrades and refinements, headlined by the availability of AEB and Ford’s new twin-turbo 2.0-litre diesel engine with 10-speed auto being available as an option in the upper-shelf XLT and top-shelf Wildtrak variants.

This new engine and transmission made its Ranger debut in the Baja-inspired Raptor, which has earned widespread praise for its ‘desert racer’ chassis tuning and criticism of its underwhelming engine choice in equal measure.

However, to judge this new engine’s performance based purely on the Raptor is neither fair or accurate, as we discovered after testing the latest Ranger XLT. Fact is, with its much lighter weight and shorter gearing, the XLT offers punchier response and acceleration than the Raptor, along with higher payload and tow ratings.

Australia’s 4x2 ute market is dominated by the Toyota HiLux. It’s a favourite for many tradies, small business operators and government/private fleets due to its brand familiarity, load-carrying ability, reliability, variety of body configurations and resale value. And, no doubt, Toyota’s proven success in maintaining and growing fleet business.

In 2019 the HiLux commands more than 36 per cent of the local 4x2 ute segment. However, unlike the battle to be top dog in 4x4 ute sales, Toyota’s closest 4x2 competitor is not Ford’s Ranger but Isuzu’s venerable D-Max, which currently attracts more than 13 per cent of sales. We recently trialled a one tonner from the D-Max 4x2 range to find out why it’s such a strong performer in this workhorse-focused market.