Isuzu D-Max vs Foton Tunland

What's the difference?

Unquestionably rugged, capable, and surprisingly comfortable, the D-Max is the quintessence of the modern ute formula: (Almost) everything you need, with none of the things you don't.

While it's still missing a handful of bells and whistles compared to some of its notable rivals, it's easy to see why this Japanese stalwart punches above its weight in the Aussie and New Zealand sales charts.

Everything counted for, this one (LS in NZ, LS-U in Australia) is even my pick of the range, though I'd be tempted to splash for the X-Terrain (or at least the optional heated seats) if I lived on NZ's icy South Island.

The 2018 Tunland is a big improvement on any Chinese ute we’ve driven. Foton has done a commendable job in selecting known brand components and bringing them together into one cohesive package that delivers robust performance. Although it doesn’t quite equal the sum of its parts (mostly owing to poor safety features and some technical quirks), it’s still a lot of 4x4 dual cab ute for not a lot of money, and it's worthy of a test drive.

The D-Max backs its rugged reputation with tough looks, which have been brought up to a more contemporary style for this latest generation.

The signature Isuzu 'kabuto' grille brings with it instant recognition of the brand’s industrial robustness as also worn by its medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

A strong bodyline featuring a new geometric theme for the brand, light fittings and all, looks ready to rumble, and combines nicely with the high ride height, thick tyres, and big wheel arches to sell the idea of this truck's off-road prowess.

One thing I might like the most about the overall guise is how it avoids being delicate. This D-Max continues the simple panel work which looks as though it’s ready to be coated in mud and not easily damaged.

Again, it’s not as iconic a design as the tough American styling of the Ranger or the more refined looks of the new Amarok, but it still looks and feels more modern than most of its rivals, particularly the dated HiLux.

Chrome is tastefully applied on this LS-U grade to uplift the design ever so slightly, at least compared to the blacked-out pieces on lower variants.

Hopping in the cabin and the geometric theme is continued in the seats, wheel, and across the dash with the vent fittings.

It's even mirrored in the little digital element in the dash, where each side of the pattern serves as the temperature and fuel gauge, respectively.

Little touches like this help the interior feel more consistent and thoughtfully designed than the previous (and decidedly industrial-feeling) D-Max, so props to the brand for including it.

It’s also much more comfortable than the previous D-Max, with a more generous application of soft-touch surfaces, welcoming seats clad in tough cloth material, and in this grade, carpet floors.

Ours had thick rubber floor mats to help protect the carpet beneath, but lower grades get vinyl flooring for all your agricultural adventures.

Overall, I like it. There’s just enough luxury and modern features in the cabin for it to be very liveable, while maintaining an honest, practical feel.

This is a big ute with an imposing presence, much like the Ford Ranger with which it shares similar dimensions (if not looks). Compared to the Ranger Wildtrak, the Tunland is 115mm shorter in wheelbase and 45mm shorter in overall length, but 20mm wider and 22mm taller. Ground clearance of 210mm is 27mm less and its kerb weight undercuts the Wildtrak by 250kg.

The Tunland uses traditional body-on-frame construction with a steel ladder-frame chassis, coil-spring twin-wishbone front suspension, leaf-spring live rear axle, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes and hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion steering. 

Chrome body highlights include the grille, driving lights, side mirrors, door handle inserts and body badges. The dashboard and interior trim feature strongly textured grey surfaces with a tasteful mix of piano black, chrome, satin chrome and carbon fibre-look highlights. 

There’s good comfort for driver and front passenger, with a height-adjustable steering wheel and multi-adjustable driver’s seat with adequate under-thigh support that doesn’t feel too short like a Triton. The driving position is a big improvement on other Chinese utes we’ve tested, and is on par with many of the major players. The rear bench seat’s low cushion height results in raised upper thigh angles and knees, but also aids in providing unusually generous headroom, even for tall adults sitting in the higher centre position. 

On the topic of practicality, this D-Max has a useful and spacious cabin.

For what it’s worth, I like the cloth seat trim available on this grade, which strikes me as hard-wearing and easy to clean.

The seats are also wide and have significant padding and bolstering so you’re comfortable and don’t get thrown around too much.

The wheel is reach and height adjustable, while the seats manually slide back and forward, but have electric adjust for lumbar. Many who use this truck for adventure or agricultural applications will prefer a manually sliding seat, so I see this as fair.

It was easy for me to find my own driving position, and I had very good visibility over the bonnet, out the rear window, and down the side, with generous wing mirrors (which, no doubt, will also come in handy when towing). 

The cab is quite high, so the addition of side-steps in this grade was a welcome touch for my much shorter partner to be able to clamber in and out of the cab easily.

In terms of amenity for front passengers, there are large bottle holders and map pockets in each door, a further two large bottle holders in the centre console alongside the manual handbrake, a bay underneath the climate controls suitable for phones (though finished in a hard plastic material, so things may slide about), a small but deep armrest console box, and a decent-sized glove box.

Of course, Isuzu carries over additional pop-out cupholders in the dashboard, apparently an important feature amongst the truck's dedicated fan base.

Isuzu has maintained physical controls, particularly for climate functions which are operated via a line of toggles, as well as maintaining physical buttons for core functions of the multimedia suite, like volume and a home shortcut.

Sadly, the 9.0-inch multimedia set-up is let down by ugly, basic software, but it gets the job done, and most of the time you’ll be negotiating with phone mirroring anyway.

Wireless CarPlay is a nice touch, but bring a cable, because it isn’t paired with a wireless phone charger.

The back seat is similarly generous, offering solid leg and headroom, and the shapely seat trim continues, which goes a long way to ensuring your passengers don’t have to feel like an afterthought.

While I would have liked the rear doors to open a little wider, in case you wanted to fit a child seat for example, the cabin width is impressive.

The rear seat backs can be folded down should you want to store bulky objects, or even fit a second battery or power converter behind for camp or work set-ups.

Rear passengers are also treated to a USB outlet, dual adjustable air vents, a large bottle holder in the doors, pockets on the backs of the front seats, and a flip out coat hook. Accessibility is helped along by big handles on the inside of the B-pillar.

The tray offers healthy dimensions and in this case comes with a plastic ISUZU-embossed tub-liner, though you’ll have to fork out extra for a tonneau cover.

The tie-down anchor points are also located high on the sides, with none in the base of the tray, which was frustrating as I couldn’t ocky strap my ski equipment down, although I could fit my 172cm long skis in there on an angle.

The tailgate scores a soft-open piston, which is nice. You won’t have to pay extra for a tow receiver, though, as it comes standard on this grade.

Again, the D-Max is also missing a few tricks found standard on rivals, like the Ranger's tray side-steps. Still, aftermarket support for D-Max tray accessories remains strong.

Tray dimensions come in at 1570mm long, 1530mm wide, and 490mm deep, with 1122mm between the wheel arches.

Figures used here are provided by Foton Motor Australia Ltd and differ slightly from those shown in sales brochures. With a claimed kerb weight of 2000kg and 2925kg GVM, the Tunland is rated to carry a decent payload of up to 925kg.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3000kg of braked trailer, and with its 5925kg GCM, can tow that weight without having to reduce its peak payload, which gets a big tick from us.

Load tub dimensions of 1520mm length, 1580mm width and 440mm height provide more than a cubic metre of enclosed load volume. There’s also 1140mm between the wheel arches (not wide enough for a standard Aussie pallet) plus four sturdy tie-down points for securing loads.

Cabin storage options includes a bottle holder and pocket in each front door, a shallow tray inset in the centre dash pad, an overhead sunglasses holder and single glovebox. The centre console has an open cubby up front, two cup holders in the centre and a small lidded box at the back which doubles as a well-placed armrest.

Rear doors also have bottle holders and storage pockets, plus there are flexible storage pockets on the rear of each front seat and a fold out dual cup holder on the rear of the centre console. The rear bench seat’s base cushion also swings up through 90 degrees to reveal two hidden storage areas beneath for the wheel-changing tools and other smallish items.

The Foton Tunland is made in two model grades – the H-series (High End) and S-series (Super Value). The S-series (which is not sold here) is a low-cost, steel-wheeled version with components sourced from Chinese suppliers. The H-series is the premium model sold in Australia, so don’t let the red S badge on the tailgate confuse you as it did us at first. The S badge stands for Sport (not Super Value) and is only affixed to H-series vehicles.

The Tunland range comprises 4x2 manual ($26,990), 4x4 manual ($29,990), 4x4 auto ($33,990) and, thanks to its leather seats, 4x4 auto Luxury ($35,490). The 4x4 manual Luxury has recently had a big price reduction from $30,990 to $27,990, reflecting Australia’s growing preference for automatic transmissions.

Our test vehicle is the 4x4 auto, which for a snip under $34,000, brings numerous useful and desirable features including 17-inch alloys and beefy 265/65R17 road-biased tyres with matching spare, power/heated door mirrors, daytime running lights, side steps, auto headlights, rear-view camera and rear parking sensors, leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio/cruise control buttons, power windows, four-speaker sound system with multiple connectivity, eight-way (manual) adjustable driver’s seat and more. Plus there’s an extensive range of accessories.

One of the D-Max's strongest attributes is the powerplant residing under its bonnet.

Re-purposed from the brand’s medium-duty truck range, the 3.0-litre four-cylinder (4JJ3-TCX) turbo-diesel engine produces 140kW/450Nm, and is mated to a six-speed Aisin-sourced torque converter automatic transmission.

Drive is sent primarily to the rear wheels, with a selectable '4H' mode which can be switched to on the fly at up to 100km/h, as well as a low-range '4L' mode.

This new-generation version also scores a built-in rear differential lock and snorkelled diff breathers to increase wading depth (now 800mm).

While power isn’t as high as its six-cylinder rivals, this engine has a reputation for longevity and strength, and just in terms of driving feel and torque delivery, it feels more straightforward than many of its 2.0-litre twin-turbo rivals.

Suspension is delivered via a coil-sprung double wishbone set-up in the front, and leaf springs in the rear with gas shock absorbers. There are disc brakes in the front with drums at the rear.

Important off-road figures include a 30.5-degree approach angle, 19-degree departure angle, and a 23.8-degree breakover. Total ground clearance is 240mm.

Payload is 990kg in the LS-U with GVM coming in at 3100kg. Towing capacity is 3500kg for a braked trailer or 750kg unbraked.

One of the Tunland’s strong points is its Euro 5-compliant 2.8-litre four-cylinder Cummins ISF turbo-diesel, which Foton claims is the first ute in the world to be powered by this engine. It delivers 130kW at 3600rpm and 365Nm across a pretty flexible 1600-3200rpm torque band.

The smooth-shifting six-speed German automatic behind it is from another premium OEM supplier in Friedrichshafen AG, better known as ZF. Its gearing and shift protocols are well matched to the engine’s characteristics, offering a choice of full-auto mode or sequential manual shifting. Console buttons also provide a choice of Economy, Sport or Snow driving modes.

American OEM giant Borg Warner supplies the part-time, dual-range 4x4 transfer case, while another  major US supplier - Dana - has its stamp on the front drive-shafts and live rear axle assembly, featuring a 3.9:1 final drive and limited-slip differential. There’s no locking rear diff option available.

The D-Max LS-U has an official combined cycle consumption figure of 8.0L/100km which sounds a little ambitious.

In my week with the truck I travelled 300km, largely on sealed roads, but with a healthy amount of 4H usage on some unsealed, steep, and snowy tracks, as well as a lot of topography changes in mountainous Otago. 

The result was 10.4L/100km. It’s over the official number, but reasonable considering the conditions the truck was subjected to. The D-Max has a 75-litre fuel tank, and has a diesel particulate filter.

Theoretical range is close to 940km, dropping to around 720km based on our real-world number.

Foton’s official combined figure is 8.7L/100km but our ‘real world’ road test figures based on fuel bowser and trip meter readings came in at 12.2 (after 503km) and 12.1 (after 297km). Based on those figures, you could expect a driving range of around 620km from its 76-litre tank. However, after only 500km the fuel gauge needle was nudging the red zone and the low-fuel warning light came on, so we weren’t game to find out if there was another 100km-plus of driving available from the theoretical fuel remaining. 

Our D-Max was put to work clambering up the snow-encrusted mountains of the Otago region in NZ, exploring unsealed hills for hiking, and heading up to the region's popular ski locations.

The most immediate advantage of having a 4x4-capable vehicle in these environments is being able to sail right past most snow chain stations without having to deal with the inconvenience of fitting the things unless it’s a particularly icy day, and it did get close on some occasions when there was a dumping of snow.

Nevertheless, I was impressed by the level of grip offered by the stock Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts fitted in such low-traction conditions.

And while we didn’t explore the edges of the 4x4 system’s ability in deep mud or at full articulation, you could feel the additional traction at play keeping the truck heading where it was pointed on the dirt, grit, and snow we covered.

While the power figures from the 3.0-litre engine aren’t as impressive as some rivals, the big four-cylinder engine effortlessly pushes through rough terrain with plenty in reserve.

It feels unstressed and the slick-shifting automatic never kicked up issues.

It’s quite clever when heading downhill, with a simple squeeze of the brake pedal enough to get it to kick down and hold a gear to control your descent. Useful in the snow.

We switched up to 4x4 on-the-fly at about 50km/h as we passed 2WD chain stations. It takes a handful of seconds, and is a neat ability for not holding up a column of all-wheel drive vehicles behind you.

Under heavy acceleration, like entering a 100km/h zone, the engine is quite noisy, missing some of the refinement of its smaller capacity or six-cylinder rivals, and there’s a little extra noise and vibration at these speeds.

But at commuting velocity where the torquey engine doesn’t need to exert itself, refinement is impressive.

In fact, the D-Max seems quite liveable as a daily driver thanks to its great cabin features, superb visibility, and speed responsive steering, making it a breeze to negotiate alleyways and parking lots with its ultra-light feel at low speed in 2WD.

It firms up the faster you go, or for those worried about a vague steering feel when venturing off the tarmac, it immediately becomes full of feel when you switch up to 4H.

I would have liked nicer software, though. It doesn’t make the most of its little digital panel nestled between the analogue dials in the instrument cluster, which, aside from the fuel consumption and tyre pressure screens, doesn’t show particularly useful information.

The main issue is the large multimedia screen. It works wonderfully with wireless Apple CarPlay, but the stock software you’ll need to use to program the built-in navigation, radio, and settings is ugly and clumsy, albeit simple to use.

One thing I particularly liked about the D-Max this time around was its ride.

The suspension seems like a standard ute set-up with the coils in the front and leaf springs in the rear, but Isuzu has seemingly tuned the agricultural feel out (like the steering, clearly a response to negative feedback from the previous-generation truck).

The ride is now excellent, proving supple over all sorts of terrain, and at a variety of speeds.

The rear is particularly impressive, with forgiving leaves which prevent too much of the usual ladder-chassis jiggle, and stop the rear bouncing around too much on corrugated surfaces when unladen.

This nice ride is no doubt helped along by the very agreeable wheel size and tyre combination, which allows plenty of rubber for soaking up hits.

The new Ranger may have an even better ride, but the D-Max is better sorted than the current HiLux, that’s for sure.

Overall we’re left with a ute which is as ready for daily duties as it is eating up dirt, snow, and work. Other than the over-and-above luxury standards set by the Ranger and Amarok what more can you ask for?

It’s a tight build free of rattles and squeaks, but the ride is too firm when empty or lightly loaded, particularly in the leaf-spring rear suspension which feels every small bump and delivers a sharp kick in your back over larger ones.

Otherwise, the chassis performance is more than adequate with its four-wheel disc brakes and steering that’s responsive and nicely weighted. Engine refinement and noise insulation are not best in class, but at highway speeds the combined engine, tyre and wind noise is certainly low enough to allow conversations without raised voices. The Cummins fairly lopes along here, with only 1800rpm at 100km/h and 2000rpm at 110km/h.

It’s also quite an agile and energetic performer around town, particularly in Sport mode. Maximum torque of 385Nm from the Cummins diesel is far from the strongest in this category, but the Tunland’s relatively low kerb weight helps to compensate for it with brisk getaways from standing starts and good throttle response in city and suburban driving. 

To test its GVM rating we strapped 770kg into the load tub, which with driver was only about 50kg short of its 925kg payload limit. The rear springs compressed 50mm while the nose rose 18mm. This resulted in a near-level ride height and noticeably improved ride quality, with no major decline in steering or braking response.  

With this load it was a competent performer on a variety of sealed and unsealed surfaces, including some bush tracks on which we engaged in both high and low range 4x4. Back on the bitumen, it also coped well with our two kilometre, 13 per cent gradient set climb, maintaining the 60km/h speed limit in third gear at 2250rpm all the way to the top. 

Engine braking on the way down, though, was compromised by the auto transmission’s unusual shift protocols. With second gear manually selected (in sequential shift mode) it over-rode that selection and shifted up to third when the engine reached 3250rpm on over-run. We tried it again several times and got the same result.

Not sure if it’s an engine protection measure on Foton’s part (redline is 4000rpm) but it’s not a nice surprise when you’re heavily loaded on a steep descent and relying on engine braking to help restrain your speed.

Our only other gripes were poor radio reception on the AM band (too bad if you like talkback) and the cruise control, which stopped working during our test and would not switch back on. 

Its three-star (out of five) ANCAP safety rating is poor, with single airbags for driver and front passenger only. 

Bosch electronic stability control includes brake-force distribution and hill-start assist, but there's no trailer sway control or AEB. The rear seat offers three head restraints and lap-sash belts. There are also ISOFIX attachments on the two outer seating positions, but no top tethers. Foton says it has identified differences in ISOFIX fittings between China and Australia, which it is now addressing for future export models. 

Isuzu offers a six-year or 150,000km warranty in Australia, which is an extra year over a lot of its rivals. But frustratingly, it’s distance-limited, a potential issue given how many of these utes are used by long-distance travelling caravanners and the like.

Count your blessings, though, because our Kiwi friends are only treated to a three-year/100,000km warranty on the same truck.

You can get up to seven-years of roadside assistance in Australia if you stick with Isuzu’s official service schedule and network, while in NZ this is covered for three years or 100,000km under the same conditions.

Australians also score a seven-year/105,000km capped price service program which costs between $335 and $799 per visit, for a yearly average of $527, which you might be surprised to learn is actually more affordable than the HiLux ($580 per year), mainly because the HiLux needs to be serviced twice as often.

Expect a three year/100,000km warranty and service intervals of six months/10,000km whichever occurs first. Roadside assistance is also available.