2019 Isuzu D-Max vs 2020

What's the difference?

This is one of the best 4x2 high-riding light commercials on the market, with Isuzu’s truck-building DNA evident in every detail. Even with the heavy-duty aluminium tray, tow kit and brake controller as fitted to our test vehicle, you could still drive it away for less than $40K. The fact that you can snap one up for less than $30K (with economy tray and no tow kit or controller) not only represents outstanding value for money, but also an instant asset write-off for your business. In other words, a win-win.

For those Spartans looking for a rugged, no-nonsense workhorse, the D-Max SX will do exactly what it says on the tin. Those people will love its breadth of capability.

For modern folk looking for a workhorse they can also live with in relative comfort (as is demanded of many of today’s trucks), there are better equipped, safer options out there. Technology and safety have simply moved on since this truck represented the status quo.

The SX 4x2 is built on a steel ladder-frame chassis with 3095mm wheelbase and 12.6 metre turning circle. Its high-ride suspension results in the same 1780mm roof height and 225mm of ground clearance as its 4x4 equivalent, which can be handy when traversing rocky creek crossings or rugged worksites. Coil spring twin wishbone front suspension and a leaf-spring live rear axle are combined with speed sensitive power-assisted rack and pinion steering, front disc brakes and rear drums.

It may be designed primarily for hard work, but Isuzu has managed to give its base model a more upmarket look with a body-coloured front bumper in place of the ugly ‘black beard’ usually found at this level, along with body-coloured door mirrors.

By stark contrast, it still has a cigarette lighter (remember those?) and even an old school telescopic metal radio aerial mounted on the driver’s side roof, which needs to be extended and retracted by hand.

Our only gripes are that there’s no dial control for volume on the infotainment system, just buttons. And because it’s too easy to forget that the aerial is extended, it can easily get snapped off by a low-hanging branch when reversing, just like the good old days (where it belongs).

The D-Max SX has the visual flair of any other truck in this class – an anonymous aura that says “my driver is wearing hi-vis” or “Yes! I am allowed to park on this side of the traffic cones."

It has dated though over the nine years since this generation first appeared, and even as a Hi-Ride perhaps doesn't have the same presence as the fresher HiLux or Ranger in similar trim.

It’s not overtly ugly and should blend in easily on a work site. Suffice to say, a few inevitable bumps and scratches won’t be noticed as much as they would be on something glitzier.

Inside is basic. Perhaps too basic, with an abundance of thin, cheap plastic panel work, distinct lack of padding anywhere, and just two colours – soft silver and grey.

The 7.0-inch touchscreen doesn’t add much to the equation, with the only available USB port awkwardly sticking out the front of it, and is even difficult to operate with no dials, just buttons that require jabbing.

Blank inserts in the door cards and centre console (where switches for higher grade equipment would go) confirm that you’re in the entry-level model.

It’s rugged though, and far from the premium territory some rivals are getting into with interiors so nice you’d feel bad about putting the truck to work.

The rear-hinged, clamshell rear doors which provide access to the rear part of the cabin are neatly hidden, open to a wide angle, and are easy to operate. So, points for that.

If you’re a fan of doing things the old, hard, and uncomfortable way. You’ll love it then. Spartan sums it up.

Deducting our test vehicle’s 1656kg kerb weight from its 2950kg GVM results in a 1294kg payload rating. However, fitting the heavy-duty aluminium tray (174kg) and towing kit (45kg) increases the kerb weight by 219kg to 1875kg, with a corresponding reduction in payload to 1075kg. Even so, that still makes this a genuine one tonner.

It’s also rated to tow up to the class-benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer, but you would have to reduce the maximum payload by a whopping 600kg to avoid exceeding the 5850kg GCM (or how much you can legal carry and tow at the same time). And that would leave just 475kg of payload capacity, half of which could be used up by just two big workers without any tools and equipment.

A safer and more practical approach is to base the maximum braked trailer weight on the D-Max’s 2950kg GVM. Sure, that will drop the trailer weight by 600kg to 2900kg, but most people don’t need to tow more than 3000kg anyway and you’ll get to keep your full 1075kg payload. The other benefit is, of course, that the tow vehicle will be slightly heavier than its trailer, which is a good way to avoid the tail wagging the dog!

The heavy-duty aluminium (HDA) tray, which looks remarkably similar to Toyota’s version, is one of several tray options in Isuzu’s genuine accessories range. It’s squeak and rattle-free, with 18 internal load anchorage points plus three rope rails beneath the load floor along each side.

The HDA tray’s expansive 2550mm internal length and 1777mm width could easily take two standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallets. Height from the load floor to the top of the drop sides is 270mm and the unladen load floor height from the ground is a relatively high 980mm.

The large diameter tubular headboard has pre-drilled holes on each side to insert load retaining spikes if required (for securing long lengths of timber, PVC and copper pipe etc) and there’s stout rear window and tail light protection.

Storage options include a bottle holder and small bin in the base of each door. There’s a pull-out drawer to the right of the steering wheel for small items like glasses or chewy, plus an open storage shelf below the steering column ideal for storing wallets, phones, keys etc. There’s also a shallow storage tray in the centre of the dash-pad, upper and lower gloveboxes (with 12-volt accessory plug up top) and pull-out cup holders on either side of the dash.

The centre console has a small storage nook in front of the gearshift, two cup/bottle holders in the centre and a lidded box at the back. There’s also some open storage space behind each seatback for stowing away soft items like jackets, groundsheets, tarpaulins etc.

The SX's stripped-back interior design means practicality is somewhat lacking.

It does have fold-away cupholders on either side of the dash, which are actually rare now because they limit the size of the cup they'll swallow.

There are decent cupholders in the centre console though, and a small trench which can fit a phone in front of the gearshift.

There’s a large armrest box and dual glove boxes on the passenger side, but just a small bottle holder and no storage bins in the door that you tend to get with more recent designs.

The front seats appear basic, but proved comfortable, even on a four-hour freeway drive.

Then there’s the back seat. Like any of the Space Cab's current rivals, it’s a fold-up bench design which only has modest padding, and interesting ergonomics. I wouldn’t want to put anyone I liked back there for longer then about 10 minutes. Then again, who says you have to like your co-workers.

At 182cm tall, sitting behind my driving position, my knees were up against the front seatback, and I had to assume a rather uncomfortable angle when seated back there. You wouldn’t want to be any taller.

Fold the rear seat up and you're looking at pure, unadorned bodywork, but I suppose you could store a few small objects under there.

The rear windows pop open to allow for some airflow, but there are no adjustable air vents for rear passengers.

The Space Cab allows for a healthy tub tray length (1825mm versus the dual-cab’s 1625mm), and the optional roller cover proved handy during a rainy week.

If I was going to go full-on with the factory accessories (realizing that many of these SXs will have aftermarket trays) I’d be picking the full under rail tubliner ($716) rather than just a rubber mat.

A tow bar kit ($1098), electronic brake controller ($731), and 12-volt power outlets in the tray ($304 for one, $446 for two) are optionally available, but were not fitted to our test car.

Figures you’ll want to be aware of: The D-Max SX has a useful payload of 1084kg, unbraked towing capacity of 750kg, and 3500kg braked towing capacity (with corresponding 350kg towball download).

Our D-Max comes in budget-focused base SX trim level, as a 'Space Cab' in a fittingly fuss-free shade of  ‘Splash White.’

It’s also a 4x2 'Hi-Ride' automatic, bringing the MSRP to $36,300, and our test example featured several of the numerous accessory options available, including alloy side steps ($684), a roller tonneau cover ($2818), and a rubber mat for the tub ($190).

The price places it quite a bit lower than the equivalent HiLux (SR Extra Cab $41,865) but roughly on par with the Ranger (XL Hi-Rider Super Cab $36,790), although when it comes to spec there are some significant let-downs.

Sure, unlike that particular (2.2-litre) Ranger you aren’t short-changed in the engine department, with Isuzu only offering a single 3.0-litre turbo-diesel option, but elsewhere you’re left wanting.

Inside, some boxes are ticked, but on closer inspection the features they're connected to aren’t so swish. Touchscreen? Got that, but I’m not really sure why. There’s no sat-nav, no phone sync (with the exception of a music-only “iPod” mode… ), and some dead ordinary software to work with.

After living with the SX for a week, I kind of wish it just had old-school buttons and a dot-matrix display. It would be easier to use.

At least you get a half-way decent reversing camera, which is the only serious justification for the screen.

Other features? It has the bare minimum. Let’s go through some equipment it doesn’t have. LED headlights – nope (they aren’t even automatic). DRLs or fog lights – nope. Auto wipers – nope. Alloy wheels – nope (you’ll have to make do with steelies). Climate control – nope (it’s old-school air-con). Telescopic steering adjust – forget it.

The dot matrix display in the centre of the instrument cluster shows your estimated range, so I suppose that’s neat.

This Isuzu’s spec list reminds me of watching car commercials in the 1990s, and makes you feel lucky that you’ve managed to wrangle air conditioning and cruise control free-of-charge.

The argument could be made that this is clearly a work-spec truck, and all you need are the basics, but at a time when you can get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on an off-the-shelf eBay head unit for around $350 – wouldn’t you rather have a truck you can find your next work site more easily in?

I mean, at least auto headlights… What year is it?

Isuzu’s trusty 4JJ1-TC Euro 5-compliant 3.0 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel is a proven performer and well suited to this work-focused application. Isuzu has (thankfully) resisted the swing to smaller  capacity engines among its competitors, which makes it increasingly attractive to those who need to carry and tow stuff. It produces 130kW at 3600rpm and 430Nm of torque at 2000-2200rpm.

The Aisin six-speed torque converter automatic transmission is also well suited to this role, with its optional sequential manual shifting, adaptive logic control and fuel-saving lock-up on all but first and second gears. It’s particularly responsive and decisive in hilly terrain. There’s no electronic diff locker like Ford’s Ranger 4x2 Hi-Rider, but it does have electronic traction control.

No matter which D-Max you choose, you’re getting just the one engine, the latest version of the brand’s hallowed (4JJ1) 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.

It produces nice power figures of 130kW/430Nm, and in High-Rider variants is only available with a six-speed torque converter automatic.

The SX does not get a low-range transfer case and is 4x2 (rear-wheel drive) in the configuration we tested.

Isuzu claims a combined figure of only 7.5 litres/100km. However, the dash display was showing 9.8 at the end of our 436km test, which included a lengthy run with maximum payload. This was still shy of our own figure, calculated from actual fuel bowser and trip meter readings, of 11.2.

This is not best in class, given the 10L and sub-10L figures achieved by rival Mercedes-Benz X Class and VW Amarok 3.0 litre diesels (with two more cylinders) hauling maximum payloads. Eevn so, based on our test figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 670km from its standard 76-litre tank.

The official combined fuel figure is a surprisingly low  7.5L/100km for this configuration, and over a week of genuinely mixed conditions I recorded a figure of 10.9L/100km at the pump.

The D-Max is diesel only and has a 76-litre fuel tank.

For a one-tonne ute this is a pleasantly civilised vehicle to drive when empty or with light loads. And there’s a surprising amount of room and comfort given the space restrictions of a single cab. Even tall drivers can find a comfortable driving position. There’s also a big left footrest which is ideally positioned for big Blundstones and there’s good rear vision through the door and centre mirrors.

It’s easy to live with in busy city and suburban traffic, with ample performance on tap between 2000-3000rpm and typical 60-80km/h limits. At highway speeds there’s noticeable wind buffeting around the headboard and some tyre roar on coarse bitumen surfaces, but it’s never intrusive enough to require raised voices. At full lock-up in sixth gear, it happily lopes along with only 1500rpm at 100km/h and 1600rpm at 110km/h.

For all its workhorse brutality, I quite enjoyed driving the D-Max every time I got behind the wheel.

There’s a raw honesty about it, and while there are higher-tech engines out there, none quite compare to toughness this light truck powerplant exudes.

Power is plentiful, helped by the fact you’re only driving the rear wheels, and the six-speed transmission gets by without any major complains from this reviewer.

In some ways, simplicity is a better solution for work purposes than Ford’s high-tech and busy 10-speed that comes with in high-spec 2.0-litre Rangers.

It’s smart too, quickly (occasionally clunkily) shifting down when descending. A useful attribute for saving brake pads when you’re carrying things.

That said, this truck is hardly refined. The engine, with its huge cylinders, is unavoidably noisy, and for some reason High-Riders come with all-terrain tyres. I would swap these out for highway terrains if only commuting on tarmac. They’ll be quieter, save you a bit of wear, and might even reduce that fuel consumption figure.

The steering is heavy, requiring some genuine muscle to turn-in and the suspension proved to be a bit of a mixed bag.

It wasn’t as jarring around the rear as the HiLux can be unladen, but seemed to be quite firm, sometimes making for a jiggly, jolting ride on potholed roads.

What might get to you the most is the lack of padded interior surfaces. Would it hurt to give passengers a soft strip of polyurethane or padded synthetic for your elbows on either side? It’s a bit like riding inside a Lego brick on long journeys.

The D-Max has none of today’s expected active safety features. Simple as that. Even more basic versions of the Ranger and HiLux now have auto emergency braking as a minimum, with the Toyota getting the full 'Safety Sense' suite across the range with such luxuries as adaptive cruise control, road sign assist, and lane departure warning.

The D-Max gets dual front, side and curtain airbags that cover the front and back seats, traction control, trailer sway control, hill descent control, as well as electronic stability and brake controls.

Despite being behind the times on the safety front, the D-Max Space Cab retains a four-star ANCAP safety rating, dating back to 2012.

If you love the idea of a D-Max, but want up-to-date safety, the upcoming replacement model promises all of these enhancements, and is aiming for a five-star rating under the current, more demanding ANCAP assessment criteria.

Long range and rural buyers will be happy to know that even the SX comes with a full-size steel spare stored under the tray.

Six years/150,000km warranty includes six years roadside assist. Scheduled servicing every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. Capped price servicing applies to first seven scheduled services up to seven years/105,000km, with prices ranging between $350 and $1110.

Isuzu improved its ownership program last year, and now has an impressive six years of warranty coverage, unfortunately limited to just 150,000km – which commercial buyers might find easy to exceed.

It also includes six years of roadside assist with unlimited kilometre coverage, and a seven-year capped-price service schedule (which has a 105,000km, whichever-occurs-first, limit hidden in the fine-print).

Prices for each service vary from $369 in the first year to a painful $1179 at the six-year mark. They average out to $549 per year for the life of the program.

That’s a bit more expensive than a HiLux, although the D-Max requires servicing less frequently, once a year or 15,000km, compared to the Toyota's six-month/10,000km intervals.