Isuzu D-Max vs Mazda 2

What's the difference?

There’s a fairly big change hiding under the metal of one of Australia’s favourite utes. The Isuzu D-Max has a new 2.2-litre engine, replacing the 1.9-litre unit, and it brings a couple of other things with it.

A bigger engine designed to be more powerful and more efficient can only be a good thing, surely, especially with Isuzu looking down the barrel of stringent emissions laws with only two models in the line-up, both diesel powered.

But is this new 2.2-litre engine any good? Isuzu’s gone to the trouble of a new gearbox and some new tech to go with it, so we check it out to see if it stacks up against the increasingly strong competition.

The entry-point into one of Australia's most popular brands has been around for almost 10 years in its current generation, but the Mazda2 has had a refresh.

Possibly for the last time in its current lifespan, the small hatchback gets a facelift to remain appealing, Mazda hopes, to first-car-buyers.

Mazda's up against not only direct rivals, like the Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris, but also the shifting market.

Mazda has sold just over 3500 Mazda2s so far this year, but almost 11,000 CX-3 small SUVs, the latter based on our friend here's platform.

It's a name with a little over two decades behind it, but can it be a first-car-favourite in an increasingly difficult small car market?