Isuzu D-Max vs Toyota HiLux

What's the difference?

The D-Max X-Rider has adequate appeal as a daily driver – it’s functional and comfortable – and it’s also working off a proven 4WD platform.

This mid-spec ute lacks the polish of higher-grade D-Max grades, but it may still entice those ute fans who want a workhorse with a tractable engine and don’t care at all about frippery.

Does that 2.2-litre engine add anything substantial to the package? No, and the potential fuel savings it represents don’t seem so likely as the 3.0-litre doesn’t use a lot more fuel than the 2.2-litre D-Max anyway – and the 3.0-litre version only costs another $2000 or so to buy.

The 3.0-litre D-Max remains the better option because while the 2.2L is effective off-road, it’s only reasonable in general day-to-day driving, as it lacks grunt and has to work that much harder and is that much noisier under load than the 3.0-litre in most driving scenarios, including 4WDing.

Given the HiLux BEV was developed in close cooperation with mining companies, its relatively short driving range appears tailor-made for that role given the daily driving distances (typically around 150km or less) in underground and open-cut mining operations. However, determining if our SR5 test vehicle is equally well suited to urban tradie duties would require careful analysis of driving range and payload/towing requirements, to determine if its emissions-free high purchase price can be justified.

Nothing much – if anything at all really – is different about this D-Max’s exterior compared to others in the stable.

Sure, the X-Rider has a tweaked front grille, 17.0-inch gloss black alloy wheels and black sports bar but those elements are mere frippery on top of what is already a tidy looking package.

The D-Max X-Rider is 5205mm long (with a 3125mm wheelbase), 1870mm wide and 1785mm high.

Inside, it is a clear uncluttered space, which is spot-on for this ute and part of the line-up’s rough charm.

The D-Max retains even an undeniable robust presence when compared to the more stylish Mazda BT-50 and Ford Ranger, or even rivals such as the Toyota HiLux.

Externally the only visual differences between a HiLux BEV and its diesel SR5 equivalent are the BEV's solid front grille, a Type 2/CCS charging port for the propulsion battery located behind a hinged body flap on the front passenger side and aerodynamically-tuned 17-inch alloy wheels designed to minimise drag and optimise driving range. It also has unique rear suspension (see Motor).

The BEV variant has benefitted from the latest HiLux generation's exterior and interior styling updates in keeping this iconic workhorse looking fresh, particularly up front with its high slimline headlights, imposing body-coloured grille and trapezoidal side air intakes.

This more hard-edged look is also evident in the BEV's interior which although embracing new dash and centre console designs fortunately adheres to the time-proven practicality and user-friendliness of traditional 'piano key' buttons for its climate control plus a large dial for off-road drive settings (see Motor).

The X-Rider is a solidly spartan mid-spec ute.

From its myriad durable plastic surfaces through to its high-grade cloth seats, this ute is booted and suited for the dirt and dust of real day-to-day life.

Sure, it misses out on some of the more appealing aspects of higher-spec D-Max grades – including a bigger 9.0-inch touchscreen, built-in sat-nav, and less-tinny nine-speaker audio system – but it remains steadfastly true to the spirit of Isuzu’s workhorses where substance wins out over style every time.

As in any good ute, the cabin has a comfortably familiar feel about it and it’s an easy space in which to spend lots of drive time.

The interior is adequately spacious with supportive seats upfront and a reasonably comfortable bench-style pew for the three back-seat passengers.

While the touchscreen system is a bit clunky in operation – it takes some time and effort to navigate your way through menus and sub-menus to reach the area you want (usually the driver-assist tech that you want to adjust), the general mix of controls (on-screen and real switches, buttons and dials) are welcome.

There are plenty of charging options – a mix of USB-A, USB-C and 12V upfront, and USB-A for the back row – and storage places include recesses for your wallet, keys etc, a deep-ish centre console, as well as dual cupholders upfront and cupholders in the back seat’s fold-down armrest, and bottle holders in the doors.

Back-row passengers get USB ports, directional air-con vents and shallow under-seat storage.

The tub is 1570mm long (at floor level), 1530mm wide (1122mm between the wheel-arches) and 490mm deep. It has an under-rail tub liner, two cargo tie-down points, and it has tailgate assist.

Our test vehicle had a soft tonneau cover, which is annoyingly fiddly to close at the top edge of the tailgate.

Tub options for D-Max owners include a tonneau or roller cover (which offers at least some degree of security from thieves, and protection from rain, mud, snow etc), or an Isuzu or aftermarket canopy, although a canopy impacts the versatility of the load space because once it’s an enclosed area it makes it more difficult to carry long, awkward and/or large loads in the tub.

Our test vehicle’s 2455kg kerb weight is 300kg more than its diesel sibling, which combined with its 3170kg GVM leaves a 715kg payload rating that’s 250kg lower.

The HiLux BEV is also rated to tow up to 2000kg of braked trailer (1500kg less than the diesel) and its 4670kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) would leave just 215kg of payload capacity if towing its maximum trailer weight. This could easily be used up by two big tradies before you could add their tools, so it’s important to be aware of these load ratings if planning to tow.

tub, is equipped with anchorage points front and rear plus hydraulic tailgate dampers to assist opening and closing. Load tub access is made easier and safer by concave side-steps behind the rear wheels.

Like its diesel sibling, rear seating for tall people offers minimal knee/shoulder/head room, combined with a notably short distance between the top of the base cushion and floor creating a steep thigh angle that concentrates body weight on your lower back.

Driver and front passenger storage includes a bin and bottle holder in each door, cupholders on either side of the dash and upper and lower glove boxes. The centre console has wireless phone charging up front, two more cupholders in the centre and a lidded box at the back containing the V2L (Vehicle to Load) AC inverter with domestic three-pin plug and a 12V accessory socket.

Rear passengers get a bottle holder and bin in each door plus pockets on both front seat backrests, a fold-down centre armrest with two more cupholders plus two USB-C charging ports and adjustable air vents on the rear fascia of the centre console.

There’s no under-seat storage available and the vehicle’s portable AC charging cable, which is stored in a zip-up bag, has no dedicated storage area so must be carried on either the cabin floor or in the load tub.

The HiLux BEV range offers a choice of dual cab ute/dual cab-chassis in base SR model grade or the premium SR5 dual cab ute. Given its commercial fleet focus, exterior colours are limited to standard Glacier White or Frosted White/Ash Slate premium paint options.

Our SR5 test vehicle, like all HiLux BEVs, comes standard with a dual-motor 4x4 drivetrain and 59.2kWh lithium-ion propulsion battery for a list price of $82,990, before on-road costs. Its Ash Slate premium paint adds $675.

This list pricing is way above that of its SR5 48V diesel auto equivalent ($65,990) and its only full-electric ute rival in the form of KGM’s (formerly Ssangyong) Musso EV AWD ($64,000, drive-away).

For that sizeable spend the HiLux BEV’s standard equipment list contains unique features comprising a bespoke 12.3-inch driver’s digital cluster with EV instrumentation, an equally new electronic shift lever for the shift-by-wire BEV functionality plus exterior changes (see Design). Other standard equipment includes:

• 17-inch alloy wheels with 265/60R17 tyres and a full-size spare
• LED headlights/tail-lights
• Heated mirrors
• Rear privacy glass
• Body-coloured grille/bumpers
• Cabin side-steps
• Integrated rear/side load-tub steps
• Tailgate damper with lift assist
• Panoramic view monitor
• Smart entry/start
• Dual-zone climate control
• Heated front seats/steering wheel
• Leather-accented seating
• Eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat
• Wireless phone charger
• Vehicle-to-load 220V/1500W inverter with three-pin AC plug outlet
• Multimedia system with 12.3-inch touchscreen
• Eight-speaker audio (with digital radio)
• Multiple connectivity options (including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto

The 2.2L D-Max X-Rider has a 2.2L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 120kW at 3600rpm and 400Nm between 1600-2400rpm and it’s matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

While the 3.0-litre D-Max has always been mostly unstressed in the majority of driving scenarios – even low-range 4WDing – the 2.2-litre feels underpowered.

It is noisy, especially under heavy acceleration or load. It has to work harder than the 3.0-litre and, again, it is noisy. Yes, the 3.0-litre D-Max is gruff, but there's a strained edge to the roughness in the 2.2-litre that is very noticeable while driving on sealed surfaces at speed.

Have I mentioned that it’s noisy?

The good news is that the eight-speed auto feels as slick and as smooth in application here as it does in this ute’s stablemate, the MU-X, and, as such, it feels right at home in this ute.

This D-Max has a part-time 4WD system which includes a dual-range transfer case (with high- and low-range 4WD) and a rear diff-lock. The driver is able to shift from 2H (two-wheel drive, high-range) to 4H (4WD high-range) while on the move up to speeds of 100km/h. The diff-lock may only be engaged when the vehicle is in 4L (4WD low-range).

The D-Max also has a switchable terrain mode system which tweaks the engine, transmission and traction control to suit the driving conditions. 'Rough Terrain' mode, like a steroids-enhanced off-road traction control, is king of these modes when you’re off the bitumen.

The HiLux BEV is equipped with two electric motors delivering full-time four-wheel drive. The front motor drives the front wheels and produces 82.2kW of power and 205.5Nm of torque. The more powerful rear motor driving the rear wheels produces 129.3kW and 268.6Nm.

Combined maximum power output is officially rated at 144kW but there’s no official combined torque figure given that the electric motors produce their peak torque at different times.

These motors drive the wheels through chassis-mounted transaxles equipped with single-speed transmissions. They are synchronised electronically using ‘fly-by-wire’ accelerator and gear/mode selection.

The centre console-mounted shifter controls conventional drive selections (Park, Drive, Reverse) plus offers a ‘B’ setting for optimum regenerative braking, to minimise brake pedal use and maximise battery charging.

Its full-time 4x4 system automatically distributes torque on demand between the front and rear wheels according to traction sensors. The driver can choose between three drive modes (Normal, Sport and Eco) and has access to a multi-terrain system (MTS) which optimises traction in different terrain across six settings including Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, Mogul and Snow.

The strengthened chassis frame provides protection for the propulsion battery mounted between the main rails. Toyota claims the battery subframe has been designed for flexibility to tolerate high levels of torsional twist when off-roading. It features a full undercover to protect high voltage parts from water splash or other damage and shares the same 700mm wading depth as the diesel version.

HiLux BEV also features a unique De Dion-type (rigid hollow beam axle) leaf spring rear suspension, with the transaxle mounted on the chassis frame to reduce unsprung weight and the beam axle with traditional leaf springs allowing efficient load carrying and off-road performance.

Official fuel consumption for this D-Max is 7.1L/100km.

Real-world fuel consumption on this test was 8.4L/100km.

The D-Max has an 76-litre fuel tank, so, going by that on-test fuel consumption figure, you should be able to get a driving range of about 904km.

But remember, your fuel consumption has the potential to be much higher than our tested figures because chances are you'll have family, friends, pets, camping gear, water craft, the whole kit and caboodle on board. I only carried vehicle recovery gear, MaxTrax, and a first-aid kit, so I didn’t have a huge amount of weight on board.

The HiLux BEV has an official driving range of up to 315km based on the optimistic NEDC combined cycle test procedure.

When we collected our test vehicle the propulsion battery charge was at 100 per cent but the displayed estimated driving range was 272km.

We initially drove 84km unladen in metro traffic (using only Normal/Eco drive modes and max regen braking) with average combined energy consumption of 28.3kWh/100km, which was way above the sub-20kWh/100km figure needed to crack the claimed 300km-plus of driving range.

After recharging to 100 per cent for our GVM test, the estimated driving range dropped to 266km. On this second charge we drove another 173km, of which more than 100km was hauling a full payload which saw a spike in energy consumption to 31kWh/100km. We finished our test with 19 per cent charge and 50km of driving range remaining.

Our total test distance was 258km during which we achieved average energy consumption of 27.8kWh/100km. Therefore, based on our consumption figure, you could expect a driving range in real-world urban use of around 200-220km.

Toyota claims a 10-80 per cent charge time of approximately 30 minutes using a (150kW) DC fast charger or 10-100 per cent in about 6.5 hours using (10kW) AC charging.

The D-Max has for some time been regarded as reasonable on-road - comfortable, composed, and somewhat refined for a 4WD ute.

However, while the 3.0-litre D-Max is gruff and laggy and yet retains a certain rough charm, the 2.2-litre version is simply noisy and sluggish and forgoes the charm.

This D-Max has to work harder than the 3.0-litre does, and it makes that abundantly clear with a caustic edge to the roughness in the 2.2-litre that is very noticeable on road.

It’s slow off the mark, exhibiting a disconcerting lag under heavy throttle from a standing start. And it’s far from the most dynamic vehicle to drive. But its low-key appealing tractability almost manages to negate these flaws – but not quite.

As mentioned earlier, the eight-speed auto is a smooth operator, micro-managing the engine as best it can.

When it comes time to leave the bitumen and hit the dirt, this D-Max – with a kerb weight of approximately 2010kg and a not-insubstantial turning circle of 12.5m – feels nimble on bush tracks and it is still very capable.

Even though the 3.0-litre D-Max is not the ute segment’s torquiest, it offers plenty of pulling power across a broad rev range – with peak torque between 1600rpm and 2400rpm – and it delivers that torque in an even-handed way. It still has a decent amount of low- and mid-range torque, which makes dirt-road cruising and low-speed 4WDing easy.

One of the major differences between the two engines is that the 2.2-litre D-Max has to work that much harder than its stablemate, and, as a result, it’s noisier and harsher.

However, this D-Max has part-time 4WD (with high- and low-range 4WD), a rear diff lock and an effective off-road traction control system (which has been recalibrated over the years), so it still retains all of that off-road capability the D-Max has built its reputation on.

Ground clearance is 235mm and wading depth is 800mm, so there’s an adequate amount of clearance for most reasonable off-road challenges (for standard unmodified vehicles) and its listed off-road angles of 26.9 (approach), 23.9 (departure) and 23.3 (ramp-over) all check out.

This ute’s wheel travel – how far the axle can move up and down relative to the chassis – has more than an adequate amount of flex, stretching its tyres close, if not all the way, to the dirt.

This D-Max’s 255/65 R17 all-terrain tyres (Dunlop Grandtrek AT25s on 17” x 7” alloy rims) are adequate for off-roading but an even more aggressive set of all-terrains would boost this ute’s off-road capability.

The general rule applies here as with any standard unmodified off-road vehicle: drive with care, control and consideration and you shouldn't have any trouble tackling light to moderate 4WDing in this ute.

The 2.2L D-Max has a listed kerb weight of 2010kg. In terms of packability, gross vehicle mass is 3100kg, so theoretically this ute has a payload of 1090kg (GVM - kerb weight = payload), but Isuzu has based that figure on the cab-chassis variant’s weight.

This ute’s payload total – after the weight of onboard accessories and a 200kg total of driver and passengers are subtracted – is 818kg, according to Isuzu’s own payload calculator.

The 2.2L D-Max can legally tow 750kg (unbraked trailer) and 3500kg (braked). It has a listed gross combined mass of 6000kg.

It also rides and handles much like its diesel stablemate. The most noticeable differences are the smooth yet energetic power delivery and the near silence of its drivetrain, with most cabin noise coming from the tyres which is also far from intrusive.

Near instant torque from its dual electric motors provides lively response for a vehicle of this size and weight. While it doesn’t nail your eyeballs to the back of your head like some EVs, it does provide spirited acceleration from standing starts and takes less than 10 seconds to reach triple-digit speeds.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 650kg into the load tub which with driver was lineball with its peak payload rating. The leaf-spring rear suspension only compressed about 40mm under this weight leaving ample bump-stop clearance that ensured no bottoming-out on our test route.

In true HiLux tradition, the ride quality noticeably improved and the chassis and drivetrain were more than capable of hauling this payload on a variety of roads. Overall, it’s a competent load hauler like its diesel stablemate, albeit always with an eye on the battery charge given its limited range.

Our test vehicle comes standard with a five-star ANCAP rating (tested 2025) and a suite of passive and active safety features including:

• Eight airbags including front-centre and driver knee-bag
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian/cyclist/oncoming vehicle detection
• Active cruise control with curve speed reduction
• Lane keeping
• Speed sign recognition
• Blind-spot monitor with safe exit assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Panoramic 360-degree view monitor
• Two outer rear seat ISOFIX child restraints
• Two rear seat top tethers

The HiLux BEV's advanced Active Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) display good refinement in terms of not being overly intrusive or reactive during normal driving, in stark contrast to some rivals equipped with often annoying (and ironically distracting!) driver distraction monitors.

The D-Max has a six-year/150,000km warranty and seven years of roadside assistance. Unlimited kilometres in the warranty would be welcome.

A free inspection is pencilled in at the three-month or 3000km mark (whichever occurs soonest), then service intervals are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest.

Capped-price servicing covers the first five scheduled services (up to five years/75,000km – whichever occurs soonest) at a cost of $489 for each service.

Isuzu Ute Australia has a nationwide network of more than 160 dealer sites.

The HiLux BEV comes standard with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and separate five-year warranty covering the propulsion battery which can be extended for up to five years (so 10 years in total) with an annual battery health check. The propulsion battery is also covered by an eight-year/160,000km capacity warranty if its energy storage falls below 70 per cent of the original capacity.

Scheduled servicing is every six months/10,000km with capped pricing of $220 per scheduled service for the first five years (or 10 services in total).

The company has a vast network of more than 275 dealerships across Australia including all states and territories and many regional areas.