By now the message should have got through; Isuzu’s all-new Gen-3 D-Max is a serious piece of kit. To complete our own evaluation we put a mid-spec LS model through a typical NZ4WD magazine load n’ tow test.
First, an admission. Though I organised this tow around high-profile Kiwi drifter Mad Mike Whiddett’s first Drift Force event at Hampton Downs in February, I never made it.
So thanks Case L or M or whatever letter of the alphabet you are (still) hiding behind (see From The Editor col) by choosing NOT to follow the same plain, simple Covid-19 guidelines like the rest of us, you forced Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her cabinet into Auckland’s fourth Level 3 or higher Lockdown from 6.00am on the very Sunday I should have been towing my old Skyline to and from Hampton Downs for my first drift event of the year.
Making matters worse was the fact that the event went ahead – without Aucklanders of course – because the Hampton Downs circuit is officially in the Waikato which only went up to Level 2 that day.
So my test of the towing abilities of the new D-Max didn’t this time include my usual ‘strafe up the south face of the Bombays,’ or ‘stop for a coffee and a photo’ at Mercer Services on the way home.
I still managed to clock up a good 80km of towing within my greater West Auckland bubble that day though, more than enough to come up with a set of – largely positive – conclusions.
Before I share these with you, however, let me give you a quick reminder about what’s new in the Gen-3 line-up in general and the LS in particular.
Gen-3 Isuzu D-Max 101
So. Like the Gen-2 it replaces, the Gen-3 has a solid, hewn-from-rock feel which is the polar-opposite of the, er, lightweight, touch and feel of some of its competitors. However, while the Gen-2 was rugged and reliable, in later years particularly, it was let down by suspension action, wheel articulation, steering feel and basic handling from an earlier era.
The new Gen-3 – on the other hand – rides, handles, steers and generally disports itself like a cross between Ford’s current Ranger and Toyota’s latest Hilux!
New D-Max is available across three cabin types; Single Cab, Space Cab and Double Cab, and now there are with four different model variants; LX, LS-M, LS and the new range-topping, X-Terrain.
The X-Terrain is the new-flagship or ‘hero’ model, being distinguished on the outside by roof rails, fender flares, an aero sports bar, roller tonneau cover and tub liner plus underbody spoilers front and rear, and inside by functions like smart keyless entry with both push-button and remote engine start functions, an eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support, plus a piano black and leather-accented upholstery.
The LS Double Cab and Space Cab models remain the cornerstone of the local range with both now equipped with a large 9-inch infotainment display with DAB+ radio, SatNav, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, dual zone climate control, a premium leather bound steering wheel and shifter, and 18-inch silver alloy wheels.
The Gen 3 line-up also gets a new stand-alone Double Cab wellside model – the LS-M – which slots in between the base model LX and the LS. Basic spec errs on the side of the LX but adds a boot-full of upgrades including Bi-LED headlights with LED daytime running lights (DRL), 17-inch alloy wheels and a higher-spec cloth interior with additional amenities.
The LX – the workhorse of the range – is available in Single Cab Chassis, Space Cab Chassis and Double Cab Ute bodies and boasts the largest carrying capacity of the range, with up to 1.3-tonnes of payload.
First impressions last
The first thing I noticed about the first Gen-3 D-Max I drove at the launch was how much quieter Isuzu’s engineers have managed to make the latest (4JJ3-CX) version of their signature 3.0 litre DOHC/16 valve four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.
Later on I found out that the new 4JJ3-X engine is both more powerful (by 10kW to 140kW @ 3600 rpm) and produces 20Nm more torque – with a broader spread as well – with 450Nm now available from 1,600rpm through to 2,600rpm, a torque-band five times wider than its predecessor.
I actually found it a rare pleasure driving around in the six-speed manual tester, particularly when I was towing my Skyline around semi-rural West Auckland, finding myself leaving it in third gear and surfing the rich band of torque from 1600rpm up (rather than chopping down to second) as I have become accustomed doing with peakier TD engines in the past.
No report on the new Gen-3-Max would be complete either without mention of the suite of active safety features each and every D-max comes complete with. This includes Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collison Warning (FCW), Lane Support System (automatic models only), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind-Spot Monitor (BSM) and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA).
These safety features are in addition to a full complement of airbags including a new segment-first front seat centre airbag which protects front occupants in the case of side impacts.
Ride – whether on or off-road , one-up or loaded up with ‘four burly men, and a tray full of fencing equipment – is also noticeably improved, thanks to some major upgrades to the suspension, geometry as well as hardware.
Up front new double wishbones, thicker anti-roll bars and new high-mounted upper-control arms help reduce body roll, whilst optimising the roll centre geometry and improving vehicle handling and dynamics.
While at the back the rear suspension features a new three-leaf design, manufactured using tempered SUP9-rated steel – which improves strength and ductility as well as reducing unsprung weight, with overall rear suspension travel increased by 30mm over the preceding model
With surveys detailing that close to half of all Isuzu owners tow with their vehicle – up to the maximum 3.5-tonnes – all models also come equipped with Trailer Sway Control (TSC), which adds that extra layer of certainty when towing.
On cue!
Which, right on cue, brings me back to the subject at hand. And my conclusions are thus:
1) New or old an Isuzu D-Max is an accomplished ‘tower.’
2) The new Gen-3 model is arguably an even better towing ‘bet’ thanks to its better spread of torque at key ‘highway’ engine revs (1600-2600rpm), chassis and suspension improvements and the electronic safety aids like TSC.
3) Ride – is not quite up to Ranger and/or Amarok standards – is acceptable and changes not one iota unladen to fully laden. I’d also rate braking performance as excellent, helped no doubt in this case by my active use of the six-speed manual transmission.
4) Inside LS-spec is impressive and a major step forward from that of the Gen-2 version.
All versions now benefit from quantifiably more supportive and therefore comfortable seats while LS models come complete with dual zone climate control for the front row and AC vents in the rear, standard across all crew cab models.
Finally a new array of sensors now control headlight and windshield wiper operation, automatically turning them on and off when needed. And an Automatic High Beam control function now autonomously dips the high beam function when oncoming traffic is detected.
Yep I liked the new D-Max when I drove it first and I like it even more now that I have done some towing with it.
