With the Editor focusing on its ability to tow things, we handed Isuzu’s latest LS-spec D-Max over to colleague Mark Baker to see what he thought about using it for everything else.
Isuzu gave us this LS-spec D-Max in luscious Valencia Orange. Standouts in the new design are the ‘double claw’ grille and the swage lines down each flank.
The D-Max takes a visual step forward from its predecessor. In this case it’s a bold step.
Riding on wide, tall 18-inch alloys and an aggressive high-profile Maxxis all-terrain tyre, this truck makes a visual statement and the new mechanicals back the talk by walking the walk.
This LS is the big winner in the range for many. Supportive seats in a tough-looking cloth with contrast stitching, comprehensive multimedia dash display, ‘grown-up’ audio system.
Safety first
It’s loaded with active and passive driver-assist technology, arguably the most comfortable truck in the range, and best of all we got one with the six-speed manual transmission. Six speeds, a low first gear that encourages starting from traffic lights in second, and subtle pre-loads on the shifter.
One thing I noticed pretty much straight away when driving the manual model is that an equivalent auto model appears to be geared slightly higher. At 100 km/h in sixth in a self-shifter the engine will be turning over at a lazy 1,500 rpm; the same speed in the manual gives revs of 1,650 or so.
This may be caused by the difference in the rolling radius of the respective wheel/tyre packages. However it happened, that puts the manual-equipped truck right in its peak torque plateau at open road speed.
In the cabin, the driver’s instrument display is full-digital and very clear, with a graphical area in the centre that hosts blind spot and lane awareness alerts.
The cloth seats offer decent support and might be the seat of choice for those going off-road – cloth does engage the ‘glutes’ more positively than leather.
The infotainment system operates through a 4.2” colour LCD screen and supports wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, and AM/FM/DAB+ radio, but the native interface (shared with BT-50) would take a wee bit of learning to be second nature.
The door mirrors are large and can be adjusted to give both lane views and a decent flank view of the vehicle. D-Max can genuinely claim to be the safest /DDC available thanks to a new airbag array that includes a central bag that can stop front seat passenger and driver heads clashing in a serious side smash or rollover.
Ride quality improved
On road and off, ride quality is improved, building on work done in the final versions of the old D-Max. Though there is some body roll, it’s well controlled. There’s none of the ‘stink-bug’ nose diving we have seen with other trucks in the class during heavy braking on sealed surfaces.
Those tyres must take some of the credit for that. At the same time, the a/t tread design was more of a challenge at Muriwai, especially in the 30 km/h zone at the south end.
They tended to tramline in the tracks of other vehicles, requiring constant attention from the driver; and were happiest even on firm sand when running at ‘planing speed’, which was around 60 km/h – legal as you travel further north toward Rimmers Road and the Bombing Range.
On the road, though, the wheel/tyre package is very good. Grip levels are high, emergency braking happens without fuss. When Auckland had its first rain in almost two weeks and the oil and diesel came up out of the tarseal, grip transitions in the rain were clearly communicated and easily controlled. In this LS spec, the D-Max is also very much at home on gravel roads.
People will buy D-Max because it stands out as a point of difference, they will appreciate it for its excellent spec and driving dynamics.
Fleet, authority, family, corporates – the future looks bright for this long-standing Kiwi ute sector icon.
ISUZU D-MAX
Model tested: LS.
Engine: 3.0-litre turbodiesel four
Power: 140 kW @ 3,600 rpm
Torque: 450 Nm between 1,600 and 2,600 rpm
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic (our test truck 6-speed manual), part-time 4WD
Economy: 7.7-8.0l/100km
Safety: ANCAP five stars
Weight: 2045 kg
Towing capacity: 750 kg unbraked, up to 3500 kg braked
Prices: $49,990-$75,490
