How does Isuzu’s new 1.9-litre engine stand up in the high-riding dual-cab D-Max 4×2? Ben Zachariah loads up his mower and hits the road to find out.
2023 Isuzu D-Max 4×2 Crew Cab
Utes have been the highest-selling vehicles in Australia for years, taking up the mantle from the likes of the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon. They are a favourite among Australian drivers due to their practicality, image, and hardiness.
While the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are battling it out for the top spot, the Isuzu D-Max has been quietly rising through the ranks, becoming the country’s third most popular ute in the 4×4 category – and kicking the Mitsubishi Triton from the podium.
The 2023 Isuzu D-Max 4×2 SX Crew Cab Chassis seen here, as the name suggests, falls into the 4×2 category – representing utes that don’t have four-wheel drive.
For those who don’t venture into the wilderness, Isuzu’s 4×2 D-Max with the smaller 1.9-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine has a lot of benefits, being cheaper and lighter, meaning it can deliver better fuel economy than its heavier siblings.
Most would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the 4×2 and the more expensive 4×4 variants too, as this D-Max is a ‘High Ride’ model, offering the same amount of clearance as its off-road counterparts.
We joke in the office about this being the ‘traffic management special’, but the truth is a large proportion of customers will be fleet buyers looking for a cost-effective but reliable ute that will stand up to some real wear and tear. What we found, though, was that the D-Max is more than the sum of its parts – or lack thereof.
How much does the Isuzu D-Max SX cost in Australia?
The 2023 Isuzu D-Max range starts from $32,200 before on-road costs for the SX single-cab manual 4×2, with the range-topping D-Max X-Terrain auto 4×4 with a tub costing $67,500 plus options and on-road costs.
This particular 2023 Isuzu D-Max 4×2 SX Crew Cab Chassis 1.9 sits somewhere in the middle, priced from $40,700 before on-road costs, and not including the factory aluminium tray for $3113.
For that money, you’re getting the aforementioned 1.9-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine producing 110kW and 350Nm powering the rear wheels through the six-speed automatic.
There’s also an infotainment system that we’ll talk about further on, cruise control, lane-keep assist, and… that’s pretty much it.
As well as the tray, this particular vehicle has a tow bar kit with wiring, an electronic brake controller, and rubber floor mats, taking it up to $50,453 drive-away as tested.
However, this ute isn’t about luxuries and mod cons. Sure, it’s got the basics needed for a modern car – along with plenty of safety tech – but what you get is reliability, build quality, and a true workhorse.
It’s worth noting buyers can option the same D-Max 4×2 SX Crew Cab Chassis with the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine with auto for $2000 more, before options and on-road costs.
| Key details | 2023 Isuzu D-Max SX |
| Price | $40,700 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | White |
| Options | Tow bar kit – $1132.25 12-pin plug – $393.25 Electronic brake controller – $896.05 Rubber mats – $208.67 General purpose alloy tray – $3113 |
| Drive-away price | $50,453 drive-away |
| Rivals | Toyota HiLux | Ford Ranger | Mitsubishi Triton |
How much space does the Isuzu D-Max SX have inside?
Being the dual-cab, there’s enough space for four adults, with one squeezed in the centre seat of the second row when needed.
The interiors of Isuzu utes of the past have been… basic, to put it diplomatically. The current generation felt like a big leap forward in terms of design and quality, but there’s no getting past it – it’s still a sea of hardy black plastic across the dash and doors.
Inside, it’s the front seats that really impressed. While looking basic, the foam is generous and quite well sculpted, and the manual height and back can be adjusted to suit the driver, making them a genuine joy to use.
And that isn’t just in the context of the ute segment. I’d just jumped out of a Lexus before testing the D-Max, and I’d frankly rather drive across the Nullarbor in the Isuzu than the luxury SUV that costs three times the price – and that’s mainly down to how comfortable the seats are.
The steering wheel also adjusts for rake and reach, allowing you to dial in your perfect driving position. There are also plenty of bins and pockets for stashing your leftover Macca’s bags.
Of course, there’s an aluminium tray in the back that can carry a little over a tonne of payload.
My first night with the D-Max I had to rush to pick up my mate’s mower and whipper snipper, and – despite daily driving a dual-cab HiLux for many years – I was reminded of just how dang practical it is to have a ute on hand to throw some large objects into on a whim.
The sides and back of the aluminium tray can be dropped down easily enough, and the provided netting made securing the items a breeze.
| 2023 Isuzu D-Max SX | |
| Seats | Five |
| Payload | 1255kg (not including tray) |
| Length | 5290mm |
| Width | 1870mm |
| Height | 1800mm |
| Wheelbase | 3125mm |
Does the Isuzu D-Max SX have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Don’t let the large black panel in the dashboard fool you, hidden within that large void is a relatively small 7.0-inch infotainment screen.
Owners can listen to Triple M on either traditional radio or DAB digital radio, and the unit comes with wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto capability.
For those who aren’t fans of smartphone mirroring, there’s Bluetooth audio and phone connectivity connectivity, which I put to the test by streaming the Drive podcast through the stereo.
When I was forced to listen to music due to a lack of Drive podcast episodes, I came away fairly impressed at the sound quality and volume of the speakers. For what is a lowly specced ute, the sound system goes alright.
While the D-Max doesn’t have parking sensors, it does come with a reversing camera to help guide its long body into a parking space, which was appreciated. Some other features lacking on the D-Max SX include native satellite navigation (available on higher grade models) and app connectivity, which isn’t yet offered on any Isuzu ute product.
The native graphics and set-up of the infotainment – when CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t being used – isn’t exactly great, but it’s good enough to get the job done.
Is the Isuzu D-Max SX a safe car?
When the current-generation D-Max was released in 2020, it surprised everyone by becoming a leader of safety in the ute segment – even in these ‘traffic management’ variants.
This thing has autonomous emergency braking including intersection intervention, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, radar cruise control, lane-keep assist, driver attention monitoring, and traffic sign recognition.
It’s also got a whole bunch of airbags – eight in total, including a driver’s knee airbag and a centre airbag between front seat occupants – resulting in a five-star ANCAP rating for all Isuzu D-Max utes built after July 2022.
The D-Max scored 86 per cent for adult occupant safety, 89 per cent for child occupant safety, 69 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians and cyclists), and 84 per cent for safety assists. Impressive stuff.
| 2023 Isuzu D-Max SX | |
| ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2022) |
| Safety report | ANCAP report |
How much does the Isuzu D-Max SX cost to maintain?
Isuzu offers a six-year/150,000km warranty, together with seven years of roadside assist and seven years of capped-price servicing.
With the first 3000km service being complementary, and 15,000km/12-month intervals thereafter, the D-Max 4×2 1.9 will cost a total of $3359 to service at Isuzu dealerships for the first seven years or 105,000km of ownership.
We received a comprehensive insurance quote of $1118 per annum based on 15,000km of driving each year for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
| At a glance | 2023 Isuzu D-Max SX |
| Warranty | Six years, 150,000km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $1379 (3 years) $2269 (5 years) $3359 (7 years) |
Is the Isuzu D-Max SX fuel-efficient?
Isuzu claims 6.6 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres of country driving and 7.9L/100km for city driving, for a combined fuel consumption figure of 7.0L/100km.
Our time with the car averaged 7.2L/100km, with most of the time spent in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and on its freeways.
While this isn’t a proper comparison, Isuzu claims the 1.9-litre engine is 12.5 per cent more efficient than the 3.0-litre engine in the same body. For a business with a fleet of vehicles, cutting the annual fuel bill by even 10 per cent would be a noticeable cost saving.
Thanks to its 76L capacity, the D-Max with the more efficient engine can theoretically travel up to 1152km on a single tank of diesel, with the Euro 5-compliant engine producing a combined output of 184g of CO2 per kilometre – or 11 per cent less tailpipe emissions than the 3.0-litre.
Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Fuel Usage | Fuel Stats |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.0L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 7.2L/100km |
| Fuel type | Diesel |
| Fuel tank size | 76L |
What is the Isuzu D-Max SX like to drive?
Body-on-frame vehicles – that is, vehicles with a ladder-frame chassis – always feel different on the road to their unibody counterparts. Which is another way of saying that utes and off-road SUVs feel different to passenger cars.
It might sound like an obvious statement – of course they feel different – but there is a reassuring feeling of solidity through the D-Max when it’s being driven. Most people who aren’t used to it will describe it as feeling like a ‘truck’.
Which is another way of saying that – despite personally enjoying that truck-like reassurance – most people won’t find it as comfortable to drive as a passenger car. I say this because literally every time I get out of a stripped out, basic ‘traffic management’ spec ute, I genuinely wonder if I should just get (another) one as my daily driver, because they’re so damn hardy and practical. And did I mention the seats?
While I didn’t have a problem with it, our photographer Ted Airey noted the D-Max was quite stiff around city streets without any load in the back, so be aware that it’s on the edge of a firm ride when unladen.
The D-Max did so well on a five-hour round trip across the state that I’d almost forgotten I’d taken the Isuzu. On ramp, 110km/h, cruise control, and a choice of the Drive podcast or Triple M. What a star.
Even though literally nobody is shopping the D-Max for its handling, we did take the ute on some winding roads to the east of the Dandenongs, and we can report it did pretty well.
The engine and gearbox felt like they were playing catch-up on some steeper roads, but the Isuzu flowed well enough through the corners, with great brakes and good steering feedback through the light truck tyres.
The 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine – an addition to the range as of 2022 – is 30kW and 100Nm down on the venerable 3.0-litre, but does a more than adequate job of getting the D-Max from point to point around town or on the motorway.
Most of the time it encouraged slow and relaxed driving (take note, those with points on their licence), but our only real complaint was that it’s surprisingly loud. Any sort of load will generate quite a bit of noise through the firewall. Not a deal-breaker, but worth mentioning.
| Key details | 2023 Isuzu D-Max SX |
| Engine | 1.9-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder |
| Power | 110kW @ 3600rpm |
| Torque | 350Nm @ 1800–2600rpm |
| Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Six-speed torque converter automatic |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 63.0kW/t |
| Weight (kerb) | 1745kg (without tray) |
| Spare tyre type | Full-size |
| Tow rating | 3000kg braked 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 12.5m |
Should I buy an Isuzu D-Max SX?
The fact is that every time I walked up to the D-Max in my driveway, I was happy to see it. It’s a vehicle of contentment. No ego, just a practical, comfortable ute that was ready for whatever.
Compared to most other new vehicles on sale today, the Isuzu D-Max 4×2 SX Crew Cab Chassis 1.9 is about as basic as it gets, and that’s absolutely part of its charm.
But it still stands up where it counts – excellent safety credentials, a (physically) small but mighty stereo, and those fantastic front pews.
For fleet buyers, the option of the 1.9-litre engine saves $2000 immediately from the invoice compared to the 3.0-litre, while also delivering a decent fuel saving. And unless you’re driving the two engines back-to-back or towing, most drivers frankly won’t miss the additional performance that comes with the bigger engine.
At a touch over $50,000 drive-away, the 2023 Isuzu D-Max 4×2 SX Crew Cab Chassis 1.9 offers buyers a strong, safe, and well-built workhorse with a smart interior that’s easy to live with.
The post 2023 Isuzu D-Max 4×2 SX Crew Cab Chassis 1.9-litre review appeared first on Drive.
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