Vegemite, John Farnham, the Sydney Opera House and R.M Williams all have a lot in common: they’re Australian icons through and through.
In a very similar way, so is the utility vehicle, or as we Aussies like to call it, the ute. Born in 1932 in a Ford factory in Victoria, the ute came about as a result of a pretty simple brief: a farmer wanted the perfect vehicle to take his family to church on Sunday and then the pigs to market on Monday.
While the utes as we knew them were based on Falcons and Commodores (or Kingswoods) for many years, today the segment is largely dual-cab utes. Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, LDV, GWM and Ssangyong all sell dual-cab utes in Australia, and soon there will be new additions thanks to Kia and BYD.
So how does a manufacturer stand out in a highly competitive market?
Enter Japanese truck, ute and SUV maker Isuzu, who has recently updated its D-Max ute range for 2024, adding more features, tech and safety.
The changes arguably make the D-Max the best it’s ever been, but is it enough to disrupt the market and draw more buyers in?
What are the D-Max X-Terrain**’s features and options for the price?**
The X-Terrain model remains the flagship D-Max in Australia for now and is priced at $70,500 before on-road costs. However, a tempting current deal puts the X-Terrain at $67,990 drive-away, making the D-Max a little more expensive than the $59,990 drive-away Nissan Navara Pro-4X.
As standard, the high-spec X-Terrain receives the following specification:
- 9.0-inch centre touchscreen (NEW)
- 7.0-inch digital instrument display (NEW)
- Leather-accented seats with red stitching
- Front seat heating and powered driver’s seat
- Dual-zone climate control
- 18-inch alloy wheels with Bridgestone highway terrain tyres
- Remote engine start (NEW)
- Dark Grey Isuzu grille design (NEW)
- Rear sailplane/ sports bar
- LED headlights and tail-lights
- USB-C ports front and rear (NEW)
The X-Terrain therefore adds quite a bit of value for the money, but I think it would benefit further from all-terrain tyres, some underbody protection and unique suspension.
With that being said, a new Walkinshaw-fettled D-Max Blade variant has just been launched and features all those suggested upgrades, and more!
How does the D-Max X-Terrain drive?
If you’ve ever driven a D-Max before, you’re unlikely to experience much different from the pre-facelift ute. The X-Terrain we have on test is fitted with the venerable 4JJ3 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine that produces maximum outputs of 140kW/450Nm.
This engine is paired to a six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission that drives through a part-time four-wheel-drive system.
While the turbo-diesel four is certainly not the most refined engine, it’s a strong, reliable and robust unit, for work or play. The 4JJ3 pairs pretty well with the automatic transmission and pulls pretty hard up the rev range. It’s also quite responsive for a single-turbo engine, but definitely not at the same level as Ford’s 2.0-litre bi-turbo four or Nissan’s own 2.3-litre bi-turbo.
Isuzu says that its 4JJ3 TCX engine uses a variable geometry turbocharger which is likely to be one of the reasons for the prompt response at lower revs.
As is the case for most commercial turbo diesels in our local market, the Isuzu’s unit is a little clattery and loud, but it’s important to remember that few utes are blessed with refined diesel engines.
Around town, the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain has a firm ride, but it’s totally liveable and still pretty comfortable. On a scale of the GWM Cannon Alpha’s crashy, uncomfortable ride quality to the Volkswagen Amarok’s car-like suspension and handling, the Isuzu D-Max sits more toward the Amarok, which is positive.
Once you get up to three-figure speeds or on the highway, the Isuzu’s suspension does settle well. As is the case for most utes, putting some weight in the back would likely make a world of difference, however it’s important to note that many utes remain unladen when used around town.
I’ve driven a stack of D-Maxs off road in the past, including to the famous dunes at Stockton Beach near Newcastle, and I’ve always been impressed with the ute’s capabilities. But the X-Terrain is now fitted with a Rough Terrain mode that makes things a little easier off the beaten track.
I’ve said before and I’ll say again: the D-Max is a great thing to pilot off the bitumen, whether that be on the beach or through forestry tracks.
I just wish the X-Terrain was slightly more off-road focused. All-terrain tyres would also be awesome, but we’ll hopefully experience that in the coming months with the new Walkinshaw-fettled D-Max Blade.
What is the D-Max X-Terrain**’s interior and tech like?**
How does the interior of the X-Terrain stack up? Well, if you’re already familiar with the D-Max flagship, materials and build quality are much the same as before: rugged and certainly commercial focused. The cabin is definitely built to last, but if you’re after a more premium and plush treatment, you’re not going to find that in an Isuzu (yet).
There’s a fair chunk of hard, scratchy plastics around the place, but most importantly, the leather seats are comfortable and quite supportive. The leather itself does feel a little low-rent, however, and honestly feels more faux leather than real leather.
As for standard tech, there has been big changes here. A new 9.0-inch touchscreen is now standard and runs wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The infotainment has also been refreshed with new software and, for the most part, it’s a decent system. One clear downside though is that the screen quality and clarity is a little bit blurry (and yes, I promise I had my glasses on!).
The driver also gets a new 7.0-inch digital cluster that lets you cycle through the menus via the steering-wheel buttons. The graphics seem a little arcade or video game style for my liking and the screen also seems a tad blurry to these eyes. It would have been nice to see a nice clear display for the driving instruments.
The D-Max X-Terrain is well equipped with features inside, and includes as standard:
- Two deep cupholders (actually a little too deep for a coffee cup)
- Two new USB-C charging ports
- Sunglasses holder
- Upper and lower gloveboxes
- Side cupholders
- Eight-speaker sound system
- Standard four-wheel-drive controls
- Rear diff-lock button
For second-row occupants, space back there is adequate for adults and decent for the little ones. A fold-down armrest with cupholders, magazine pockets, a USB-C port and air vents are all included.
In the tray, the dimensions for the load area are 1495mm long by 1122mm wide between the rear wheelarches.
The X-Terrain gains a manual roller tonneau cover, but I wish it was an electric unit as they are much easier to operate. I can certainly appreciate the damped tailgate which makes things light and easy. As for towing, the X-Terrain can pull up to 3500kg braked and has a maximum payload of 930kg.
Isuzu has also fitted trailer sway control as standard for the D-Max range which automatically applies vehicle braking to stop the trailer from getting out of control.
All in all, Isuzu has added some niceties to the cabin of the 2024 D-Max. The Japanese ute has certainly come a long way since the early days.
Is the D-Max X-Terrain a safe car?
The Isuzu D-Max has been tested by vehicle safety authority ANCAP and in 2022, received a five-star safety rating. The D-Max range scored 86 percent for adult occupant protection, 89 percent for child occupant protection and 84 percent for safety assistance.
As standard, the D-Max X-Terrain is well equipped and is fitted with the following safety features:
- Eight airbags
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Hill-start assist
- Hill-descent control
- Turn assist with AEB
- Post-collision braking
- Forward collision warning
- Lane departure warning
- Lane-keep assist
- Rear cross-traffic braking
- Emergency lane keeping
- Reversing camera
- Parking sensors
- Trailer sway assist
- Adaptive cruise control
In real world driving, Isuzu has made a lot of effort to improve lane keeping, for example. The pre-facelift X-Terrain had pretty aggressive lane keep, but Isuzu has worked to improve this and it shows when you’re driving around. The tuning allows for softer and more gentle intervention when it comes to lane keep which I thought was very well done. More manufacturers need to address this!
What are the D-Max X-Terrain**’s ownership costs?**
Every Isuzu D-Max and MU-X sold in Australia is covered by a six-year/150,000km warranty.
Servicing the 3.0-litre X-Terrain will cost $2245 over a five-year period, with service intervals sitting at 15,000km or 12 months, whichever occurs first.
In terms of fuel efficiency, Isuzu’s official consumption figure for the X-Terrain is 8.0L/100km.
We got pretty close to that over our week of extensive testing, consistently averaging between 7.9 and 8.3L/100km with a mix of driving environments. I think that’s pretty good for a bigger displacement turbo-diesel engine in this segment.
Speaking of fuel, the D-Max X-Terrain has a 76-litre fuel tank and does not require Adblue, unlike some other utes in the market today.
The honest verdict on the D-Max X-Terrain
Has the D-Max managed to keep its head above water for 2024?
I think that the model is now better than ever. Its engine remains strong and dependable, its tech is improved and it is now even more capable off-road.
Where the D-Max lags behind somewhat is definitely in the areas of engine refinement, firm ride quality and some cheap interior materials. But if you’re after a ute that will do pretty much all of it, the D-Max X-Terrain is a tough looking lifestyle ute that ticks many of the boxes.
With an attractive drive-away price, plenty of practicality and tough looks, the D-Max is a ute I’d put toward the higher end of the ute ladder.
As I said in the beginning, the ute itself is pretty iconic here in Australia. Isuzu continues to improve its offering in the busy segment – enough to stay highly relevant.
And with a hybrid and electric ute confirmed for a future Australian release, Isuzu is certainly propelling itself towards the future. As it says, it’s going its own way.