In Malaysia, the pick-up truck has been synonymous with the Toyota Hilux that there is a running joke where every pick-up is simply called a ‘Hailak’. Over in Thailand though, luck is not on Toyota’s side as it was the Isuzu D-Max that became the most popular pick-up truck in the land of smiles in 2020.

According to sales data provided by Headlight Magazine, the Isuzu D-Max dominated pick-up truck sales in Thailand with 160,328 units sold in 2020, capturing 43.9% market share.

This is an impressive figure as the D-Max topped monthly pick-up sales throughout the year except in April when the Toyota Hilux took over the number one spot.

Speaking of the Hilux, the Toyota pick-up took second place in terms of sales in the same category with 129,893 vehicles sold.

Even with a minor update that was launched in June, it wasn’t enough for the Hilux to take back the number one spot. The Toyota Hilux previously held the title of Thailand’s best-selling pick-up truck for two years in 2018 and 2019.

The pick-up segment is the most popular in the country with 364,887 units sold in 2020, accounting for 46.1% of total sales.

Malaysians will have to wait a little longer to experience the all-new D-Max but it is definitely impressive with its safety features which include blind-spot monitors and a rear cross-traffic alert. Needless to say, it has also been awarded 5-stars in the Australasian NCAP, scoring better than the Kia Sorento.

Despite all the praise for the all-new D-Max, the outgoing generation is still pretty capable. The 1.9-litre variant even surprised us in our recent comparison test with the Mitsubishi Triton and Toyota Hilux.