Things that surprised us in the 2020 Isuzu D-Max 1.9 Premium

As far as our jobs go, sometimes we will draw conclusions about a certain car purely on paper. Perhaps, by looking at the specifications, you'd give it no chance of impressing you from the start. I must admit, that was exactly what I did to the Isuzu D-Max 1.9 Premium when it turned up for a scrap with more impressive rivals (on paper).

And as a consequence of such prejudice, I ended up with egg on my face. What was it then, that was so surprising about this Isuzu D-Max?

1.9-litre engine punched above its weight

Turning up with a 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine packing 'only' 150 PS & 350 Nm, I completely expected the Isuzu D-Max to get outgunned. This is especially as the Toyota Hilux 2.8 Rogue (204 PS, 500 Nm) and Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 Adventure X (181 PS, 430 Nm) both offering more cubic capacity and firepower. I can tell you without any hint of hyperbole, that is not the case.

For starters, the D-Max's RZ4E-TC engine feels surprisingly willing and rather quiet. Sure, the Triton's 4N15 turbodiesel feels more refined, but the D-Max's unit was actually smoother than the Hilux's 1GD-FTV engine. Throw in the added bonus of significantly lower road tax (RM 850 cheaper than the Hilux 2.8 Rogue) and fuel savings, you can start to see the D-Max's appeal.

What even more surprising, the D-Max has pretty brisk acceleration. Not that 0-100 sprints matter when buying a truck, but we were curious and had to find out. In the resulting 0-100 drag race, the D-Max doggedly hung on to the Triton and Hilux, finishing last by sliver. That's a pretty impressive achievement, considering its power and torque deficit. Need more convincing? Why not have a look at the video below to see it happen?

Robust and tough as nails

So yes, the D-Max falls short when it comes to on-road dynamics and refinement compared to the more sophisticated Hilux and Triton. The steering is slow, handling is wallowy, and the ride is not all that comfortable. Honestly, if you were to buy a truck to drive just on the road, the D-Max will fall short.

But, that's not why you buy a D-Max for now, is it? You buy one to genuinely go off-roading. In this metric, it fares brilliantly. When the going gets tough, it gives nothing away in ability to the Hilux and Triton. It took all the punishment one can mete out off-road and still came back for more. If you ever wondered why there are so many D-Maxes running around in construction sites, wonder no more. 

The word that kept coming back to me as I kept pounding the D-Max was 'robust'. Every steep incline, every deep rut, or water troughs that it encountered, the D-Max just shrugged, rolled its sleeves up and said, "I got this". Once we were done with the off-road driving, we just hosed it down and off it went on its merry way. The Isuzu D-Max doesn't pretend to be something it isn't. And that brought a different kind of satisfaction.

Conclusion

As you can probably tell, the Isuzu D-Max's brief was not to be more refined than the Triton, nor to out-drag the Hilux. It is a an all-action, all-purpose car borne out of a need to be cheap to run, reliable and robust. Be honest, can you imagine slinging some mud and dirt in the precious-looking cabins of the Mitsubishi and Toyota? Thought not. In the Isuzu D-Max, you wouldn't even think twice. And that, is what this Isuzu D-Max is all about. I've never been so happy to be proved wrong.