Since the third-generation Isuzu D-Max made its world debut in Thailand back in 2019, the pick-up truck has been topping the Kingdom’s best-selling chart which it took over from the Toyota Hilux. 4 years later, the D-Max has been given a more aggressive facelift with some improvements on the safety front.

In Thailand, the updated D-Max is available with around 30 variants across 5 distinct body styles which are priced between THB 540,000 to THB 1,264,000 (~RM 69k-161k).

This is clearly the most distinct update given to the D-Max in 4 years as the last update given to the pick-up in 2022 saw minor changes in trims and equipment. Over 600,000 units of the third-gen D-Max have been sold in the Kingdom since its late-2019 launch.

Also read: Isuzu D-Max smokes Hilux to stay ahead as Thailand's best-selling vehicle in April 2023

The biggest and most obvious change is in front with an all-new headlight design surrounded by DRLs that double as arrow-shaped turn signals. There is also a power bulge added to the engine hood that makes the front grille higher and wider.

Another major change is on the front grille which looks absolutely like a beast on the top-of-the-range V-Cross and is painted in Black Grey with Black Chrome inserts that look like fangs on a snake.

A new highlight on the front is incorporated into the front bumpers. Flanking on the sides are air curtains which are aerodynamically designed to reduce air resistance just like a sports car.

Moving towards the rear, the updated D-Max features a triple taillight design that Isuzu dubs “Triple Armour”. Around the sides, there are new alloy wheel designs across the range – V-Cross variants receive 18-inch “Rugged and Wild” wheel design, Hi-Lander variants get 18-inch Turbine Spiral design, and the remaining lower variants aside from the single cab Spark receive new 16-inchers.

Inside, the refreshed D-Max looks almost similar to the pre-facelift though Isuzu has given a name for its interior concept – Miura design. The dashboard of the V-Cross variants feature two-tone black-brown colour combo while the Hi-Lander variants come with a black-silver combination.

The 9-inch infotainment screen on the higher variants of the refreshed D-Max has also been redesigned with the return of volume and tuner knobs. Further improvements were also made to the 7-inch multi-info display screen which now offers seamless integration with the infotainment unit.

Also read: Review: Isuzu D-Max Auto Plus 1.9L 4x2 - The urban motoring man's power tool

Higher variants also receive leather seats, fast-charging USB-C charging ports in front and rear, an 8-speaker surround sound system with Dynamic Surround Sound, as well as support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Another improvement is in the ADAS suite which is now aided by a wider and more advanced 3D Imaging Stereo Camera with 2-point radar and 8-point sensor system. Some new features added including pedestrian detection with automatic braking, Turn Assist with AEB as well as adaptive cruise control (ACC) with Stop-and-Go. The full ADAS suite is only available on the automatic variants of the higher variants.

Also read: With ALLSIGHT safety concept, the 2023 Isuzu D-Max is the most complete pick-up truck for the money

In terms of powertrains, the refreshed D-Max retains the same powerplants as the pre-facelift which are the 1.9-litre BluePower turbodiesel (150 PS/350 Nm) and the 3.0-litre BluePower turbodiesel (190 PS/450 Nm). These are paired with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all 4 wheels (4WD) or the rear wheels (2WD).

Following the launch of the refreshed D-Max, Isuzu also announced that it is planning to produce a fully electric version of the pick-up in Thailand in the future. However, its debut will take place in Europe before gradually rolling out to other countries including Thailand.

Also read: Isuzu looking to sell electric pick-ups as early as 2025 in Thailand and other markets

Back home in Malaysia, the D-Max has undergone a minor update earlier this year. Since the pre-facelift D-Max is fully imported (CBU) from Thailand, perhaps it won't be that long before the facelift is launched here.