2021 Isuzu D-Max 3.0 4X4 LS-E AT

Because the D-Max is such a popular truck locally, a lot of people have been eagerly waiting for this, so it came as no surprise that excitement was pretty high already when this new-generation model was launched in Thailand some two years ago.

Its overall exterior didn’t change much — it still has the rounded edges and sleek profile — but the design is now more elaborate to show just how much it has improved in both looks and performance.

The most obvious improvement is how the grille has finally caught up with the times. It’s bigger, wider and gives the D-Max that edginess in design it didn’t have before, but I don’t get why it has two of the same bars across it. I feel like one is enough.

Both sides are flatter and slimmer now as well, and with a sharp pinch at around shoulder height, from front fender to the rear of the bed, that makes up the character line.

Another welcome sight for the D-Max is its very shapely tailgate. The sheet metal comes with indentations on either side and a lip at the top. One thing they should add though, maybe for the update, is a lift assist mechanism.

Tough body enhancements include a front underbody garnish, a skid plate, and a roof rail with a 100-kilogram capacity.

If you’re going for this top trim, know that it comes with some exclusive exterior features like bi-LED automatic projector headlamps (with auto On/Off feature), LED-type daytime running lamps, LED foglamps, and LED taillights with light guide.

The whole exterior package won’t win any awards, but the major design overhaul deserves special mention because this total makeover puts the D-Max on the same playing field (in terms of looks) as the current competition.

Part of the D-Max’s improvements is the addition of a smart key. Like most fancy vehicles today, just have it your pocket or bag and then press a notch on the handle to lock or unlock the doors.

Two things immediately stand out in the cabin: the ‘edginess’ of the cockpit and the brown/black color combo. The browns are very prominent because it’s the color of all the seats, a big part of the door panels, and the soft topper of the dashboard. The black serves as a contrast color.

It gets quite a number of shiny accents as well including silver on the multi-function steering wheel, around the center stack, and around the air vents. Thin glossy black strips run across the right side of the dashboard, the inner door handles, and power window controls.

The hands-down best part of the cabin has to be the vibrant 10.1-inch touchscreen that has Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and even voice recognition. The fonts are just the right size and the graphic user interface is simple and highly responsive. Best of all, it’s connected to an eight-speaker system.

It also gets a very modern set of aircon controls which is the series of levers lined up just in front of the gear shifter. Right below it is the USB and AUX port, a 12-volt outlet, and the four-wheel drive mode selector.

There’s a part of me lights up every time I see innovation of the D-Max cabin. These are all great updates that will surely widen their market and attract the young, techy types as well.

Under the hood is a brand-new power unit, the 4JJ3-TCX. This is a 3.0L common rail direct injection engine with an electronic variable geometry turbo, and comes with Isuzu’s ‘BluePower.’ This means it has upgraded components that reduce vibration while increasing power and efficiency.

190-PS is more than enough, even with a fully loaded bed and sprinting to 100 km/h on the SLEX, it was quick and felt very light. I could tell from the solid grunt that my cargo was no match for the 450-Nm of torque. These aren’t over-the-top numbers by any measure but goes to show that I was just scratching the surface of what this D-Max can do.

Handling isn’t any different from all the pickup trucks in the market. It felt weighted and delivered just the right feedback from the steering wheel. What felt new was the level of comfort. The double wishbone and coil springs (front and rear) held up extremely well when laden and was also supple enough to provide a smooth ride compared to the previous model.

But all these improvements aren’t even the best thing about this D-Max. This specific variant comes with advanced driver assistance systems that includes Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Brake, Turn Assist, Throttle Misapplication Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and a Multi-Collision Brake System. All those essentially make this the most advanced D-Max yet.

At P1.825 million, it’s at the same price point as the competition and rightfully so. It cuts a new and very sharp look, has state-of-the-art cabin features, a powerful and efficient engine, plus a suite of high-tech safety features.

In what has probably been one of the most highly anticipated releases in the pickup truck segment, the Isuzu D-Max LS-E has more than lived up to the hype and made the wait totally worth it.