Isuzu D-MAX SX 4x2 trayback: Review

Yes, we were offered the top-of-the-wozzer dual-cab variant of the newly renovated and released Isuzu D-MAX, but when we discovered Isuzu Ute had an entry-level 4x2 workhorse available, we snapped it up.

We’ll get a drive in the fancy Isuzu D-MAX X-Terrain in good time, but we thought you commercial-minded readers might first like a look at the more affordable, work-a-day version with its high payload, no-frills interior and grunty 3.0-litre powerplant.

The ute on test here is the Isuzu D-MAX SX Single Cab Chassis 4x2. It came fitted with the company’s Heavy Duty Alloy Tray, which was a quality affair – there are five trays on offer in all, from the Economy Alloy right up to the Mine Specification steel tray, depending on your needs.

The Heavy Duty alloy is a sensible solution with tie-downs both inside and outside the tray, a handy step in the middle and a load protection grate for the back window of the cab. The drop sides fold down nice and flat so you can get your pallets in easily, and it seems well made with a good solid finish. It should prove a durable tray.

Interior measurements of the tray were 2570mm long and 1775mm between the inside tie-down rails.

Inside, the Isuzu is no-frills. You get vinyl on the floor so it’ll be easy to clean, but we had Isuzu’s fitted rubber mats in our test vehicle ($120) which looked just the ticket for muddy boots. The Isuzu D-MAX SX also offers durable cloth seats with six-way manual adjustment.

There’s not a lot of storage in the cabin. The glove box was taken up by the bulky but concise user manual, there were pockets in the doors with the handy bottle bulge, and a console box for all your odds and ends, but that’s about it.

Depending on how forward or back you like your seat, there is a bit of room behind the seats, and that’s where the jack and sundry tools are found.

Dominating the centre of the dash is a 7.0-inch touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s no dedicated GPS, so you’ll have to use you phone for that and there is a USB port below the screen.

The steering wheel in this D-MAX variant is a urethane job with cruise control, audio and voice recognition controls. It’s adjustable for rake and reach and is comfortable and easy to use from the get-go.

Our test vehicle was also fitted with an Isuzu Genuine heavy-duty tow bar setup and a Redarc brake controller which was neatly fitted on the right-hand side of the steering column. Given the Isuzu’s healthy 3500kg maximum towing weight, you'd be mad not to take the towing pack.

Kerb weight is quoted as 1790kg with a payload of 1310kg for a GVM of 3100kg. That’s a good payload for a little ute but remember that’s just the cab/chassis with no tray. We were told this tray weighs in at around 150kg taking you down to 1150kg, minus fatso in the driver’s seat… but it still gives you over a metric tonne.

If there is one anomaly with this vehicle it’s the safety package. Not the lack of it, but the abundance of safety features that this ute has. It’s often the case that the entry-level vehicles have the minimum of safety features, often just enough to scrape through the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), but this one has the works.

The list is really too long to mention here, but apart from the usual stuff, this ute includes such goodies as eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, radar cruise, traffic sign recognition, active lane keeping, driver attention assist, blind spot monitoring, auto lights and wipers, auto dipping high beam… the list goes on.

In fact, we can’t think of anything else you want or need in terms of safety in this vehicle.

Like all load-carrying utes in this class, the ride when unladen is choppy. Suspension is independent front with coil springs, hydraulic dampers and a stabiliser bar, and heavy-duty leaf springs (that is, heavier duty than higher-spec vehicles) on the rear.

And it’s these heavier-duty leaf springs that give the cab/chassis its load-carrying ability and subsequent choppy ride. But you don’t get nothin’ for nothin’ and that’s the trade-off.

Handling is good for a light-duty ute; it delivers good grip in all conditions, even in the wet and when unladen. The steering is direct with no slop and the brakes are up to the job, even though it comes with drums on the back.

We put 650kg of load in the tray and that sorted out the choppiness in the ride and did little to the performance. The rear springs sat down a bit with the load on board but there was still about five or six centimetres of clearance between the axle and the rear bump-stops.

The load didn’t upset the handling either. Often when you put a load in these utes they tend to wallow and dive into corners, but not the Isuzu. It was quite happy with the load and I actually forgot it was there.

Fuel consumption suffered a little, but not as much I thought it would. I was still getting better than 10L/100km with the load on.

Isuzu Ute used to be the darling of the off-road and tradie set for its reputation for being dependable with its truck-based 3.0-litre turbo-diesel and a reputation for strength and reliability. It was also less expensive than its major rivals, which went a long way to dragging it up the sales charts.

However, with the last update in August of 2020 the company went a bit more up-market and that came with a commensurate price hike.

However, at the time of writing, Isuzu Ute has a special on the D-MAX SX 4x2, but not on the auto that we had. The special was $29,990 drive away for the manual version, with a tray the same as you see here.

On the other hand, the auto was not under the special and it had a price of just over $44k.

Isuzu D-MAX SX Single Cab 4x2 auto: $35,200
HD alloy tray: $2894
On-road costs: $3680
Recommended drive away price: $41,783

Tow bar kit with electronic brake controller: $2350.96
TOTAL DRIVE-AWAY PRICE: $44,133.96

The manual looks like this:

Isuzu D-MAX SX Single Cab 4x2 manual: $33,200
HD alloy tray: $2894
On-road costs: $3629
Recommended drive away price: $39,723
Special offer drive away price: $29,990

Tow bar and electronic brake controller: $2350.96
TOTAL DRIVE-AWAY PRICE: $32,340.96

So the value here is in the manual with the special drive-away price. You do lose a few of the safety features with the manual including ‘misacceleration mitigation’ (whatever that is) and the adaptive cruise control as well as the lane keep assist, but if you can do without those you’ll be getting a really well-priced and reliable ute.

Engine
Series: Isuzu 4JJ3-TCX
Description 3.0 litre, 16-valve, DOHC, in-line four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Emissions: Diesel Particulate Diffuser (DPD)
Maximum power: 140kW at 3600rpm
Maximum torque: 450Nm at 1600-2600rpm (automatic and manual)

Transmission
Type: Aisin AWR6B45 II 6-speed automatic with sequential shift and brake shift lock, electronically controlled, tri-mode with lock-up torque converter on gears 3, 4, 5 and 6

Safety
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Traction Control System (TCS), Rollover Mitigation, Hill Start Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Trailer Sway Control (TSC)

Wheels and tyres
17in x 7in, drilled silver-finish steel
255/65 R17 All-Terrain

Dimensions
Wheelbase: 3125mm
Overall length: 5325mm
Overall width (excluding door mirrors): 1870mm
Overall height (depends on body fitted): 1790mm Front overhang: 890mm Rear overhang (depends on body fitted): 1310mm
Wheel track width: 1570mm
Ground clearance: 235mm
Turning circle diameter between kerbs (metres): 12.5

Mass
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM): 3000kg
Kerb weight: 1700kg
Payload (cab chassis models: final mass depends on body fitted): 1300kg
Gross Combination Mass (GCM): 5850kg
Maximum towing mass (braked trailer): 3500kg
Maximum tow ball download (when fitted with genuine Isuzu Ute tow kit): 350kg
Fuel tank capacity: 76lt

Related reading:
Smarter, safer, dearer new Isuzu D-MAX unveiled
Isuzu D-MAX SX 2021 Tow Test
Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2021