This story first appeared in the May issue of DieselTalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE
The folks at Isuzu Ute New Zealand reckon it’s not a facelift but the 2017 RT87 series D-Max features many refinements.
Despite that, it is still more of a tough workhorse than a luxury pick-up which will please its current buyer demographic.
The most noticeable cosmetic changes to our LS four-wheel drive automatic test vehicle are the newly reshaped projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights as well as a reshaped radiator grille and the chrome bezel around the fog lamps which nicely complements the chrome capping on the door mirrors.
The LS also sports a body-coloured shark fin antenna on top of the cab and the Isuzu lettering on the rear tailgate is now detailed in chrome rather than the previous black or white.
Inside, the five-seat cabin is largely unchanged except for new upholstery fabric, a new Panasonic 8-inch touchscreen head unit with built-in GPS navigation and a USB power outlet for passengers in the rear seats.
For additional convenience and safety, electronic hill descent control is now a standard feature across the entire D-Max range and all models also have a new reversing camera.
The Isuzu 4JJ1 series 3-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine is now Euro 5 compliant, running both exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) as well as a diesel particulate diffuser (DPD) in the exhaust system. The DPD traps particulates and converts nitrous oxides to carbon dioxides and water.
To make the engine Euro 5 compliant, Isuzu changed the fuel injectors, the piston design and the injection cycle, and added the DPD unit into the exhaust system.
Engine changes means torque output has increased from 380Nm at 1800rpm to 430Nm at 2000rpm, and Isuzu Ute has upgraded the manual and automatic gearboxes from five-speed to six-speed transmissions for better responsiveness as well as greater fuel economy.
On the road
The additional gearing plus the installation of more noise insulation material in the cabin of the RT87 series D-Max has created a much quieter ride, particularly when cruising along the motorway.
The lusty engine still reminds you it’s diesel with a gruff exhaust note on acceleration and deceleration but it settles down quickly once it’s on the move, thanks to the addition of a higher top gear.
The D-Max is no sports car but it will hustle along a winding country road without creating discomfort for the occupants, provided the driver takes a slow-in and fast-out approach to sharp corners.
It offers the driver steering feel and response and, without a load on board or a trailer behind, the ride quality is reasonably comfortable.
But some bumps and thumps from road corrugations are transmitted through the cabin. That’s not dissimilar to other pick-ups with leaf-sprung rear suspensions but when not laden, the D-Max is more comfortable than some other Japanese competitors.
Inside, the cabin remains the same functional space as before but the new touchscreen is bigger and clearer to read for those of us who are short-sighted, and the navigation maps are clear and concise.
The only black mark against the revised D-Max LS is the lack of telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel but at least it’s adjustable for height, as is the driver’s seat.
Towing remains the forte of the D-Max with a braked capacity of 3.5 tonne. We hitched up a hired tandem axle furniture trailer to the LS for a household removal and, despite loading it to the gunnels, the D-Max pulled away without fuss or hesitation.
The D-Max LS four-wheel drive automatic as tested has a retail price of $58,990. It has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and, according to the Rightcar website, it has an average fuel consumption of 8.1 litres per 100km.
That means travelling 14,000km a year will cost $2510, including road user charges.
