The Isuzu D-MAX ute has received a significant set of updates and the facelifted 2024 (24MY) D-MAX range is now available to purchase from Isuzu Ute Australia dealers. The D-MAX was Australia’s third best-selling vehicle of 2023 and is offered in an extensive choice of body styles, tray configurations, and powertrain options, with a total of 25 models in the 2024 D-MAX range.
I recently spent the week with the Isuzu D-MAX LS-U+ Crew Cab Ute 3.0L Automatic 4×4, which sits just below the top of the range X-TERRAIN model. My Isuzu was powered by 3-litre turbo-diesel, in-line 4-cylinder engine, with 140kW of power and 450Nm paired with a 6-speed “Rev-Tronic” automatic transmission. The official combined fuel consumption for this engine is 8.0L/100km and for my week I used 9.1L/100km of diesel.
The diesel engine is noisy, offers only sluggish performance for everyday driving and has the feel like of an older engine. The ride in the D-MAX from the standard rear leaf suspension was unrefined and nowhere near the benchmark of other utes that I have driven and my children were not impressed by it either.
The 2024 4×4 D-MAX models are now equipped with Rough Terrain Mode, which is an electronic off-road traction control aid that maximises torque-transfer and driveability in technical, slippery, and rough conditions and has downhill decent control, but I didn’t try any 4L off-roading on this occasion. I did try out 4H because it was wet the week when I drove the D-MAX, unfortunately this proved to be problematic for low-speed manoeuvring as the system locks the centre differential when in 4H as well as 4L meaning, so I had to revert back to 2H.
My D-MAX featured ‘Miura-Origami’ inspired perforated leather-accented upholstery throughout and heated front seats. The driver’s seat has power adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height front and rear and 2-way lumbar support, but no memory positions and the passenger seat has manual recline and forward/back adjustment only. I’m not a fan of the gloss black plastic around the gear lever and annoyingly on the door handles, especially in a ute, as they attract dust and finger marks. LS-U, LS-U+, and X-TERRAIN D-MAX models sport have a high-definition 7.0-inch digital screen between the analogue taco and water temp/fuel gauges. The additional digital real estate offers the driver more information at a glance, such as tyre pressure information and Sat-Nav directions.
The 9.0-inch infotainment touch screen in LS-U, LS-U+, and X TERRAIN D-MAX utes is a completely new system equipped with sat-nav, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) setting controls, and displays tyre pressures and temperatures via the tyre pressure monitoring system, which is one of the updates on the 2024 D-MAX. With off-road enthusiasts in mind, an inclinometer and Terrain Command 4×4 drive modes have been integrated into the system affording the driver the ability to view essential systems at a simple tap and swipe of the screen. Keeping things simple and addressing commonly received feedback, a pair of tuning and volume dials have been added, improving tactility, functionality, and useability.
The wireless Android Auto is another addition to the 2024 D-MAX and it worked well most of the time for me, but on a number of occasions it was difficult to connect to the infotainment system. It can also be connected via a USB cord and wired and wireless Apple CarPlay also come as standard across the 2024 D-MAX range. In addition to Smartphone connectivity the other media sources available are AM/FM radio, DAB, USB, and Bluetooth.
The storage tray at the front of the centre console, where you are most likely to place your phone, is made from hard plastic, so items placed in here slide around. Above this there is one 12V socket and two USB-C ports for phone charging as the D-MAX does not have a wireless charging pad. There’s an upper and lower glovebox with a small cup holder on either side of the dash that can also double as a slide out storage drawer. The rigid cup holders in the centre console are on the deep side and one is square and one round. The drink bottle storage cubbies in the front doors are a good size for larger water bottles.
I found that the rear seats had ample head and leg room for me, but I would have liked some more under thigh support from the seats. For younger passengers there are two ISOfix/two rear tether child seat restraint points. The D-MAX uses the older style setup that has a braided strap that you need to loop the rear tether from the car seat and hook it on to a central mounting point. I find this system confusing and it is open to mistakes being made by parents fitting car seats into the D-Max. ANCAP advises that the installation of child restraints in the centre seat of the second row (crew cab variants) is not recommended as there is no top tether anchorage for this position.
Rear passengers get two small central air vents with manual direction adjustment and one centre on/off control. Above these is one USB-C port and there’s one hook behind passenger seat that potentially could hook your handbag on so it doesn’t fall over. The centre seat folds down as arm rest with two rigid cup holders in the front of it and there are good sized drink bottle storage cubbies in the rear doors. However, they are awkward to access as they are located towards the rear of the door and the seat is in the way when you need to get items out. The one thing I really liked in the rear seats were the optional ($215.56) rubber mats that covered the floors and the transmission tunnel to protect the carpet from wear and tear.
At the business end of the D-MAX is a hard plastic lined tub that has a 990kg payload with only two tie down points that are located at the rear of the tub. The D-MAX has a 3,500kg maximum braked trailer capacity with a max towball download of 350kg. The Tow Bar Tongue costs $215.05, 12-Pin Plug $393.25, and Electronic Brake Controller $896.06 when factory fitted to your new D-MAX. The full-size spare tyre is located under rear of the vehicle.
The tub is 110cm between wheel arches and 140cm deep, but the optional Manual Roller Tonneau ($3,199) protrudes into the tub around 20cm at the front and the fitment is also not that neat as the tub liner has been cut out to install it. The manual roller cover has a manual key lock it and to open the cover you pull the strap to one side and the cover slides open. To close you pull on the strap back towards you and the cover did leak during the rainy week that I had the D-MAX. I like the soft open tailgate, but is still has manual close and to lock the tailgate you have to remove the key from the key fob and manually lock it.
All new D-MAX variants built from July 2022 have a 5-star ANCAP (2022) rating with an Adult Occupant Protection score of 86% (33.00 out of 38) and a Child Occupant Protection score of 89% (44.00 out of 49). Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtains) and a driver knee airbag are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard on all variants.
The 2024 D-MAX has had a number of new or upgraded ADAS improvements including new Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control that uses speed zone data identified by Traffic Sign Recognition (to conveniently assist the driver in matching vehicle speed with the posted speed limit. The Lane Keep Assist (LKA) has been updated and now provides smoother steering intervention and better tracks the centre of the lane, rather than reacting to the outer lane markings. Previously, LKA was only available on D-MAX models with an automatic transmission but is now available on models fitted with a manual transmission.
Another new feature is Rear Cross Traffic Brake, which is an active safety feature that uses the same 24-0GHz radar sensors found in the rear bumper for Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Other standard ADAS features on the D-MAX include Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with Turn Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), and Trailer Sway Control.
ANCAP tests of the AEB Car-to-Car system showed GOOD performance, with collisions avoided or mitigated in all scenarios. The vehicle prevented collisions with an oncoming vehicle (turning across path) in some speed scenarios. Overall, effectiveness of the AEB Car-to-Car system performance was rated as GOOD. ANCAP tests of LKA functionality showed GOOD performance and ELK was ADEQUATE, with overall performance classified as ADEQUATE and the Safety Assist score was 84%.
The new digital reversing camera has been fitted to all models, including cab chassis. It claims to dramatically improves image quality and brightness over previous analogue reverse camera, but the new camera also features dynamic guidelines, a wider field of view, and a hydrophobic coating over the lens to prevent the water and dirt from accumulating and obscuring the vision, but even though it has this coating the camera still got dirty from during the wet weather. This D-MAX has rear parking sensors only and for convenience you also get auto lights and auto wipers.
All new Isuzu vehicles have a six-year/150,000km warranty, and up to seven-year roadside assistance. The revised five-year/75,000km Flat Price Servicing program means you will pay $449 per service, which is undertaken every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.
Prices for the Isuzu D-MAX LS-U+ start at $65,500 excluding on-road costs and as tested with the options previously mentioned and Obsidian Grey Premium Paint ($695) this D-MAX LS-U+ costs $75,858 drive away. You can Build & Quote your D-MAX online or visit your preferred Isuzu Ute dealer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| New and updated ADAS features | The noisy sluggish diesel engine |
| Wireless Android Auto now available | The unrefined ride quality |
| The optional rubber floor mats | The old-style child seat anchorage points |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.