New Isuzu D-Max Tries to Outmuscle the Hilux
Isuzu has unveiled the facelifted 2026 D-Max in Thailand, and the Israeli-market version is expected to cost about NIS 300,000. The pickup is aimed at rivals including the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, KGM Musso and Maxus eTerron 9. The writer says the main gains are more usable power delivered earlier, plus an eight-speed automatic, while the cabin remains too simple for his taste.
The update is not just cosmetic. The front grille, headlights and rear lights were revised, but the bigger change is under the skin. Isuzu replaced the outgoing 1.9-liter diesel with a 2.2-liter engine that still makes 163 hp, but now delivers 40.7 kgm at 1,600 rpm. The torque at 1,000 rpm is about 50% higher than before, although peak torque rises by only about 10%. Isuzu says the new gearing broadens the power band and improves crawling and towing.
On the test course in Thailand, the D-Max climbed steep slopes and rough sections with little throttle input, helped by a shortened first gear, low-range transfer case, hill descent control, rear differential lock and the Rough Terrain Mode. The pickup keeps its 3.5-ton towing capacity, and the cargo bed in double-cab form measures 1,571 mm long, 1,530 mm wide and 490 mm high, for about 1,100 liters. A full-size spare wheel is still included.
The cabin has an 8-inch screen in base versions and a 9-inch unit in higher trims, but physical buttons remain for key functions, which Isuzu says is useful with work gloves. Safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and a new driver fatigue alert, plus an in-cabin camera that warns of distraction. The previous D-Max scored five Euro NCAP stars in 2022, but the facelift has not yet been tested under the newer protocol. The official combined fuel figure is 11.1 km per liter, better than the updated Hilux’s 10 km per liter, though the Toyota also uses mild hybrid assistance. Isuzu also showed an electric D-Max, but it is not planned for Israel, and the seven-seat MU-X SUV also remains off the local menu.
