Before Isuzu decided to loan me their latest D-Max X-Terrain for a review, I did manage to test the truck out when I went on an overland trip with KeyAuto.my. On top of that, I also got the chance to review the D-Max based Mazda BT-50. So, this makes it the 3rd time that I’m having a go in the D-Max and seeing how life is living with the D-Max.
Compared to the Mazda BT-50, the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain has a much sportier looking exterior that separates itself from the Mazda variant. At the front, the D-Max comes with a sleeker looking front end that is flanked by 2 powerful LED headlights. The LED headlights also come with adaptive high beams to assist the driver to look further forward on darker roads. Around the truck, the D-Max does come with plenty of sticker details that give more characteristic to the D-Max. Additionally, chrome is kept to a minimum to enhance the sportiness of the D-Max. 
Inside the trunk bed, Isuzu has equipped the D-Max with 2 additional optional equipment. The first of the optional items is the set of damper struts that are fitted on to the tailgate, it helps dampen the tailgate movement when opening the tailgate. On top of that, the trunk bed featured a sliding tray to help owners to fully utilize the whole trunk bed. The sliding tray can slide in and out of the trunk bed to allow easy loading and unloading without having to climb on to the trunk bed. To complete the looks, the D-Max X-Terrain comes with a set of blacked out rims for the ultimate sporty look. 
For the interior of the D-Max X-Terrain, the seats and the dashboard are wrapped in the same brown color leather as found on the Mazda BT-50. This really elevates the luxuriousness of the interior, while the same time still retains the ruggedness of the D-Max. In the Mazda BT-50, the fuel filler cap direction in the instrument cluster is missing, but it managed to find its way back on to the D-Max. While both trucks have pretty similar seating positions, I do start to notice the lack of thigh support from the seat bottom the more I spend my time in the D-Max. Generally, both trucks do have similar interior, do check out the BT-50 review for a more detailed explanation on the interior. 
In the engine bay, the D-Max X-Terrain is powered by Isuzu’s 3.0L inline 4 turbo diesel engine. This engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that sends power to either the rear wheels or all 4 wheels through a center transfer case. The 3.0L turbodiesel engine produces 190bhp at 3,600rpm and a peak torque of 450Nm at 1,600 – 2,600 rpm. 
Considering both the D-Max X-Terrain and the BT-50 share the same powertrain setup, I would say that the powertrain has equally good low end torque, yet still feels rather comfortable seating at highway speeds. The 6-speed automatic transmission is smooth when changing gears, and always in the right gear at the right time. While the D-Max comes with a higher mileage, I do notice that the engine noise is on the quieter side compared to the BT-50, especially when accelerating in the 1st and 2nd gear.
As for the ride, the D-Max does ride a tad on the firmer side, and the road imperfections do transmit into the cabin rather easily. The firm suspension was engineered to ensure that the D-Max has the capability to carry heavy payload. The steering wheel on the D-Max may not be the quickest or the most precise steering wheel out there, but I still have an idea where the front wheels are pointing. Traveling around at lower speeds, the steering wheel does feel heavy, which becomes lighter as the speed picks up.
Slowing down a truck requires the brakes to work quite hard to achieve that. With the disc brakes upfront and the drum brakes at the rear, the brakes are still fairly capable in handling the abuse during day to day driving. Then again, one must not forget that this is still a heavy pick up truck, and braking early is very crucial to make sure the truck slows down in time. 
In the safety department, the D-Max does come with a whole host of safety and advanced driver assistance features to keep the driver safe on the road. The only lacking system on the D-Max is that it didn’t have any lane keep assistance feature, which is due to the steering system that the D-Max is using. For the safety systems, the D-Max comes with 7 airbags, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC), Brake Override System (BOS), and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS). As for the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, the D-Max is equipped with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Turn Assist, AT Pedal Misapplication Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Manual Speed Limiter (MSL), Automatic High Beams (AHB), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Multi Collision Brake.
While the asking price of RM 142,438.40 for the D-Max X-Terrain can be quite steep for some people, I think the high equipment count and the added luxuriousness do justify the pricing for the D-Max. Isuzu has done a great job in refining their pick up truck, to make it more user friendly than before while still maintaining the dependability and ruggedness of the older model. If you are having a dilemma in choosing between the D-Max and the BT-50, I would say you would never go wrong with either truck. If either you like something sportier, or you prefer your truck to look elegant. The decision is for you to make.
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