The Thais don’t use pick-up trucks the way we Malaysians do. Over there, pick-up trucks are put to hard work, pulling all types of farm produce. So when Isuzu introduced the RZ4E-TC 1.9-litre Blue Power engine for its latest generation D-Max, there were doubts if it can deliver the same pulling power as a 2.8-litre Toyota Hilux.
There is no replacement for displacement and yes, it is true that the runs out of puff earlier than the . The Isuzu has to make do with only 150 PS and 350 Nm, versus the Toyota’s 204 PS and 500 Nm.
However, Isuzu also understands that power is not everything and for people who depend on their trucks to make a living, running cost is just as important as power, and Isuzu says the D-Max is the most fuel-efficient truck in the segment. Fuel consumption has become even more important to commercial vehicle users given today's high fuel prices.
Now that Isuzu has wrestled the title of Thailand’s No.1 selling pick-up from Toyota Hilux, you can say that Isuzu’s findings on customer needs has been firmly validated.
As Thailand’s No.1 selling pick-up truck, the Isuzu D-Max is the vehicle that is keeping Thailand’s economy chugging along.
Not only that, data compiled by headlightmag says that 81 percent of D-Max sales is contributed by 1.9-litre variants.
D-Max Space Cab
Unlike Malaysia, where double-cab is the overwhelmingly dominant body style for pick-up trucks, only 51.2 percent of D-Max sales there came from double-cab variants. One third (34.9 percent) of sales came from Space Cab, followed by Single Cab (13.9 percent).
The Space Cab variant is not available in Malaysia. It’s essentially a Single Cab with additional storage space behind, with rearward opening doors.
Also very different from Malaysia’s 4×4-only D-Max line-up is that 92.5 percent of D-Max sold in Thailand are 4×2 variants.
Thai buyers prefer 4×2 'low-riders' for easy cargo loading / unloading
Why the overwhelming popularity of 4×2 variants? Because 4×2 variants have a much lower deck loading height, thus making it easier to load and unload cargo. 4×4 is not that important, as many of these trucks are used to carry heavy load across long distances.
In Malaysia, the is the sole 'low-rider' 4×2 truck on sale, priced from RM 81,390.
Thai drag racing scene is also dominated by tuned Isuzu low-riders
Between to January to July 2022, Isuzu sold 105,609 units of the D-Max. The next closest rival is the Toyota Hilux, which sold 87,104 units in the same 7-month period.
The is third (15,552 units), followed by (13,592 units), and (3,777 units).
But numbers don't mean much to an average consumer. What matters to pragmatic farmers is whether the truck works as claimed. The video below is a typical scene of how Thai D-Max customers use their trucks. Just don't say that hay stacks are light, as farmers will laugh at your city-boy ignorance.
@pongsaab1 นครสวรรค์ ปลายทางระยอง 2 ลำปลายทางศรีสะเกษ 2 ลำเจอพวกผมทักทายกันได้ครับ#พงสระบุรี #ด่วนวัวจะแดก #แก๊งตัวโกง #กระบะบรรทุกหนัก #ขออภัยในความไม่สะดวก @user18144789 #@ice.676 ♬ Move Your Body – 69&北诗残阳
In Malaysia, the Isuzu D-Max is priced from RM 90,449 for the Single Cab, while Double-Cab variants are priced from RM 100,099 to RM 146,938.