2023 Isuzu D-Max and MU-X revealed

A new ute war is brewing as some of the country’s favourite workhorses boost their appeal in the face of new arrivals.

Isuzu is making some cosmetic and tech updates to its ultra popular D-Max ute and MU-X seven-seat 4WD after feedback from customers.

Isuzu has announced changes to its D-Max.

The Isuzus are strong sellers in their segments but face stiff competition from the new Ford Ranger ute and Everest 4WD and the soon to be updated Toyota HiLux ute.

Isuzu Australia boss, Hiroyasu Sato, says these updates add more value to already feature-packed vehicles but without any price increase.

There is some welcome news for regular towers.

“In a market where some manufacturers have removed features to meet delivery time frames or increased pricing, we’ve worked closely with the factory to ensure we maintain the high-level of specification without compromise, which has been paramount in meeting customer expectations,” he says.

The refreshed D-Max ute scores a new grille, snazzy alloy-wheels, improved interior trim and new exterior paint colours.

They’ve also added some more budget friendly options.

Isuzu has also expanded the range of its budget focused D-Max SX powered by a 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine.

The cheaper engine is now available in a two- and four-wheel drive five-seat crew cab ute. Previously it had only been available in a rear-wheel drive single-cab two-seat variant only.

The smaller engine only makes 110kW and 350Nm and reduces towing to 3000kg. In return it shaves thousands off the price and reduces fuel use compared to the larger 3.0-litre diesel unit found in the rest of the range, which makes 140kW/450Nm.

The MU-X 4WD also gets similar updates.

Isuzu has also made towing easier with the D-Max now switching off blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic safety features when a trailer is hitched and detected.

All D-Max utes now come with a tailgate assist function that adds a gas strut to make opening and closing the back of the ute easier.

The MU-X models score similar updates with refreshed styling and interior trim highlighted by the streamlined towing functionality and the addition of a hands free tailgate.