Isuzu D-Max Blade review
This carefully modified pick-up sees impressive changes, but there is one thing missing from the package.
The Isuzu D-Max Blade is not a new Ford Ranger Raptor rival – so let’s get that out of the way, first and foremost.
But like the Raptor, the new Blade dual-cab ute is the flagship model in the Japanese brand’s line-up in Australia, but despite a host of improvements to the chassis that have improved its off-road ability, there’s still no power bump for the venerable ‘4JJ3’ turbo-diesel engine.
That means it still puts out a mediocre 140kW and 450Nm from its 3.0L capacity, which is well below rivals that offer as much as 165kW and 550Nm for similar money. Being based on the LS-U+ grade, it’s available only with a six-speed auto – no manual, which might turn off some potential buyers.
The hardcore Thai-built ute is priced at $76,990 drive-away, and competes with the likes of the Toyota HiLux GR Sport (from $74,310 plus on-roads), Ford Ranger Tremor (from $69,690 plus on-roads) and the Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior (from $68,765 plus on-roads), and like the latter, it has been rebuilt locally to be punishable beyond what the stock version can cop.
There’s a host of changes that have been implemented by Walkinshaw Automotive, including revised shock absorbers all around with a 29mm lift, more hardcore off-road tyres wrapped around 17- by 8.5-inch wheels, a reworked steering set up, and serious underbody protection with rated tow hooks for when things get out of hand.
Across a mix of off-road scenarios, the Blade showed off its potential with impressive ground clearance – 244mm – being the big improvement. Rocks and ruts were no issue for it at the Adelaide Hills 4x4 Park, where we put the D-Max through the ‘Black’ grade off-road testing routine.
In low-range with first gear selected, it crept up and over some unwalkable obstacles and the decent approach angle (29.2 degrees) ensured there was no damage to the bumper or those, er, questionable stickers.
Across a host of slower moving tracks and trails, we had the D-Max’s Rough Terrain Mode low-speed traction system engaged, which will help you get unstuck once some slippage is detected, and you need to go against your instincts to get the best of it – in other words, aim to get some wheel spin when you might otherwise be thinking of backing off for fear of fumbling down a cliff.
A number of steep climbs later and it was time to turn around and come back down, and while the D-Max does have a hill descent control system, we were instructed by the on-site training team that we’d need to instead be gentle and ride the brakes down, because of the number of deep drop-offs.
After a few hours it was time to head to Goolwa Beach for a stint of sand driving, with waves almost literally lapping at the sidesteps of the D-Max.
High-range engaged but with all the traction control assistance switched off, it was fun to try and maintain pace, and I let the auto gearbox do the thinking for me.
The hard-packed sand was easy going, while the softer stuff needed some steering sensibility as I followed the tracks of the trucks ahead of me.
So, off-road? Vastly improved, because you don’t need any more grunt than the engine gives you, and the turbo-diesel and six-speed auto really make for easy going.
It’s on-road where it could still be better. There is a bit of a breathless feeling under full throttle in the D-Max which isn’t evident in some of its rivals, and while Isuzu insists it didn’t want to compromise the efficiency and reliability of the engine for a cheap power increase, it is feeling well behind the best in terms of open-road pace and progress.
Inside there’s not much change to the LS-U+ donor car, apart from Blade embroidery on the headrests and carpet mats – but the recent facelift’s improved media system is a highlight, with knobs and dials to make it more usable when you’re driving.
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