ON April 17 Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) invited several members of the motoring media to test-drive the 2015 Isuzu D-Max on the Clark International Speedway, a racetrack designed specifically for race cars and not pickup trucks like the D-Max.
A presentation was done first inside an air-conditioned tent beside the track where outgoing IPC President Nobuo Izumina proudly said, “The 2015 Isuzu D-Max has what a typical pickup user would want in his/her truck. It is proven to show its top performance in whatever terrain—whether on road or off-road.” The hardworking president also proudly pointed out that their new D-Max LT-X variant was designed to not only exceed the capabilities of current pickup trucks being offered in the market, but to go beyond the borders of the stereotypes.
Isuzu executives pointed out that those looking to buy a new truck should look at the D-Max first as they proudly introduced the vehicle’s new slogan “All you need” in a pickup truck and that is durability, safety and security, and fuel efficiency.
The new D-Max is now powered by Isuzu’s 4JK1-TC (HI) engine, which is good for 136 hp and, more important, 320 Nm of torque. This is the same engine that powers the new Isuzu Mu-X SUV and replaces the 4JJ1-TC, what was installed in the previous D-Max models.
The new engine produces less power compared to the one it replaces, but it has more torque. The difference is barely noticeable—something which I learned later on when I rode with our motoring editor, Tet Andolong, who put the D-Max LT-X with manual transmission through its paces on the tarmac. The D-Max surprisingly handled the racetrack, gracefully conquering apexes and corners with aplomb. But the pièce de résistance was the straight-line acceleration of about 1,000 meters, wherein Miss Andolong, who I later learned was an accomplished high-performance driver in her heydays, floored the pedal and we accelerated from 20 kph to 120 kph in a couple of seconds before our instructor told her to step on the brakes and we came to a screeching halt without the pickup exhibiting any “fish tailing” ( a condition wherein the rear sways uncontrollably, which is common among vehicles not equipped with Anti-lock Brake System or ABS).
After the heart-stopping ride, which was followed by a sumptuous lunch, it was now my turn to take the Isuzu D-Max 4×4 LS manual, this time “off-road.” A especially designed track was built inside the Clark International Speedway that goes straight down to a dry riverbed. The course began with a steep descent that was designed in such a way that the pickup seemed ready to flip sideways if one was not careful, luckily it didn’t happen, and judging by the way my instructor looked, he was sure that it wouldn’t.
Next up was the riverbed which had dried up due to the summer heat. The D-Max negotiated all the obstacles with ease, but the final ascent was another heart-stopper. My instructor told me to put it in second gear, but I was just too scared to do so. Later on I learned from fellow scribes that the D-Max climbed the incline even without them stepping on the accelerator while in second gear.
The D-Max proved easy to control during all these tests and its solid build quality came to the fore—a trait that is inherent in all vehicles manufactured by Isuzu. As the day came to a close, a sudden downpour happened, which lasted for more than an hour. Those of us, who were left behind (we were the last ones to test the D-Max) were not worried. After all, our service was a 2014 4×4 D-Max!
Story & photos by Patrick Tulfo
Image credits: Patrick Tulfo