The 2020 D-Max Brings Upmarket Looks To A Capable Pick-up

• Comes with a comprehensive exterior and interior redesign.
• The D-Max has a longer and deeper bed.
• Will be offered with 1.9-litre and 3.0-litre engines in Thailand.
• Expected to launch in late 2020 or early 2021.

Isuzu had teased the upcoming 2020 D-Max pick-up truck last week, and it has now been unveiled in Thailand. The truck comes with extensive interior and exterior upgrades as well as a revised 3.0-litre engine. While we do not have details on its India launch, we hope that the updated 2020 D-Max will be showcased at the Auto Expo 2020. There are currently no pick-up trucks in its segment. The D-Max (V-Cross for India) rubs shoulders with other SUVs such as the Jeep Compass in terms of price. Expect the D-Max to demand an upmarket price when it is launched in India, due to the new posh interiors - more than the current starting price of Rs 16.55 lakh. We don’t expect the new D-Max to come to our shores in a hurry since the current iteration just received a premium Z-Prestige variant in August this year.

The interiors of the 2020 D-Max are more high-rent than the current generation. The dashboard has a stitched, dual-tone, and layered appearance. The all-new steering comes with contouring at the 10-and-2 position, as well as controls for audio and cruise control. The infotainment screen is 9-inches in this big truck. A new elegant dual-zone climate control unit replaces the circular air conditioning controls in the previous model. 

It comes with two engines, a 2.5-litre making 136PS and 320Nm of torque, and a new 1.9-litre engine making 150PS and 350Nm of torque. The 2020 Thailand-spec D-Max will be sold with the latter engine in the same state of tune, as well as a more powerful version of the 3.0-litre engine with 193PS and 450Nm of torque. 

Changes to the exterior are comprehensive. The new fascia with a large, black plastic grille looks more aggressive than before. New LED headlamps and daytime running lights (DRLs) are accompanied by LED taillamps. The truck is now 30mm shorter in overall length, though the wheelbase is longer. The truck now stands slightly taller and wider than before.

The 2020 Isuzu D-Max will finally have the interiors to match its price point. Current engines are in BS4 guise, so the D-Max is likely to get upgraded engines at launch. Expect the 2020 D-Max to be priced higher than the Rs 16.55 lakh starting price of the current V-Cross. The Thai model comes with 6 airbags, as well as blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert. Stay tuned for its launch to see which of these features make their way to India.