17 July 2025
The Isuzu D-MAX X-RIDER has wowed experts at one of Australia’s longest running automotive publishers, to receive the prestigious “Best Dual-Cab Utes 2025: Best Value” honour in the Wheels Best Ute Awards.
Looking beyond price alone, Wheels analysed Australia’s leading dual-cab utes to determine what genuinely presents long-term value, weighing features for a holistic indication of how much each ute actually costs to own and operate.
Emerging strongly ahead of six finalists, the X-RIDER was assessed across criteria including standard features, interior, infotainment, fuel economy, towing capacity, tray size, warranty and servicing, with judges declaring “Isuzu is clearly doing something very right”.
Wheels’ judiciary offered praise for the X-RIDER’s 3.0-litre engine with 140kW and 450Nm as “money very well spent”, along with the model’s relative sophistication, efficiency, and trim options. Also noted were the D-MAX’s excellent safety equipment and “modern and feature-packed cabin”.
“With a thriving owner community and a wide range of accessories available,” said Wheels, “plus parts support in some of the more remote reaches of Australia, the D-MAX does a lot to appeal to those who prize capability and aren’t afraid to take their ute off the beaten track.”
This award was warmly received by Isuzu UTE Australia (IUA). “This is a reflection of our efforts to listen to our loyal customers and the strength of the Isuzu D-MAX in Australia,” said IUA Managing Director, Mr Junta Matsui. “It is also validation of IUA’s commitment to responding to feedback, to make sure we deliver what our customers need for work or play in one of the world’s most competitive ute markets.”
“We would like to thank the judges, Wheels, as well as all of our customers, for this wonderful result.”
The D-MAX X-RIDER’s 3.0L turbo diesel delivers its 140kW/450Nm combination via a six-speed automatic 4WD transmission, officially returning 8.0L/100km, with, said Wheels testers, “under 7.0L/100km fuel consumption easy to achieve on highways”.
D-MAX finished 2024 as the 4th best-selling vehicle overall, as well as charting 3rd in the dominant ‘1-tonne Ute LCV’ segment with 30,194 vehicles delivered. Isuzu UTE Australia was Australia’s 8th best-selling vehicle brand in 2024, with the brand finishing in the country’s Top 10 for overall sales for the third straight year.
For more information on our award winning ute, visit the D-MAX X-RIDER page.
01 February 2024
Just weeks after Wheels Magazine awarded the Isuzu D-MAX Australia’s ‘Best Value 4X4 Ute’ title, the Australian automotive publication crowned the Isuzu MU-X the winner of its ‘Best Value 4X4 SUV’ award, as part of the inaugural Wheels ‘Best Large SUV’ awards.
In recent years, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) have grown to become the top selling vehicle type in Australia and, in 2023, accounted for more than half (58.3 per cent) of all new vehicles sold. With more than 150 different SUV nameplates from close to 50 manufacturers to choose from, consumers are spending more time than ever before researching their next vehicle purchase; weighing up suitability, versatility, and affordability before signing on the dotted line.
Guiding readers and new SUV buyers through the myriad of options in showrooms, Wheels’ Best Value awards plays a pivotal role in sifting the best from the rest. As part of the Wheels ‘Best Value 4X4 SUV’ awards, judges evaluated eight large off-road (4X4) SUVs on sale and critiqued each contender against a set of market-relevant criteria to aid consumers in making informed purchasing decisions.
Giving potential owners a holistic indication of true ownership costs, Wheels went beyond the sticker price, analysing real-world costs such as insurance premiums, servicing costs, fuel bills and depreciation to determine which of the eight Large 4X4 SUVs on test would be the best value to own and operate over a three-year period.
The Isuzu MU-X LS-M emerged on top by a considerable margin.
Presenting the win to the Isuzu MU-X, Wheels Editor Andy Enright said: “The Isuzu MU-X beat everything else out of sight.”
“We crunched the numbers on insurance premiums, fuel bills, cost of servicing, and depreciation, and the results were pretty conclusive; the Isuzu MU-X represents the best value over a three-year ownership period.”
“The clincher, its resale value, was by far the best in class, and that’s because Aussies know this vehicle and trust it to last.”
Benchmarking resale values (residual values) published by Redbook—and determining that depreciation was the largest real-world ownership cost—Wheels highlighted that the MU-X had the best resale value out of all eight nameplates on test, outperforming the competition by up to $9,924 over three years. Insurance premiums were another component where the MU-X took top marks, ranking as the most affordable to insure.
Reflecting on the MU-X winning Wheels’ Best Value 4X4 SUV award, Isuzu UTE Australia Managing Director Junta Matsui said: “This comparison is incredibly relevant to the here and now; with many Australian families under financial pressure from cost-of-living increases, ensuring that their hard-earned money is spent wisely on the right four-wheel investment is more important than ever before.”
“With many families choosing 4X4 utes and SUVs for their unmatched versatility, capability and towing prowess, it’s clear that after winning their respective ‘Best Value 4X4’ awards, both the Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X are the pick of the bunch.”
To read about the full ‘Best Value 4X4 SUV’ comparison, visit Wheels’ website.
For more information on our award-winning SUV, discover the Isuzu MU-X here.
For information on our award-winning ute, discover the Isuzu D-MAX here.
27 November 2023
The Isuzu D-MAX has been crowned Australia’s ‘Best Value 4×4 Ute’, with the 1.9-litre and 3.0-litre turbo-diesel powered variants of the popular D-MAX SX Crew Cab 4×4 Ute placing 1st and 2nd, respectively, in Wheels’ inaugural Best Value 4×4 Ute awards.
Coinciding with the relaunch of Australia’s longest-standing automotive publication, Wheels has evolved their iconic magazine and online channels to incorporate a consumer-centric path in 2023—maintaining its 70-year reputation for world-class automotive storytelling while expanding its detailed consumer advice to its legion of readers. As part of Wheels’ multifaceted feature articles of the ‘Best’ vehicles on sale in Australia, the inaugural ‘Best 4×4 Ute Awards’ evaluated a dozen 4×4 utes against a set of market-relevant criteria to aid consumers in making informed purchasing decisions.
With the cost of living at an all-time high and many relying on their ute as a tool of trade or the family hauler, getting the most out of their four-wheel investment remains of paramount importance for many motorists.
Looking beyond the sticker price, Wheels analysed twelve 4×4 utes to determine what genuinely presents good value over a three-year ownership experience. The purchase price, insurance premiums, servicing costs, fuel bills and resale were all taken into account—giving readers a holistic indication of how much each ute will actually cost to own and operate on a daily basis.
After crunching the numbers to simulate real-world costs to own and operate each ute over three-years, both the 1.9-litre and 3.0-litre turbo-diesel powered variants of the popular D-MAX SX Crew Cab 4×4 Ute were declared the two best-value 4×4 utes in Australia.
With the D-MAX SX Crew Cab 4×4 Ute 1.9-litre in top spot, Wheels commended the utility for its low cost of ownership, stating that “excellent resale, frugal fuel bills, and the lowest insurance premiums of all our contenders are the secret to the D-MAX’s inherent value, with these low ownership costs helping to offset a higher-than-average purchase price.”
“For maximum bang for your buck, it’s the entry-level SX crew cab 1.9L that’s kindest to your hip pocket, but opting for the more powerful 3.0L turbo-diesel doesn’t actually bring a huge financial penalty,” commented Alex Inwood, Digital Editor of Wheels.
Reviewing the tabled results of all twelve 4×4 utes on test, revealed that the D-MAX SX Crew Cab 4×4 Ute 3.0-litre ranked just behind the 1.9-litre variant, in second position, with Mr. Inwood’s appraisal citing that “the SX 3.0-litre will cost you only $430 more to run over three years (higher fuel bills account for most of that), which further underscores the D-MAX’s inherent value.”
“As you can see… the 3.0L D-MAX actually slots into second place overall,” commended Inwood.
Reflective of the D-MAX winning the Best Value 4×4 Ute award, Isuzu UTE Australia Managing Director, Junta Matsui, said “localised evaluation with our Isuzu Design and Engineering Team has proved instrumental in ensuring that the ongoing-development of the D-MAX suits the terrain, conditions and customer usage seen locally—this accolade is testament that this vehicle is fit for purpose.”
“This award is really important for us and our customers; it’s a comprehensive evaluation of Australia’s most-popular segment—analysing beyond the brochure specifications, to assess the contenders in real-world scenarios that customers will actually experience.”
While the D-MAX SX had the lowest vehicle depreciation and insurance premiums of all vehicles on test, aftersales support such as servicing costs were also among the lowest. With over 165 Isuzu UTE Dealership sites around Australia, aftersales support is quite literally around the corner for most Australians. Couple that with the fact that every Isuzu D-MAX ute is backed by a comprehensive aftersales program, Service Plus 6-7-7, comprising of a 6-Year/150,000km warranty, 7-Years roadside assistance, and 7-Years of Capped-Price Servicing.
As Isuzu UTE Australia approaches the end of the year, the two-vehicle marque is currently positioned as Australia’s 10th best-selling automotive brand to date, with 24,677 D-MAX utes and 11,824 MU-X SUVs sold and delivered between January and October 2023. Since its local debut in 2008, an accumulated total of 218,620 D-MAX utes have been sold and delivered locally.
To read more about the Best Value 4×4 Ute award and see how the other ten 4×4 utes fared in comparison to the D-MAX SX Crew Cab 4×4 Ute 1.9-litre and D-MAX SX Crew Cab 4×4 Ute 3.0-litre, which placed 1st and 2nd respectively, visit Wheels’ website.
For more information on our award-winning ute, discover the Isuzu D-MAX here.
14 April 2022
Both the Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X have been awarded top-honours in the annual OzRoamer 4WD and SUV Car of the Year Awards, with the D-MAX winning the ‘2022 4WD Dual Cab Ute under $65,000 Award’ and the MU-X winning the ‘OzRoamer 2022 4WD $45,000 – $65,000 COTY Award’.
Widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and market relevant automotive award programs in Australia, the OzRoamer Car of the Year Awards has always taken a consumer-centric approach when analysing and reviewing each contender—focusing on a set of criteria that would aid consumers to make an informed purchasing decision.
Now in its tenth year of running, the 2022 OzRoamer Car of the Year Awards tested a total of eighty 4WD and SUV contenders, with the top-three from each of the twelve award categories progressing to the final round of testing.
During the final round of testing, the judging panel led by OzRoamer Editor in Chief, Rob Fraser, objectively evaluated each of the top-three finalists against a judging criterion reflective of consumer ownership, real-world scenarios and fit for purpose standards.
“By breaking down the categories into those that best represent consumers’ buying decisions and parameters, the awards enable consumers to see what is best in class in their chosen segment,” explained Rob Fraser.
“All the vehicles nominated in these awards are strong contenders and hold individual merit, however the winners highlight class-leading attributes and those that offer the coveted combination of outstanding design, functionality, performance and value for money.”
Fresh off the back of consecutive annual category wins at the Drive Car of the Year awards, the new-generation Isuzu D-MAX has further cemented its acclamation with the Australian media with its first OzRoamer Car of the Year Award win, beating the other top-three finalists, the Mazda BT-50 and Nissan Navara.
“The award goes to the whole D-MAX 4WD Dual Cab Ute range. The main reason is that the class leading safety features from Isuzu’s Intelligent Driver Assistance System (IDAS), are across the whole range.”
“With class leading safety features across the range, D-MAX stands apart,” deliberated Rob Fraser.
In late-2020, the new-generation Isuzu D-MAX launched to reset the benchmark for utes in Australia through the standardisation of safety and connectivity technology across all models—a suite of equipment still unmatched by another ute manufacturer to this very day.
In summary, Fraser proclaimed that the “D-MAX is currently the best 4WD Ute on the market.”
The OzRoamer judging panel scored the D-MAX a total of 92 points, out of a possible 100, with perfect-tens awarded to the D-MAX across the ‘Towing/4WD Capability’ and ‘Value for Money’ categories.
For the fifth time in its nine years of sale in Australia, the Isuzu MU-X has won an OzRoamer Car of the Year Award, with the large 4WD SUV awarded the prestigious prize in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and again in 2022.
An award specific to family-friendly, dual range 4WDs, the ‘OzRoamer 2022 4WD $45,000 – $65,000 COTY Award’ nominee list is as diverse as they come, with 4WD ute-based SUVs, 4WD family wagons, and 4WD SUVs all competing for the top honour.
Of the seven category nominees, the final three final contenders were the Jeep Compass Trailhawk, Toyota Fortuner Crusade, and Isuzu MU-X LS-T, each capable 4WDs category finalists.
Based on the D-MAX-platform, the new-generation Isuzu MU-X launched in Australia in late-2021, quickly forging its position towards the pointy end of the segment amongst families and travellers, as recognised by the OzRoamer panel of judges.
“If you are looking for a 4WD for that around Australia trip or even family holiday the MU-X is ideal,” praised Rob Fraser.
“It’s amongst the best riding Ute-based 4WDs on the market. Combine that with its 4WD capability and towing ability, it’s easy to see why the MU-X is so popular.”
Fundamental to the OzRoamer awards criteria, the MU-X scored highly in all touring and travelling related areas, as well as earning full marks across ‘Value for Money’ and ‘Towing and 4WD Capabilitiy’ criterions.
Reflective of the entire Isuzu UTE range earning accolades in this year’s awards, Isuzu UTE Australia Managing Director, Hiroyasu Sato, said “4WD capability, practicality and towing have always been core to the design of all Isuzu vehicles, and winning two categories is testament to the engineering and design instilled in the new-generation Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X.”
“It’s an absolute honour to have both the D-MAX and MU-X recognised as worthy category winners. It’s a comprehensive testing regime that goes beyond the brochure specs and assess the contenders in real-world scenarios that customers will actually experience.”
Celebrating its tenth anniversary of operation, the annual OzRoamer Car of the Year Awards is revered as one of Australia’s most independent and comprehensive 4WD and SUV awards programs in Australia.
Find out more about the D-MAX winning the OzRoamer 2022 4WD Dual Cab Ute under $65,000 Award here and the MU-X winning the OzRoamer 2022 4WD $45,000 – $65,000 COTY Award here.
Find out more information on the Isuzu D-MAX range here, and the Isuzu MU-X range here.
03 June 2022
For the second-consecutive year in a row, Isuzu UTE Australia (IUA) has been awarded the ‘Car Manufacturer of the Year’ title, at the 2021 Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards, besting close to 50 Australian automotive brands to the top step and marking the third time IUA has won the prestigious award; winning it in 2018, 2020, and 2021.
Congratulating IUA on its repeat category win, Roy Morgan’s CEO, Michele Levine said that, “Isuzu UTE has won its third Annual Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Award as the Car Manufacturer of the Year. For the first time Isuzu UTE has now completed back-to-back victories in the category after also winning the award in 2020 and before that in 2018.”
Revered as one of Australia’s largest independent research companies with over 75 years of experience in collecting objective and independent information from Australians, Roy Morgan’s customer survey research interviews over 60,000 consumers each year. That research data is then analysed on an ongoing monthly basis, and compiled in a report to recognise and report on each brand across each of the 37 categories.
Once tallied up, Roy Morgan’s research indicated that IUA charted as the top automotive brand in its segment across the first six months of 2021, finishing the year with an overall Customer Satisfaction rating of 96.1%, improving on its results from the previous year.
“The average customer satisfaction for Isuzu UTE in 2021 was an exceptional 96.1% for all customers, an improvement from 94.9% making it the second highest rated brand for the most satisfied customers of any of the 37 categories awarded.”
“The result shows that an enduring commitment to meeting and satisfying the needs of customers can pay off big-time,” reflected Ms Levine.
Not only does the high customer satisfaction survey result of 96.1% validate Isuzu UTE’s award-winning level of customer service, it also backs the brand’s earned reputation for reliability, with close to 35,000 satisfied customers choosing an Isuzu D-MAX or MU-X as their choice of vehicle in 2021.
Isuzu UTE Australia’s Managing Director, Mr Hiroyasu Sato, presented with the ‘2021 Car Manufacturer of the Year’ Award, by Roy Morgan Research
“We are honoured to be recognised as Australia’s Car Manufacturer of the Year, by Roy Morgan,” said Isuzu UTE Australia’s Managing Director, Mr Hiroyasu Sato.”
“This back-to-back award is testament to the quality and consistency of service provided at each of our 155 Dealership sites across the country.”
“Our Isuzu UTE Dealers take a customer-centric approach during every interaction; so not only are we proud to be tracking in the right direction by improving in our annual customer satisfaction results, but we are thrilled to hear that we are living up to our current customers’ expectations.”
“And, to our future customers who are waiting for their vehicle order, we appreciate their patience as we work towards delivering vehicle orders as quickly as possible, and alongside our Dealers, we are doing everything possible to communicate the latest delivery timings by providing frequent vehicle order progress updates,” said Mr Sato.
Bidding for consumer favour in Australia’s hotly contested automotive industry of close to 50 marques, IUA currently charts as the eighth best-selling automotive brand in Australia. With Ute and SUV popularity at an all-time high and IUA recognised to have more satisfied customers than any other automotive brand, IUA expects that wave of satisfaction to continue as more customers turn to Isuzu for their next vehicle of choice.
For the full Roy Morgan report, visit www.roymorgan.com
26 May 2022
The Isuzu D-MAX UTE and MU-X SUV continue to impress, with one of Australia’s most-respected and recognised comparison websites, Canstar Blue, awarding Isuzu UTE Australia (IUA) the 2021 Canstar Blue Customer Satisfaction Award for New Cars.
Impressively, Isuzu UTE was the only Automotive brand in Australia to be awarded perfect scores across all seven Canstar Blue categories; Overall Customer Satisfaction, Reliability, Value for Money, Driving Experience, After Sales Service, Point of Sale Service, and Car Servicing.
Leading the 2021 Canstar Blue automotive accolades was Canstar Journalist, Dean Heckscher, who objectively reported on each of the automotive brand entries, and remarked that, “Isuzu was the one to beat in Canstar Blue’s latest overall new car ratings, scoring five stars in all categories, giving it the inside lane on competitors in a crowded Australian market.”
“Isuzu evidently ticks the boxes for those who are after a new car,” commented Mr Heckscher.
Not only did IUA score the full five stars across all categories, it was the first time in Canstar Blue’s 11-years of surveying that an Automotive brand has received a perfect score in the customer survey.
Tasked with maintaining the award-winning level of customer service throughout each of the 155 Dealership sites across Australia is IUA Deputy Managing Director of Service, Parts, and Aftersales, Mr. Takeshi (Ted) Yasui, who reflected on the accolade saying, “we have always put our customers first, and to be the first automotive brand to receive a perfect survey score is proof of that.”
“Over the last decade, IUA has built a reputation for customer satisfaction, reliability, and value for money, which is evident with the response from customers surveyed, and the fact that Isuzu UTE Australia has won the 2021 Canstar Blue Customer Satisfaction Award for New Cars.”
“Being singled out as the only automotive brand to score five stars for Reliability is a real testament to our designers and engineers who have invested over four million kilometres of durability testing in the development of the new-generation Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X.”
As part of the 2021 Canstar Blue research, the survey concluded that over a quarter (26%) of all survey respondents said that they had modified or accessorised their new car.
“Amongst the lifestyle, towing, and touring customers, both the D-MAX and MU-X have proven to be the ideal blank canvas for accessory fitment and customisation, with customers able to customise their Isuzu to their specific tastes and requirements from a catalogue of 213 Genuine Accessories available for fitment,” said Mr Yasui.
Canstar Blue’s five star rating for the D-MAX and MU-X isn’t the only five star rating to be awarded to the new-generation Isuzu nameplates, with both vehicles revered as two of the safest vehicles on Australian roads; with their maximum five star safety ratings as awarded by ANCAP. Standardised across the entire range of D-MAX and MU-X, is Isuzu’s Intelligent Driver Assistance System (IDAS), which encapsulates the latest in advanced safety and driver assistance systems.
The Canstar Blue Customer Satisfaction award joins the collection of back-to-back annual Drive Car of the Year award wins for the D-MAX, and the recent OzRoamer Car of the Year award wins for both the D-MAX and MU-X.
For more information on the award-winning D-MAX, click here.
For more information on the award-winning MU-X, click here.
