Isuzu's tough new D-Max revealed: Popular ute gets a rugged adventure makeover to take the fight to the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger
Competition amongst Australia’s top-selling vehicles is heating up, with the second special edition ute announced in just a week.
Isuzu has become the latest automaker in the Australian ute segment to join the special edition party, announcing the D-Max Tour Mate. It follows Ford's announcement of the Ranger Tremor last week.
The D-Max is the third best-selling ute on the Australian market, and is well-loved for its easily customisable touring capabilities. The Tour Mate builds on this by packaging the most popular of the D-Max's 120 accessories on both the LS-U and LS-U+ at a discounted price.
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The package includes a tow bar tongue and 50mm ball, 12-pin wiring harness, electric brake controller, clear view extendable heated and power-fold compact towing mirrors, a rear canopy with dual lift-up side windows, slimline weather shields and unique Tour Mate badging.
A standard LS-U is priced at $62,2500 (before on-road costs), while the LS-U Tour Mate is priced from $69,990 (drive-away). The standard LS-U+ is priced at $65,550 (before on-road costs), while the LS-U+ Tour Mate is priced from $72,990 (drive away).
Isuzu says the tour mate bundles $9040 worth of genuine accessories into an adventure-ready package, offering what they say is a minimum savings of $6104 and $6194 on the standard D-Max LS-U and the D-Max LS-U+ trims, respectively.
The special edition makes no changes to the proven 3.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder motor, which generates 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque.
It spices up the competition in the ute sector, with Isuzu’s announcement coming just a week after Ford announced the special edition Ranger Tremor, which has a more off-road focus to the Tour Mate's towing bias.
Both models are similarly priced, with the Tremor clocking in at $69,690 drive away or just $300 less than the similarly-trimmed LS-U Tour Mate.
The LS-U+ will cost a few thousand more than the Tremor and the regular LS-U, but it adds features like full-leather upholstery and electronically adjustable front seats.
Isuzu might be hoping the Tour Mate will further boost their sales in the competitive four-wheel drive ute market against stiff competition in the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, which currently occupy first and second place on the sales charts.
The D-Max sits third by a sizeable margin, although Isuzu continues to enjoy record sales with 15,820 D-Max sales through the first six months of this year, which is an increase of almost 20 per cent.
Order books for the Tour Mate will be open from today, August 1.
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