Isuzu D-Max VS Great Wall Steed

Ever since the current-gen D-Max surfaced back for the 2021 model year, it's been widely regarded as a massive improvement over the previous version, especially in refinement, safety and dynamic behaviour.

You’d never call the 3.0-litre four-pot turbo-diesel quiet or sophisticated, but it is comparatively smooth and very gutsy. Strong off the line, it pulls hard and tows with effortless ease thanks to all that torque. The auto is also a good match, and rarely puts a foot wrong. As the Blade carries on with exactly the same powertrain, nothing changes here.

But, despite leading the class with its standardisation of advanced driver-assist safety tech, the regular D-Max is only a middling effort in terms of on steering, handling and ride qualities.

While light to use and easy to place, the steering has long felt remote compared to the class best, lacking feedback and precision; the suspension helps keep the ute grounded and in control, but the ride is too bumpy and jittery, which can become tiresome.

Plus, the adaptive cruise control and lane-keep safety systems have lacked precision and nuance in their operation, with the latter pin-balling from one side of the lane to another.

Now, the 2024 facelift aimed to address some of these criticisms with a raft of electronic driver-assist and traction-control upgrades, as well as continuous Australian-road tuning, to improve the D-Max’s dynamics.

How much of these contribute to the Blade’s enhanced driveability is not certain, but the net effect is considerable and palpable. Clearly, Walkinshaw’s touch has been transformative.

The new dampers make the driver feel more connected to the road, with better steering feel and response; the suspension rides over bumps with more suppleness for improved comfort, and it feels a little bit more controlled to boot. All this translates to a more enjoyable driving experience.

The Blade brings the D-Max closer to the class-best Ranger, if not quite close enough to be considered amongst the leaders. Still, it's a much better compromise than before.

But, what’s the newest Isuzu like off-road? After all, this is what the mods have been designed for.

Tested out at a 4x4 track in Adelaide, the Blade builds on the D-Max’s already impressive off-road ability, with that little bit of extra lift and ground clearances allowing for the ute to go that much further over challenging terrain.

Though it lacks some of the fancier features you find in some more-expensive machinery like under-vehicle camera views and automatic electronic 4WD mode selection, the basics are all there for serious 4WDing.   

Where the Blade stands out compared to regular D-Maxes is in its more comfortable and controlled ride, since the suspension seems to do a better job in dealing with the rough stuff while isolating its occupants from it.

This is quite remarkable considering that proper off-road tyres are not fitted, just Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac RT all-terrain rubber. They feel like an effective compromise for on- as well as off- road use.

All-up, then, the Blade is a better D-Max from behind the wheel.

You don’t really notice the 4x2’s lighter kerb weight, which is probably due to the petrol engine’s smaller power and torque figures compared to the diesel. Ride quality around town and on secondary bitumen and gravel roads when empty or lightly loaded is adequate, if a tad harsh in the rear, which admittedly is a common trait in leaf-spring dual cabs with one-tonne ratings. Like the 4x4 version, the steering weight is too light and linear in feel regardless of road speed and the gearing is too low, requiring excessive steering wheel rotations. 

The shallow foot wells, that result in higher knee and upper thigh angles as previously mentioned, concentrate more upper body weight on the base of the spine. This driving position also puts your knees closer to the steering wheel which can hamper turning at times, particularly for tall drivers. The edges of the console (left) and door trim (right), which the driver’s splayed legs naturally rest against, could do with more rounded edges or padding for greater comfort.

For our GVM test we forklifted 830kg into the cargo bed, which, with the optional tow bar and 100kg driver, was a payload of 960kg - or 50kg less than its 1010kg rating.

The rear springs compressed only 38mm, which was less than the 4x4 version (51mm) under a similar load and was probably due to the 4x2’s lower kerb weight. The front rose 16mm, which was splitting hairs with the 4x4 (17mm). The ride quality improved noticeably but the engine felt a bit sluggish around town, requiring plenty of revs and clutch slip when getting underway from standing starts.

At highway speeds, the limitations of the five-speed gearbox and shorter diff ratio became apparent with the tacho showing 2800rpm at 100km/h and 3000rpm at 110km/h. Although maximum power is at 5250rpm, the engine felt like it was revving too hard for comfortable cruising and almost begging for another gear to drop at least 500rpm at these road speeds.

The excellent tyre-monitoring system provided real peace of mind with such a heavy payload on board, as each tyre’s pressure and temperature could be closely watched. We reckon every hard working ute should have this.

The engine’s lack of low-down torque was noticeable on our set climb, as diesel-powered utes under similar payloads usually pull third gear at 60km/h all the way to the top of the 2.0km, 13 per cent-gradient climb. However, with its peaky petrol engine, the Steed just couldn’t pull third, so a quick shift back to second found its harder-revving (and noisier) sweet spot at 3800rpm, which allowed it to competently 'power' its way to the top. With an emphasis on 'power' as opposed to low-down torque, which is in short supply.