Isuzu D-Max: the new name for Holden Rodeo

30 years is a long time. So long in fact that even Isuzu appears to have forgotten the KB light commercial vehicle sold here under the Isuzu name until the early 1980s.

Successors to the KB Isuzu range were badged as Holden Rodeos and continued to be sold through Australia's own GM brand right up until a couple of months ago (more here).

Now, following the expiration of an agreement between Isuzu and Holden, the former is now selling the vehicle previously known in Australia as the Holden Rodeo, but rebadged as the Isuzu D-MAX.

The local arm selling the D-MAX is titled Isuzu UTE Australia (IUA), and is not to be confused with the Isuzu arm selling trucks, Isuzu Australia Ltd (IAL). Australia is Isuzu's 83rd market entry for the company's light commercial vehicle range, according to IUA. The local market must rank much higher than that for Isuzu's range of trucks, one presumes.

Isuzu, still selling a version of the Rodeo to Holden labelled as the Colorado (more here), is also backing IUA, which has established its own dealer network of 40 outlets. None of the Isuzu dealers are current Holden dealers per se, due to the potential conflict of interest arising.

"We had 14 or 15 Holden dealers contact us," says Paul Vuko, IUA's General Manager for sales and dealer operations. It's Vuko who informed the Carsales Network of the possible conflict of interest -- for Holden -- in the dealer network being able to sell both the D-MAX and Holden's Colorado. It was a decision the new company made before the dealer selection process had even begun. Vuko's boss, Hitoshi Kono, MD of IUA, admitted that there were times when he reconsidered that commitment.

"The hardest part of the job," he said, "was to turn down Holden rural dealers who wanted an IUA franchise".

IUA will market the D-MAX (an international name, unlike 'Rodeo'), on its known strengths and a price that is at once considerably lower than its competitors, but without the same wriggle room for negotiation. As the company sees it, the D-MAX is pitched at a level approximately $1000 above its actual market value, unlike competitive vehicles such as the Toyota HiLux, which is positioned at an asking price around $10,000 higher, but often sold with so much discounting and rebates that its final price is around the same as the D-MAX's anyway.

Holden too, has employed similar tactics to establish the Colorado, according to Vuko. When the Colorado arrived on the scene, Holden was offering a "bonus program" of $4000 to $5000, Vuko tells us. In effect then, the D-MAX pricing begins where the Colorado's pricing finishes, but there's less margin in it for IUA, a company that is determined to allow enough face-saving negotiation for the buyer, but not at the expense of damaging the brand.

"We're about $5000 cheaper than Colorado," Vuko says.

IUA expects most sales to come from Queensland. Of the dealers appointed to date, there are more located in the northern state than in any other. The forecast for a full year's sales is 4000 units -- that's approximately 100 per dealer, or about eight a month for each dealer. On one hand, it's a relatively conservative figure, when Holden had sold over 18,000 units of the Rodeo last year, but IUA is a largely unknown brand for the present.

IUA has launched the D-MAX in an 11-variant range, combining 4x2 and 4x4 models, all powered by the same 3.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder. Peak power is 120kW at 3600rpm, with maximum torque of 360Nm occurring between 1800 and 2800rpm for the manual transmission variants or 333Nm from 1600 to 3200rpm for the automatic variants. Fuel consumption for the range (in accordance with ADR81/01 combined-cycle testing) ranges from 7.9 to 9.0L/100km and CO2 emissions run from 208 to 237g/km. Isuzu has no plans to bring petrol engines to Australia for the D-MAX range.

Only the high-spec models can be specified with the automatic transmission -- a four-speed unit -- but the standard five-speed manual transmission is available across the range. Both gearboxes feature an overdrive top gear.

As for both the Rodeo and the Colorado, the D-MAX is built on a full chassis with a live axle and leaf springs at the rear. At the front, the base (SX) 4x2 models feature a double-wishbone system with coil springs and all other models (also double-wishbone) are sprung by torsion bars. All torsion bar-sprung models are fitted with 'high-ride' suspension (225mm vs. 195mm). Cab chassis variants (even the crew cabs) are built on a longer wheelbase than the utes (3200mm vs. 3050mm).

Steering is of the power-assisted rack-and-pinion type, with a turning circle ranging from 11.8m for the 4x2 utes to 13.0m for the 4x4 cab chassis models. Braking comprises ventilated discs at the front, solid discs at the rear, with all models other than the base 4x4 'EX' model equipped with ABS.

Pricing starts at $23,300 for the D-MAX SX cab chassis single cab variant. This model is fitted as standard with air conditioning and a limited slip differential. A 4x4 equivalent to the D-MAX SX is the D-MAX EX, also a cab chassis with single cab bodystyle, priced at $27,800.

Further up the ladder, the 4x2 SX crew cab ute is priced at $31,900, just $100 shy of the 4x4 D-MAX SX cab chassis single cab variant ($32,000). The price jumps $2800 to $34,800 for the 4x2 D-MAX LS crew cab ute, which is also available with a $2000 automatic transmission option ($36,800).

Priced at $36,700, the D-MAX SX is sold in a 4x4 crew cab ute variant and the same vehicle is also available in LS-M trim for $38,700 and LS-U trim for $40,500. Both the LS-M and LS-U grades of the D-MAX can be optioned with automatic transmission for a further $2000.

All variants come equipped with: air conditioning, intermittent wipers, driver's footrest and height adjustment for outboard seatbelts. SX and EX variants feature a four-speaker CD audio system as standard. 15-inch steel wheels are standard for the SX 4x2 grade.

The EX 4x4 cab chassis, being the most basic grade, lacks the side protection strips, electric windows, central locking, tilt-adjustable steering, bucket seats, ABS and dual front airbags of the other models, but does have 16-inch steel wheels and a warning for the headlights left on -- a feature not specified for the entry-level SX 4x2 cab chassis.

Over the specification of the SX 4x2 cab chassis, the crew cab ute version gains two coat hooks, child safety seat anchorages, rear window demister and remote fuel filler flap release.

The D-MAX LS 4x2 crew cab ute features the additional items fitted to the SX crew cab, but in addition offers: projector-beam headlights, front fog lights, aluminium side steps, chrome tailgate handle, chrome mirror shells, body colour wheel arch flares, 16-inch alloy wheels, a rear step bumper, electric mirrors, cruise control, premium audio (MP3-compatible six-disc CD system with six speakers) in an upgraded centre fascia, leather-bound steering wheel and gearshift knob, digital instrumentation, variable-dwell intermittent wipers, satin-finish interior highlights, carpet, Raschel cloth trim in lieu of Jersey cloth fitted to EX and SX grades and overhead console.

SX 4x4 models (cab chassis variants with single cab and crew cab body styles) are trimmed as for the 4x2 equivalents, but with the following additional features: 16-inch alloy wheels, high-ride suspension, 4WD mode-select buttons in dash, sumpguard and protection plate for transfer case.

The LS-M D-MAX is equipped as per the 4x2 D-MAX LS, but with 4x4-specific features as per the 4x4 SX variants. Exterior styling is more offroad-oriented than the 4x2 LS, with black mirror shells in lieu of chrome units, grey wheel arch flares in lieu of body-coloured flares, a black step in the rear bumper rather than a chrome one and vinyl flooring instead of carpet. Relative to the 4x2 LS, it lacks the aluminium side steps.

At the top of the model range, the D-MAX LS-U 4x4 crew cab ute is a 4x4 equivalent to the D-MAX LS 4x2 and features the same items of the latter, combined with the 4x4 accoutrements fitted to the SX 4x4 variants.

IUA will have a stand at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, commencing this week.

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