Isuzu Ute celebrates 10 years

IUA launched locally with the D-Max, offered in single-cab, dual-cab, ute and cab-chassis, as well as rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Drivetrain for all variants was a 3.0-litre common-rail turbo diesel engine with a choice of 5-speed manual or 4-speed auto transmissions.

A working vehicle from the beginning, the D-Max retains that combination of toughness and ability today, and it’s those qualities that have made Australia the second-best market for the D-Max behind Thailand.

From a meagre 273 sales in 2008 (October – December), sales reached 10,209 five years later and hit the 100,000 mark in April, 2017. Now, D-Max sit at 107,332 (to 30 Sep, 2018).

Adding to the Isuzu Ute story was the arrival of the MU-X SUV in 2013. Combining the D-Max drivetrain with a seven-seat SUV body, the MU-X has seen more than 32,000 Australian sales, with Isuzu Ute claiming it’s the number one ute-based SUV in Australia and the fourth-best seller in the Large SUV category.

“We continue to be humbled by the Australian response to our products,” said IUA Managing Director, Hiro Kuramoto. “Since launch, our products have been endorsed with a number of awards, and the positive feedback from customers continues to confirm that we deliver honest, reliable products.”