Should I buy a Nissan Navara or an Isuzu D-Max?
2021 Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior v Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain comparison review
While these two four-wheel-drive utes don't sell in the same quantities as the market leaders, they are still worthy of a buyer's consideration. We pit Isuzu's new D-Max and Nissan's revamped Navara head-to-head.
Overview
Australians love their four-wheel-drive utes, and their appetite for high-spec variants seems to be particularly hearty. Often used for work and weekends as well as the weekday grind, the once-simple recipe of four driven wheels and a healthy payload is now being pulled in a multitude of directions. It truly is the automotive equivalent of a decathlete.
Much of Australia's focus seems to be on the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux – which both account for a majority of sales – but there are some quality options beyond those two behemoths.
We've got two such examples here today. The 2021 Isuzu D-Max – one of the newest in the segment and in top X-Terrain specification – and the 2021 Nissan Navara – also in top Pro-4X spec and on the receiving end of a major midlife makeover.
Introduction
Isuzu D-Max
We all know how popular four-wheel-drive utes are at the moment, and the 2021 Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain is no doubt riding that wave.
So far in the depressed automotive market of 2021, Australians have scooped up 160,881 four-wheel-drive utes like this D-Max. That's 18 per cent of Australia's total new car market, and officially Australia's most voluminous type of car.
Medium SUVs come next (151,006 vehicles, 17 per cent) followed by – surprise, surprise – small SUVs (122,443 vehicles, 13.7 per cent) and large SUVs (113,936 vehicles, 12.8 per cent).
And while the Isuzu D-Max still sits behind the dominating Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in terms of overall sales, this new-generation model has allowed the two-model manufacturer to move up the ladder into a coveted third place.
While the old Isuzu D-Max was loved for its good value, vaunted motor and solid reputation, the new D-Max impresses with comfort, safety and technology.
The new Isuzu D-Max keeps a 3500kg braked towing capacity, which is complemented by a 970kg payload and 5950kg gross combination mass.
It's worth noting here that some changes are coming through for 2022, which will help the D-Max X-Terrain keep up with the ute Joneses. These include heated seats, heated side mirrors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, red stitching in the black leather seats and a tow bar receiver. Although, the ball/hitch remains to be an extra cost.
Prices will creep upwards for the new 2022 D-Max X-Terrain, and Isuzu looks to retain its lopsided pricing structure for the foreseeable future. That means with a $62,990 drive-away asking price, the top-spec Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain is priced very closely to the more basic mid-spec LS-U, which goes without a drive-away deal.
It seems entirely illogical, but having a drive-away deal only for the X-Terrain means you'd be mad to plump for any other specification without a deal-sweetening discount.
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X-Terrain enjoys some big additions over the lesser specifications: soon-to-be heated leather seats, sailplane-style sports bar, manual roller cover, black alloy wheels and wheel arch flares.
And considering Isuzu's wacky pricing structure, the X-Terrain is by far the best-value trim level in the D-Max range.
Nissan Navara
Sitting above ST-X, Pro-4X is now the king of the Navara range – aside from the off-road-focused Pro-4X Warrior of course. However, when it comes to what we'd call the 'regular' dual-cab range, Pro-4X is the top of the pile.
Whether it's worth the $65,290 asking price or not is a moot point. At the time of testing, that price is a drive-away deal. But, the question of worth seems redundant. Aussies are hoovering up expensive dual cabs at an alarming rate. As such, the Pro-4X is competitively priced among its chief combatants.
Interestingly, none of the dual cabs, even the newest versions, are perfect. You'd think that manufacturers would be looking at each other's products finding all the minute details that could do with some finer honing, and ensuring their new dual cab ticked every box. And yet? They don't.
There is always a compromise when it comes to high-end dual cabs. More on that in a minute. There are so many different theories as to why dual cabs are as popular as they are in this country, but if buyers felt the compromise wasn't worth making, they would stop buying them wouldn't they?
Nissan's revised Navara initially had the compromise of not being able to handle heavy payloads, thanks to the coil spring rear end. The Australian motoring press went hard at the Navara, too, seemingly ignoring the fact that just about every buyer of the top two variants rarely put anything in the tray. Aside from some mulch or a gym bag that is.
For mine, Navara's effective USP among the mainstream, in the form of coils all round, made for a far better-mannered day-to-day proposition on-road. It was always pretty handy off-road too.
Now, though, the load-hauling ability has been enhanced, and the reasons Navara is a strong offering remain. There's a six-speed manual if you want one, or the seven-speed automatic as we're testing here.
Pro-4X gets plenty of high-level gear above ST-X, too, all-terrain tyres, black fender flares, roof rails, door mirrors, side steps, grille and door handles, black 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-accented seats with logos and accent stitching, a towbar, black stainless sports bar, and tub liner. A full-size spare is par for the course too.
In crisp white, the Pro-4X cuts a stylish figure on the road. Dual cabs are getting tougher by the update, and the Navara remains one of the more attractive in terms of design. There's some DNA from the US-market Nissan Titan in the design. Coincidentally, the first time I saw the Pro-4X naming was when I spent a month with a Titan in the US, and that's no bad thing. Like new Ranger shadowing F-150, Nissan could do worse than display some lineage to its full-size pick-up.
At this end of the market, a few factors remain key. How does it behave around town, in traffic, and through the cut-and-thrust of the daily grind? Is the cabin robust, but car-like enough to encourage longer road trips? Is the engine punchy enough to get moving, but not so thirsty it will frazzle the wallet? And how does it ride unladen, given most at this level remain ever thus? Let's find out.
Key details | 2021 Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain | 2021 Nissan Navara Pro-4X |
Price (MSRP) | $62,990 drive-away | $65,290 drive-away |
Colour of test car | Mineral White | White Pearl |
Options | None | Premium paint – $650 |
Price as tested | $62,990 drive-away | $65,940 drive-away |
Inside
Isuzu D-Max
Leather-accented seats in this top-spec D-Max help with the higher asking price, and put the D-Max on a strong value footing in comparison to other leathered-up four-wheel-drive utes. They are comfortable seats with decent electric adjustment for the driver.
Ergonomically, the cabin is overall quite easy to live with. Air-conditioning controls are easy to manipulate, but we would love to see a volume dial to help with easy control. The buttons can be a little bit frustrating to operate while on the move.
Two cupholders are supported by additional slide-out units under each outboard air vent, and there are plenty of options for storing the everyday stuff up front in the D-Max: twin gloveboxes are good, as is the lidded compartment on top of the dashboard.
The second row of the D-Max is also good, benefitting from an increased wheelbase in comparison to the previous generation. Leg room, head room and general comfort overall make it one of the better examples of a ute in the segment. There are air vents plus a couple of USB-A points too.
Two large adults can fit comfortably in the back, while three can feel a little bit like a squeeze. It's possible but not perfect – like most other four-wheel-drive utes.
Flipping up the seat bases gives you some handy extra storage space, and those wanting to use every nook and cranny will also be looking behind the seatbacks.
Like other utes, fitting child seats into a new D-Max can be a little frustrating. It's a different set-up in this case, with the outboard top-tether points going through a fabric loop and then onto a centrally mounted steel point. It's not impossible to get right, but it is fiddly to get all of the slack out of the top-tether straps – especially when your seat is forward-facing.
This is probably a minor issue for those who will install a seat and leave it for months at a time, but is guaranteed to be frustrating if you are planning on regularly moving seats between cars.
Nissan Navara
I've always liked the Navara cabin, with a few caveats. One, the steering wheel has no reach adjustment, only tilt. And two, the driver's seat isn't able to be lowered into the cabin as much as I would like. It's worth noting that you will get used to both these things, but when compared to the best in segment, they form a compromise.
However, other elements of the Navara's cabin are excellent. I've always thought the Navara had a more car-like (or SUV-like) cabin than many of the other dual cabs in terms of the dash design and layout. Even though there are newer options on the market, this is still a strong point for mine. Dual-zone air-conditioning makes for a comfortable cabin and second-row occupants get vents.
On the subject of the second row, if you've got tall adults up front, you're going to find the second row a little tight, but that's with the front two seats in their rearmost position. You get two USB-A ports and two 12V ports up front, as well as a USB-A port for the second row.
We like the sliding rear window in the Navara, that's a point of difference for this segment. Large US trucks tend to have them standard, but not so much our smaller dual cabs.
The Navara's cabin, once you take into account the seat sitting a little higher, is comfortable and insulated around town. The ride helps here, too, but there's also no roar from the all-terrain tyres, and little in the way of wind noise at highway speed either.
The 2021 update, which included more sound deadening, has made an impact in the real world. While newer dual cabs do indeed feel newer from behind the wheel, some key updates would bring the Navara along closer to the standard-setters.
2021 Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain | 2021 Nissan Navara Pro-4X | |
Seats | Five | Five |
Payload | 970kg | 952kg |
Length | 5303mm | 5311mm |
Width | 1880mm | 1875mm |
Height | 1810mm | 1855mm |
Wheelbase | 3125mm | 3150mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Isuzu D-Max
Like the LS-U specification below, the X-Terrain enjoys a large 9.0-inch infotainment display. It's the same operating system and experience as the smaller 7.0-inch system in lower-grade models, with Apple CarPlay (wired and wireless) and Android Auto (wired), although it has the addition of digital radio and native navigation.
The screen size is one of the larger examples you'll find in a four-wheel-drive ute, and the quality of the display also seems quite good. This is one area where developments and improvements are fast-paced, so expect other carmakers to match or exceed Isuzu's offering here in future models.
The user experience is simple and straightforward, without a stack of functionality on offer to dig through. But for those who will only flick between smartphone mirroring, a bit of navigation and a few different radio stations, then it's fine for the job. A volume dial would help make life easier, instead of the buttons below the dash and on the steering wheel that need concerted mashing for fast decibel changes.
The multifunction display in front of the driver is decent as well, offering a bit more than your average readout of trip information. It can be a bit fiddly to navigate at times, especially adjusting some of the settings. But once again, this isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for longer-term ownership.
Nissan Navara
Central to the system is an 8.0-inch touchscreen, which displays a grainy image from the 360-degree camera. It's not quite as high-tech or modern as the best in segment now, and it's an area where you can definitely feel that the segment has moved on.
The new Ranger will kick this up another notch of course. A larger screen and clearer cameras would be an improvement for the Navara.
However, on test the screen worked reliably with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both wired), as did the native satellite navigation. Both those systems were accurate and responsive for us on test.
The rear-view camera works, but could also do with an upgrade to compete with the best in segment. The 7.0-inch digital driver's display is a good one too.
Safety and Technology
Isuzu D-Max
Isuzu's D-Max was the first ute to pick up a front centre airbag, as it targeted top marks in a 2020 ANCAP test. It got that, along with its twin-under-the-skin Mazda BT-50. Both were successful and shot to the top of the four-wheel-drive ute pack in terms of overall safety.
Adult occupant protection (83 per cent) and child occupant protection (89 per cent) are both strong in the event of a crash, as is safety assistance (84 per cent).
Much of the advanced safety equipment comes from the twin cameras mounted high in the windscreen, which can detect pedestrians, cyclists and cross-intersection traffic, warning of an impending collision and applying the brakes if necessary. There is also blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.
Having the cameras mounted up here is different to grille-mounted radars, and helps for those wanting to fit accessories like bullbars and driving lights. It also potentially affects the performance of the active safety systems in bad weather. Being out of the mud is helpful, but heavy rain can obscure the vision of the cameras.
Unfortunately, the lane-departure warning and lane-keep assistance systems – which both operate through those same top cameras – are difficult to live with at times. They can be overbearing in their judgements, tugging at the wheel and against your own inputs as you stay within lane markings.
It's a problem made worse by the fact that the assistance technology is difficult to turn off – navigating through the multifunction display via steering wheel buttons, only when the car is parked. MY22 vehicles will introduce a steering wheel button to quickly toggle the technology on and off.
Nissan Navara
A five-star ANCAP rating from back in 2015 stays with the Nissan Navara Pro-4X, and there's plenty of standard safety kit as befits the segment now. However, the Navara does lack some equipment compared to the current best in segment.
The 2022 Nissan Navara Pro-4X doesn't feature radar cruise control, speed sign recognition or a centre airbag between the front seats (all features that are standard on new-generation dual cabs such as the Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50).
Standard kit includes intelligent autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot intervention, lane intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, and an intelligent driver alert. There's also a 360-degree camera that assists off-road in terms of safely positioning the Navara in tight spaces. Hill descent control and hill start assist are also standard.
At a glance | 2021 Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain | 2021 Nissan Navara Pro-4X |
ANCAP rating & year tested | Five stars (tested 2020) | Five stars (tested 2015) |
Safety report | Link to ANCAP | Link to ANCAP |
Value for Money
Isuzu D-Max
Considering the D-Max X-Terrain is the only dual-cab variant with drive-away pricing, it's the clear choice of its respective range. LS-U, with its cloth seat trim and bare tub, is approximately the same price (depending on the on-road costs) with a lot less gear.
And at $62,990 drive-away, the D-Max is a proper value proposition against popular (and more expensive) top-speccers like the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and Toyota HiLux Rogue. Those two utes have more advanced electric roller covers at the back, and there are a range of smaller details and changes to consider. But on the overall weight of things, the D-Max X-Terrain competes heartily in terms of value for money.
Service intervals of every 12 months or 15,000km is the norm for this kind of vehicle, and Isuzu offers a seven-year capped-price servicing program. This equals $3374 over the seven years, with the most expensive visit (90,000km) costing $749.
This capped-price program is joined by a six-year, 150,000km warranty, and seven years' worth of roadside assistance provided that you keep up with dealership servicing.
While Isuzu claims the D-Max will consume 8.0L/100km of fuel on the combined cycle, our time on test in a mix of typical city and highway driving returned 8.7L/100km.
Nissan Navara
Nissan's five-year warranty covers unlimited kilometres and there's a capped-price servicing scheme for that same period as well.
Service intervals are handy for those of you racking up serious miles, with a 12-month/20,000km expectation, although I'd probably be back at Nissan for an oil and filter every 10,000km. Over three years you'll spend $1816, and over five years the scheduled services cost $2971.
Nissan claims 7.9L/100km on the combined cycle, and on test, with plenty of around-town traffic, our Navara used 8.8L/100km. On the freeway, you'll see numbers in the low sevens, while even heavy traffic rarely saw the live readout lift above our test average.
If you use 8.8L/100km as a fair average with a 50km safety margin, you'll get a touring range of at least 900km from a tank – perfect for family road trips.
At a glance | 2021 Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain | 2021 Nissan Navara Pro-4X |
Warranty | Six years, 150,000km | Five years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km | 12 months or 20,000km |
Servicing costs | $1407 (3 years), $2215 (5 years) | $1816 (3 years), $2971 (5 years) |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 8.0L/100km | 7.9L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 8.7L/100km | 8.8L/100km |
Fuel type | Diesel | Diesel |
Fuel tank size | 76L | 80L |
Driving
Isuzu D-Max
One of the main reasons people bought the previous-generation Isuzu D-Max was because of what's lurking underneath the bonnet. This new D-Max retains the same 3.0-litre, four-cylinder size and layout, but this engine has been reworked fairly significantly for some additional harumph.
It now makes 140kW and 450Nm, both good figures that represent a solid – if not huge – jump over the previous-generation diesel. It still lags behind key competitors in the segment, with smaller engines producing more power and torque in some cases.
However, this Isuzu diesel engine does impress with its laziness in performance. And I mean lazy in a good way. Torque comes on without too much prodding of the throttle, and you can tell that this engine is much happier lugging through the lower and middle rev ranges rather than searching out any kind of redline.
Peak torque is available between 1600 and 2600rpm. Nice and low, and many will appreciate that this larger engine does it without the need for more complex twin or sequential turbocharging. Isuzu also tells us that 400Nm – a big figure once upon a time – is on tap between 1400 and 3250rpm. That's where you'll be spending 98 per cent of your time with this motor.
Matched with a smooth and predictable six-speed automatic gearbox, the D-Max sets an easy, unhurried pace around town. If you're looking to keep up with the Joneses at red lights and the like, the D-Max won't leave you completely red-faced. It doesn't feel as quick as other four-wheel-drive utes, but it's got enough acceleration on offer for the application.
But in doing so, you introduce a lot more noise and vibration, so my suggestion is: let them speed past, and allow your engine to ride that easy wave of torque for more refinement and compliance.
Electric steering in this new D-Max is light-feeling, allowing single-finger twirling for chucking a three-point turn – often needed with a 12.5m turning circle. As speeds increase, the steering system steadily introduces more and more weight and feeling through the steering wheel to help it feel balanced and easy to drive.
Ride quality is good, with the X-Terrain's slightly softer rear suspension yielding a bit of compliance around town. One shouldn't expect this D-Max to ride as well as something like an SUV, but the new D-Max is good regardless. And if you're planning on throwing a few extra bits and bobs in the back of the D-Max, that ride quality will smooth out even more.
Nissan Navara
Our focus for this review is on around town, unladen manners. And, as you'd no doubt expect, 140kW and 450Nm are more than capable of tackling those tasks with ease. Peak torque – while not eye-watering – is available from just 1500rpm, and as such, the Pro-4X can scoot in a hurry when you need it to.
Navara will get off the mark, and keep pulling up to 110km/h on the highway with ease. And without too much diesel chatter for that matter.
The 2.3-litre engine is genuinely effortless for regular city work. Whereas we've seen it feel a bit breathless towing around 2500–2700kg up long hills on the highway before, the four-cylinder is unstressed around town without any weight behind it. The way the engine develops its power and torque is aided by the smooth shifting quality of the seven-speed automatic. We found the gearbox to be well-mannered around town at any speed.
Part-time 4WD means the Navara is RWD around town on sealed surfaces, but that's all you need in reality too. Even on a wet surface, the Navara doesn't feel like Bambi on ice despite the fitment of all-terrain tyres. And I mean the frozen kind. As in skating. Yep, you get it. You could, though, if you decided not to go off-road, opt for more road-focused tyres if you prefer.
Interestingly, the Navara actually doesn't feel as hefty as it is from behind the wheel either. The steering is nicely tuned to lower-speed work, and it never feels heavy or ungainly.
The harsh reality – whether observers want to accept it or not – is that the overwhelming majority of higher-end dual cabs get used around town in exactly the conditions I've noted above. They are, in effect, a regular family conveyance for plenty of owners.
The workhorses in the range are, well, workhorses, but the more expensive variants live an easier life. That's why we tend to expect as much of a modern dual cab as we do when testing them.
As such, we appreciate the way in which the Navara's coil-sprung rear end deals with regular urban fare. That is, the rear irons things out neatly and effectively without skipping around like a CD in a '90s head unit. I'd suggest that the steering, ride and handling ability are all up with the most accomplished in the segment.
Excellent headlights make a difference when you head into areas without proper street lights, and are a factor those of you on the urban fringe will appreciate. Whereas the engine works nicely around town, if you need to really get cranking on the highway from lower speed, it does feel like it could do with a bit more grunt, but that doesn't detract from the quality of the drive experience.
Key details | 2021 Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain | 2021 Nissan Navara Pro-4X |
Engine | 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel | 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel |
Power | 140kW @ 3600rpm | 140kW @ 3750rpm |
Torque | 450Nm @ 1600-2600rpm | 450Nm @ 1500-2500rpm |
Drive type | Part-time four-wheel drive, low-range transfer case | Part-time four-wheel drive, low-range transfer case |
Transmission | Six-speed torque convertor automatic | Seven-speed torque convertor automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 65.7kW/t | 65.2kW/t |
Weight (kerb) | 2130kg | 2146kg |
Tow rating | 3500kg braked, 750kg unbraked | 3500kg braked, 750kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 12.5m | 12.5m |
Conclusion
Even though the Isuzu D-Max is a much newer platform in comparison to Nissan's Navara, this comparison was a tricky one to judge. Why? Both of these high-spec utes are good. And to be honest, they both deserve more sales limelight than they currently foster.
Both offer a semblance of value in comparison to the Ranger Wildtraks and HiLux Rogues of the world, and have plenty of additional features to dig through.
One interesting point is the powertrains. While both make similar figures on paper, they go about their business in very different manners. It's not to say one is inherently better than the other, but I'd recommend buyers take each for an extended test drive through different conditions to see which engine – the twin-turbocharged 2.3-litre or the single-turbo 3.0-litre – tickles their fancy more.
On the inside, one can start to see the age of the Navara platform letting it down. It's not as good ergonomically as the D-Max, with less adjustment on offer for drivers to dial in comfortably.
The overall interior design is also feeling a little tired. And while both infotainment displays have plenty of features to dig through, the D-Max has more digital acreage on offer.
Safety is another important consideration, and here the D-Max edges ahead. Both of these utes have autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. However, the D-Max has intersection detection, more airbags (thanks to the front centre airbag), traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.
That gives the win to the D-Max overall. Not by much, but thanks to its newer platform and better safety credentials – as well as a mite more equipment for the asking price – it's the choice of these two four-wheel-drive utes.