Isuzu D-Max SX 4x2 1.9 Single Cab Chassis 2024 Review

The single-cab 4x2 ute has been a tradie favourite since the beginning of time, or at least the past 90-or-so years. From Ford’s first Aussie ute offering in 1934, to the low-slung Toyota HiLux and Holden Rodeo utes that were ubiquitous on farms and job sites through the 1980’s and 1990’s, we love two seats and a tray.

However, since entering the 2010’s, a decade that saw passenger cars grow in size across the board, the humble 4x2 ute appears to have been replaced on our roads by 4x4 dual-cab options that trade tray space for in-cabin luxury.

For trade and farm buyers wanting a no-frills single-cab ute that won’t cost north of $50k, the spate of lesser-known 4x2 options on the market - many of them visually indistinguishable from their off-road-ready counterparts - offer serious value.

The reality is, if you don’t plan to use your work ute off-road at the weekend, why lug around a front diff and transfer case only to never engage low-range? Many do, mind you, but if you don’t want to pay the 4x4 premium, there are other options.

One such option is the new 2024 Isuzu D-Max SX Single Cab Chassis 4x2 equipped with a pint-sized 1.9-litre engine, manual ‘box, and positively massive tray. We were given the keys to the sub-$35k ute to see how it stacks up as a jobsite or farm-ready workhorse.

The D-Max SX Single Cab Chassis with 1.9-litre engine and manual transmission is priced at $32,490 drive-away, an entry-level deal Isuzu Ute Australia has rolled out for tradies that favour value over bells and whistles. An automatic, if you don’t fancy shifting gears, will set you back $34,700 before on-road costs.

While we tested the 1.9-litre model here, the longstanding 3.0-litre engine is still available across the range but comes at a $2000 premium. Price increases of between $500 and $2000 have been rolled out across the D-max range for 2024, but are somewhat offset by the smaller 1.9-litre engine option.

The entry-level $32,490 sticker price puts the D-Max somewhere in the middle of the pack, taking the fight to the cheaper Toyota HiLux WorkMate Hi-Rider (from $29,465 before ORCs) and more expensive Ford Ranger XL Hi-Rider (from $36,880 before ORCs).

All D-Max models receive a six year/150,000km warranty and the capped-price services every 15,000kms will set you back $449 across the first five years/75,000km.

The base SX grade is a relatively bare bones affair, although for this class it features a generous array of safety and in-cabin technology.

Luxuries like side steps, interior carpet and leather seats are of course reserved for higher grades. What you do get, is a key that has to be actually inserted in an ignition barrel - with no push button start or walk-away door locks.

Vinyl floors and cloth seats make wiping down the trade-ready interior simple, while a mix of hard plastics inside the cabin - relatively unchanged for 2024 - appear to be suitably hard wearing.

There are two 3.0-amp USB-C ports for charging, as well as a 2.1-amp USB-A port placed up near the rear-vision mirror for use with aftermarket dash cameras.

A 4.2-inch multi-information display between the tachometer and speedometer provides driver and vehicle data, while an 8.0-inch infotainment screen displays the usual radio, phone mirroring and maps.

Windows and mirrors are powered, but seats are adjusted the old-fashioned way and don’t expect much storage behind them if you’re anything over five-foot, because they’ll be up against the rear of the cab.

Lastly, rugged 17-inch steel wheels and all-terrain tyres round out the package - so you’ll have no need to worry about scuffing an alloy wheel.

Since 2020, Isuzu has offered its full suite of safety technology as standard across all D-Max models - even the base SX - consisting of autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert and eight airbags.

For 2024, the system has been tweaked and improved using a new ‘Gen4’ stereo camera system, with improved peripheral vision, depth perception and field of view.

In real-world terms, this just means the adaptive cruise control is smarter, the lane centring more on the ball, and the systems all integrate a little better.

Isuzu has updated the reverse camera too, which is a critical piece of hardware for trade-focused utes that will undoubtedly be reversed into tight spaces not designed for a 5.3-metre ute.

The full five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2022 still applies to the new D-Max range.

A new and improved 8.0-inch infotainment display and operating system put the D-Max ahead of 4x2 market competitors, featuring voice recognition, DAB+ radio and wireless phone connectivity.

The basic four-speaker stereo system is adequate, but not fantastic. It feels suitable for a single-cab work ute, though, and a fairly quiet cabin makes good use of the audio system.

Wipers and headlights are both automatic and, while simpler halogen bulbs are used in the SX grade, automatic high-beam control is included.

The 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine produces 110kW/350Nm, which is a fair bit less grunt than its 3.0-litre sibling’s 140kW/450Nm. In 4x2 guise, though, we found it to be plenty.

Isuzu has tuned the smaller engine to offer a usable spread of torque, making its maximum 350Nm from just 1800rpm and holding it until 2600rpm. The manufacturer also fitted a 4.100 final drive, for shorter gearing.

The main benefit of the smaller 1.9-litre engine, for trade or fleet customers, is its reduced fuel consumption.

Isuzu claims combined fuel use of 7l/100km for the SX Single Cab Chassis, against 8l/100km for the larger 3.0-litre engine.

Around town, the urban figure for the 1.9-litre is 7.9l/100km while the 3.0-litre will gulp 10.2l/100km - making the smaller engine a smart choice if you clock plenty of inner-city kilometres.

The SX Single Cab Chassis looks, drives and carries weight like a tradie ute - plain and simple.

Make no mistake, an unladen single-cab ute with lightweight alloy tray is going to be jarring around town. These tradie utes are simply not designed to run around empty, and the leaf springs won’t settle without a few hundred kilograms in the tray.

With that in mind, we left a decent amount of weight in the tray and went about our day-to-day duties in the D-Max.

All in all, it’s a capable, comfortable (for this class) and relatively high-tech option. The infotainment system is greatly improved over the previous model, while the safety technology is top-tier and feels rather premium in a base-spec work ute.

The manual ‘box is a bit of work around town but, for the price saving and control it gives you when trying to get the most out of the little 1.9-litre engine, it is the transmission we’d be choosing.

The D-Max SX is no rocket, but with a manual box and liberal amounts of right-foot input, it gets up and going as good as any work ute needs to - even loaded with around 400kg.

Being a 4x2, this SX is a no-go off-road as it lacks a front differential and transfer case.

However, being a High-Ride model, it does offer a serious 235mm of ground clearance, so washed-out job sites won’t be an issue. Nor will curbs!

The smaller 1.9-litre engine is lighter than its big-bore stablemate, leaving more of the total GVM for load-carrying duties.

A payload capacity of up to 1405kg, depending on the tray fitted, is class-leading and well beyond the ‘one tonne’ gold standard. This is a seriously capable workhorse.

It will also tow a maximum of 2800kg in manual form, or 3000kg for the automatic, down slightly on the full 3500kg braked towing limit of the 3.0-litre model.

The 2550mm Eco Alloy Tray, included in the special $32,490 drive-away price, is simple and easy to work with.

Despite the vinyl floors, cloth upholstery and no-frills trim, the SX grade still feels modern and nicer than the commercial vehicles of yesteryear.

The infotainment system is fantastic, albeit a little on the small side with its 8.0-inch screen, and the mix of physical buttons and dials is well thought out. The return to a physical volume knob is one we applaud.

A height and reach adjustable steering wheel is an ergonomic luxury in this segment, which in a manual model allows the driver to get their seating position just right.

This is a function over form interior experience, but it still outclasses many others in this segment.

It appears, after a fortnight of testing and around 1000kms of use, that Isuzu has nailed the trade brief with the SX.

The result is a trade- or farm-ready ute that will keep occupants safe, comfortable and productive without breaking the bank.

This is a work ute, through and through, so if that’s what you need - we think it’s a go’er.

Price: $32,490 drive-away

Available: Now

Engine: 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel

Output: 110kW/350Nm

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined)

CO2: 184g/km (ADR Combined)

Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)